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Environment and greener living
Saving electricity with a home energy monitor
A home energy monitor is an easy way to see how much electricity you’re using, as you use it, and what it costs. People who fit home energy monitors tend to find their energy use drops by between five and 15 per cent in the first year of using them.
What is a home energy monitor?
A home energy monitor helps you see how much electricity you are using at a given time
A home energy monitor is an electronic device that helps you see how much electricity you are using at a given time. It is also known as a 'real time display' or 'RTD'.
A clip from the monitor is attached to the cable from your electricity meter. The current is then measured and transmitted wirelessly to a display that you can keep anywhere in your house.
It isn’t a substitute for your electricity bill, but it can provide a good indication of how much your electricity is costing if you update the monitor with any changes to your tariff.
How much electricity can I save?
The Energy Saving Trust estimates that households in the UK waste around 8 per cent of their electricity bill on standby power – that’s about £30 a year for an average household. In addition, £140 million a year is wasted through leaving lights on in unused rooms.
In small-scale trials of home energy monitors, customers have typically saved five to 15 per cent in the first year of owning a monitor, which could be £25 to £75 off a £500 bill.
How do I get one and what do they cost?
Some energy suppliers provide free monitors with selected tariffs
Some energy suppliers provide free monitors with selected tariffs; ask your supplier for more information. Otherwise there are a number of retailers selling monitors with different functions from £30 to over £100. You can find a retailer by searching online for ‘home energy monitor’.
The wider issue
Making your home energy efficient could save you £300 a year
The energy consumed in homes is responsible for over a quarter of all UK emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas causing climate change. Using energy more efficiently and cutting out wastage will reduce carbon emissions as well as your fuel bills. What's more, making your home as energy efficient as possible could save you over £300 a year.
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