Heating only the facilities we live in, turning off devices when we are not using them, and some of them used only in the evenings for cheaper rates – these are just a few of the ways we can create energy efficiency, stated the executive director for energy efficiency Marko Radulovic.
He was the guest in the morning program on TV Vijesti – “Colors of the Morning”, concerning the International Day of Energy Efficiency, where he spoke about the projects in this area led by the Ministry of Economics, and also about useful tips for minimizing expenditures of the electrical energy.
“Heating costs are affected by many factors: firstly, by the size of the room being heated, and secondly by isolation of the building itself, as well as its location related to north or south orientation. Also, a critical factor affecting the costs of heating is the period when energy providers are being procured - either these are woods or pellets, and if it is in the summer when the prices are lower or in the winter," said Radulovic and reminded that energy efficiency is not energy saving but the optimization of the same, by which the same or an increased level of conformity is maintained.
Besides various heating systems, boilers, laundry and dishwashing machines are devices, as he stated, with the highest installed power.
“Nevertheless, consumers do not pay for power, but for the consumed energy which is the product of power and timeframe during which the device is being used. Lighting also has a significant effect on electrical energy expenditure; therefore the consumption of bulbs has a great impact on the overall bill for electrical energy," clarified Radulovic.
Asked if it is more efficient to keep the boiler permanently on or to turn it on occasionally, Radulovic said that this, primarily, depends on the number of people in a household.
“My recommendation is that if there is a smaller household of one or two members, they should turn on the boiler only in the evening when the electrical energy is the cheapest. So that during the night they accumulate the energy which will be used during the day. However, if we are talking about a bigger household with higher demands, my opinion is that the boiler should be turned on during the entire day so that they could have hot water all the time”, he replied.
Radulovic reminded us that from July 1st of this year, we would not be able to buy bulbs with burning threads of 100 watts and more, from January 1, 2019, bulbs of 75 watts and more, then from July 1, 2019, bulbs of 60 watts and more. While from January 1, 2020, we would not able to find energetically inefficient bulbs, i.e. bulbs with incandescent thread.
“Bulbs truly effect the consumption, which is often being neglected by citizens when deciding on the source of lighting in their homes. We make a mistake when comparing purchasing prices of different technologies bulbs. If I take an example of a bulb with a burning thread of 100 watts, which can be found in stores for 30 cents, and if we calculate that this bulb works an average of 6 hours every day, we will spend 21 euros of electrical energy per year. Bulbs of the same power in led technology have 6 times less power which is 18 watts. If the led bulb of 18 watts works for 6 hours every day, it will spend 6 times less electrical energy in a year, i.e. 3.5 euros. Therefore, solely on this bulb type example we can realize the potential for savings – we can save around 17 euros per year by using led bulbs instead of the ones with burning thread," said Radulovic.
He added that he expects by eliminating energetically inefficient devices, the competitiveness of the market will be stimulated which would lead to a gradual decrease in prices.
Since 2009 throughout two projects for energetic efficiency including the application of the same in health and educational institutions, the Ministry of Economics financed the reconstruction of 48 objects in total which are worth more than 35 million euro.
Text by CDM, read more at CDM.
