New research shows far more can be done to cut household electricity use
April 06, 2004
Households can make big cuts in their electricity bills if the recommendations of a new report are adopted by consumers and power companies.
Far reaching changes to policies and the creation of new programs have been identified in research by the Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) and the Moreland Energy Foundation Ltd (MEFL).
A key focus of the report is assisting domestic consumers to cut their use of electricity. This will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and costs associated with electricity generation.
"Households are important to the electricity market", said Esther Abram, CEO of MEFL. "The big challenge comes from residential use of electricity which is growing by 2.5% each year".
Researcher Chris Riedy from the ISF pointed out that the report was aimed at making changes which would benefit both the power industry and households. "The Community EmPOWERment report fills a big gap in understanding how we use electricity at home", said Chris Riedy.
"The research was designed not only to get information but also to show people the changes they can make immediately to reduce their use and their bills". The report culminates in a wide range of recommendations, including initiatives such as residential energy auditing and a demand management fund. Households involved in the project were particularly interested in more incentives for installing energy efficient devices including insulation and low wattage light bulbs.
"Our research shows that households can reduce their energy use if governments and industry take the right steps" Esther Abram said. "With this report we can work with key decision makers in Victoria, NSW and South Australia to ensure they give better support to households". Twelve workshops were held in Victoria and Sydney, with a diverse range of people participating including low income, non-English speaking, and indigenous households among others.
For more information contact:
Esther Abram on 0409 962 992 or 03 9381 1722
Chris Riedy on 0402 043 386
More information
Please contact : Jim Downey
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