Data from a recent study has revealed that the cost of leaving electrical appliances plugged in or on standby when not in use is costing Brits a fortune. It is claimed that up to £1.3 billion is being added to electricity bills each year as a result of televisions, computers and other electrical devices being left on standby or plugged in.
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| Brits watch more TV but waste £1.3b by not switching off |
The study, titled “Powering the nation – household electricity-using habits revealed“, was carried out by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), and the Energy Saving Trust.
The report also showed that the nation is viewing far more TV than was originally thought, with the figures indicating that UK audiences are watching a staggering 10 billion hours more television than initially thought. This alone is adding £205 million to electricity bills.
Officials are eager to get both consumer electronics manufacturers and the general public involved in trying to reduce this wasted energy usage and the related costs. Environment Minister Lord Taylor of Holbeach stated that makers of HDTVs and other electrical appliances need to look at the development of more energy-efficient products. However, he also highlighted the importance of consumers taking steps to reduce their power usage and wastage by switching off appliances and unplugging devices when not in use.
When it comes to TV viewing, there are many users who will simply put the set on standby when not watching it and even when going to bed, which means that it is still drawing some power throughout the night and at other times of the day when it is not being used. This is also true of a range of other electrical devices, which many people fail to switch off or unplug when they are not using them.
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