Exciting electricity savings update
We're 11 weeks into a 52 -week experiment and we're beginning to see some reliable data we can do some calculations with. Come along for a bit of math and savings fun.
The goal of the experiment
You might recall (from here and here), that we wanted to save 2 kWh per week or 104 kWh per year, which would lower our bill by $37 or roughly 225 DKK.
Our progress to date
I just did a reading of our meter this morning and boy oh boy was I surprised. I haven't looked at it since before Christmas, as I've had other things on my mind, but today I knew it was time for an update.
Our year-to-date total is 268 kWh, divided by 11 weeks, that gives us a weekly average of 24.36, a good deal less than our previous 32/week. I did a projection and at our current average, we will end at 1266.72, which is 404.28kWh less than last year. If that projection holds true, we would be able to save almost $144 on our bill or 876 DKK.
That math made me check my calculations a couple of times, but I think it's correct. It represents a 31.91% reduction in our usage/ bill, which is a significant decrease! I'm not counting my chickens yet though, a lot could change over the remaining 41 weeks of the experiment. What I do want to celebrate is that it seems to be working. Even if we don't end up reducing our bill by almost 32%, we will most likely have a lower bill than last year and that is a big win for us.
Have you been able to reduce your electricity bill?
I have not been really working towards reducing it but I feel I do a good job of making sure things are turned off if they are not being used.
If the cost isn't bothering you there's no need to reduce it! I think turning things off is one of the best tactics there is.
The thing is I pay more to bring the service to the house then the amount I use.
Electricity in Canada more in Ontario is so incredibly expensive. Even if you reduce down to absolutely nothing on in your home everything unplugged you are still charged for delivery charges to the house etc, then the debt retirement cost for Hydro one, so your bill starts at $65 before you even plug something in, sadly.
Wow, I thought we paid a lot for delivery and taxes and such, but it's nothing close to that much. Could you potentially mitigate it with solar or is that even more expensive?
Fantastic results thus far! And what a success would be if you can keep it up. I look forward to following your progress... :)
Thank you. Yes, it would be a major improvement.
Oh, this is great news...I am glad it is working for you!
We are in a 32 foot RV, so there is not much electricity used. We switched all the 12V lights to LED, and tightened things up for the weather. Two years ago it was around 50.00 per month in the summer, and 100 in the winter per month. Now it is down to 30 per month summer and 70 per month winter.
Most of the extra winter use is the need to run a dehumidifier to counter the moisture caused by propane heat. We are hoping to add in a cubic grizzly wood stove before next winter which should eliminate that.
Once we can loose the dehumidifier, we should be set to go mainly solar.
That sounds so exciting! I have no idea if that's low cost, but it sounds like it to me. I'm sure a woodstove would be very lovely and take care of the humidity.
This is looking really impressive. Keep at it and keep posting.
Thank you. I hope the projection holds true. We are over the most electricity consuming period (Christmas) so hopefully, it will. We don't have air condition or heat with electricity so that helps a lot.
And I guess lighting requirements should gradually reduce as the days get longer too.
Absolutely!