Simple steps to take to cut energy usage and save on your bills
Turning down the thermostat by just 1°C could save 7% of energy used for heating, says the International Energy Agency.
Turning down the thermostat by just 1°C could save 7% of energy used for heating, and reducing speed by just 10km/h could save €60 a year — all while helping the people of Ukraine by weakening Russia's energy dominance.
That is according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), which has released what it called a "range of simple steps that people can take to reduce their energy use and save money — and that would save enough oil to fill 120 super tankers and enough natural gas to heat almost 20 million homes if adopted by all EU citizens".
Environment and Transport Minister Eamon Ryan, who was criticised at home for similar remarks in recent weeks, joined the IEA and other EU member state ministers, business leaders, and consumer bodies for a roundtable discussion with IEA leadership on energy saving as bills skyrocket across the continent.
The IEA said that "using less energy is not only an immediate way for Europeans to reduce their bills, it also supports Ukraine by reducing the need for Russian oil and gas, thereby helping to reduce the revenue streams funding the invasion".
Executive director of the agency, Fatih Birol, said: “Using less energy is a concrete way to help the Ukrainian people — and to help ourselves. This guide has easy-to-follow steps that with little or no discomfort on our part can reduce the flow of money to Russia’s military and help put us on a path to a cleaner and more sustainable planet.”
The agency said if all the steps in the latest plan were followed, European households could save themselves around €500 on average.
- Turning down the thermostat by just 1°C would save around 7% of the energy used for heating;
- Setting an air conditioner 1°C warmer could reduce the amount of electricity used by up to 10%;
- With an average one-way car commute in the EU of 15km, working at home three days a week could reduce household fuel bills by around €35 a month, even after taking increased energy use at home into account;
- The average car in the EU clocks up about 13,000km a year; reducing cruising speed on motorways by 10km/h could cut fuel bills by an average of around €60 a year.
At home, Mr Ryan came in for vociferous criticism from opposition figures as well as social media for suggesting measures similar to the IEA, with critics saying he was out of touch and condescending in his advice.
However, the latest IEA plan was endorsed by the European Commission and bodies such as the European Consumer Organisation.
European Commission director general for energy, Juul Jørgensen, said: "Energy efficiency has the potential to be the most important policy initiative for reducing our dependence on Russian imports and responding to the current energy market challenges, both through short-term energy savings and longer-term energy efficiency measures.
"Energy efficiency is an area where everyone can make a difference. This also has the potential to provide considerable savings to individual consumers at this time of high wholesale energy prices.”
The IEA also called on employers to "encourage teleworking and train journeys instead of short-haul flights", as well as governments to reduce public transport fares and increase incentives for the likes of solar panels.
