The Environmental Action Team from Leicestershire County Council has joined forces with all Libraries to set up this new scheme to help conserve energy. These monitors can be borrowed for one week at a time, absolutely free. The OWL energy monitors are easy to install, simple to use and helps to reduce your carbon footprint. A monitor, which is attached to the main electricity supply cable, shows how much energy is being used at that time. By switching off electrical devices and leaving one running, the OWL shows how much energy is required to power that particular device either when on or on standby.
It is estimated that householders in Leicestershire waste over £13 million by leaving appliances on standby. The average household in the UK spends around £1,300 per year on energy, which is set to increase even more with sharply rising energy prices.
For example, a PlayStation 3 left in idle mode uses the equivalent of three 60-watt bulbs; and could add £164 a year on to electricity bills. Julian Bird, from Tilton on the Hill who has recently borrowed an Energy Monitor through the loan scheme has discovered he can save up to 5% energy per year just by switching his laptop off standby. He has now also switched over to energy saving lightbulbs, is switching off lights when leaving a room and turning the room thermostat down in a bid to save energy and save money. He has estimated he will be able to make a 17% reduction in his energy bill over the next 12 months.
72% of consumers said they would reduce their energy consumption if they knew how much they were using, according to TNS / Future Foundation research.
