The Benefits Of Energy-Efficient Appliances

July 8, 2024 by Admin

With the Ofgem energy price cap recently falling by 7% to around £1,568 per household, home owners across the UK will finally see the strain of energy bills easing. This will come as welcome news to many in the country, who have been paying increased rates since the energy crisis began in Autumn 2021. However, the savings don’t need to end there – your energy bills can be reduced even further by installing energy-efficient appliances.

Electric appliances such as televisions, fridges/freezers, dishwashers, and washing/drying machines can all rack up significant costs over the course of a year. Investing in more energy-efficient models is therefore a great way to use less energy and reduce your overall spending. While some may be sceptical of how much money this could save, especially when looking at high up-front costs, the long-term benefits are usually worth it.

Innovation and technological advancements have ensured that appliances are always being made more energy-efficient, and new products today are significantly improved from their older models from 5 to 10 years ago. The biggest energy savings will be found by replacing these earlier products with more economical appliances, meaning that investing in newer and better models is critical for energy efficiency.

In Tariff’s latest blog, we’ll discuss the benefits of using energy-efficient appliances, exploring how it can save you money, help the environment, and improve public perception. Finally, we’ll see how Tariff can guide your business along a journey to harness more efficient energy usage.

 

5 Important Figures About Energy-Efficient Appliances

• The Average Household Spends £80 A Month On Energy Bills
• Electric Appliances Account For 30% Of Usage
• Leaving Appliances On Standby Costs £40 A Month On Average
• You Can Save Up To 20-30% Of Your Bill By Using Energy-Efficient Products
• For The Average Household, This Works Out To £336 A Year

 

What Are The Benefits Of Energy-Efficient Appliances?

Of course, the primary benefit of energy-efficient appliances is that they use less energy, and therefore cost less money to run. But there lies part of the problem, in that it can be difficult to determine which appliance is the most energy efficient. Fortunately, there is a solution for everyday consumers – energy labels.

Energy labels must be displayed clearly on major home and consumer appliances as required by UK law, and are often the best way to measure the efficiency of one product to the next. While energy labels have been around for decades, a new version was recently released in 2021, which consists of a diagram that ranks appliances on a scale from A to G, with A being the most energy-efficient and G being the least energy-efficient. Typically, a product will be compared to other models of a similar size and type to assess how efficient its energy usage is.

Another great way to assess the energy-efficiency of an appliance is how it directly relates to your needs. Using a product that is too large, such as a dishwasher that is never filled, or leaving a product running that needn’t be, such as a television while you take a trip out, will waste energy regardless of how efficient the model claims to be. In a similar vein, it’s important to avoid leaving appliances on standby for too long, as this drains energy which will build up over time.

Once these preliminary problems are addressed, the following benefits can then begin to be earned:

 

1. Save Money In The Long Run

Naturally, less energy means less money spent on corresponding bills.

According to energy experts, installing energy-efficient appliances in your home can result in savings of up to £336 a year, which if expanded across an average lifespan of 8 years, amounts to a significant £2,688. This is no small sum, especially considering the cost-of-living crisis that the UK now finds itself in.

Of course, the initial investment can be off-putting, but for many businesses and homes, the long-term savings will essentially pay off the new appliances by themselves, while giving you years of efficient usage. However, it’s important to keep these appliances in good working order, so semi-regular cleaning and maintenance will help to keep your appliances as energy-efficient as possible.

See the below list for potential savings from different appliances:

 

Boilers:

Going from a G-Rated boiler to an A-Rated boiler can save at least £580 a year.

Dishwashers:

F-Rated dishwashers cost approx. £66.50 per year to run, whereas A-Rated dishwashers cost just £20.

Fridges & Freezers:

D-Rated fridge/freezers cost approx. £139 a year to run, while an A-Rated fridge/freezer only costs £70 a year.

Tumble Dryers:

B-Rated tumble dryers cost approx. £170 per year to run, while an A+++-Rated tumble dryer costs just £53 a year.

Washing Machines:

D-Rated washing machines cost approx. £42 per year to run, whereas an A-Rated washing machine costs approx. £25.

 

On top of these appliances, there are also kettles, televisions, desktops & laptops, ovens, microwaves, electric heaters, air conditioning, and even simple light bulbs – all of which can be made more energy-efficient.

 

2. Help Protect The Environment

Another positive effect of using less energy is reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that are released into the environment.

Naturally, every appliance in your home needs electricity to function, and most of that comes from burning fossil fuels in powerplants. According to environmental studies, appliances are responsible for 39% of all energy-related CO2 emissions, which makes it a massive chunk of the climate crisis. As a result, the world cannot reach net-zero without significant changes to appliance efficiency, and every home and business has a responsibility to optimise their energy usage as much as possible.

Installing energy-efficient appliances can reduce those emissions dramatically, minimising harmful effects and protecting the planet for future generations.

 

3. Promote CSR Across Your Business

In response to the developing climate crisis, many companies have begun to optimise their energy usage and promote that to their customers.

For example, travel company Trainline calculates how much CO2 you would save on your journey if you took the train instead of a car, therefore encouraging passengers to take the less harmful option. At the same time, many bus companies are moving towards fleets of electric vehicles to reduce the total amount of emissions released into the atmosphere.

As CSR grows in importance and spreads to other sectors and industries, many will want to see environmental commitments from companies before handing over their custom. For this reason, and given that the above principle can apply to any business, the installation of energy-efficient appliances can be employed as a useful selling point to climate-conscious clients. This will help greatly when standing out in the market and launching bids for new business.

 

How Tariff Can Overhaul Your Energy Efficiency

Tariff.com are energy experts, with a strong track record of searching for the best deals on the market, switching to more convenient suppliers, and helping businesses save on their utility bills. Our consultants will conduct a comprehensive market analysis on your behalf, putting together a tailormade energy plan for you and your business. We will guide you through switching suppliers with ease, earning you better benefits and ensuring you receive your energy from an ethical operator.

From business electricity to heating solutions, Tariff offers a broad range of energy solutions that are focused on reducing your utility bills and reaching net-zero. Whether you need to optimise your energy usage, invest in renewable energy such as solar panels, or install Electronic Vehicle Charging (EVC) points – we have the staff and expertise to fulfil your bespoke needs.

Reach out to our expert consultants today to find out how we can transform your energy usage.