Simple adjustments can mean big savings & benefit for the planet.
This opinion piece from Mike Fuge, CEO of Contact, is the fourth in a series of eight looking at improving outcomes for Aotearoa.
This is it: the downward slope out of 2022 and into the New Year. With just over a week of the year left to go, it’s nearly time for many of us to reconnect with whānau before tackling new challenges in 2023.
But, before we fully switch off and embrace the carefree summer mindset, there are a few things New Zealanders should consider when it comes to summer energy usage.
A few months ago, as part of this series, I talked about what Contact is doing to shift the dial toward more renewable energy generation as well as what Kiwis can do to be more environmentally friendly when using energy.
Home energy-saving tips typically start to appear around April/May each year when experts suggest we should prepare our homes for winter. It makes sense for tips to come out at this time – research shows demand peaks in winter months when whānau are heating homes and using more energy during shorter days.
While the summer months usually see Kiwis use less power, MBIE suggests usage is expected to rise as warming temperatures increase the need for cooling. So, to keep summer energy usage low, there are some small changes you can make that help reduce energy use to save money and help the planet.
In general, heating water makes up around 30 per cent of the average energy bill, so minimising the use of hot water during warmer months, when it’s less needed, can reduce usage drastically. What’s more, if you’re lucky enough to be heading away for two weeks or more, consider turning your electric hot water cylinder off if it’s safe to do – it could mean significant savings while not in use.
Turning off appliances at the wall when you’re heading away ensures they aren’t using energy on standby mode while out of use. Before my family heads away, we always clean out our fridge to optimise its efficiency – even if it’s kept on, a clean fridge can reduce its energy usage.
For those lucky enough to have a bach to head away to this summer, you may be able to save on costs by switching to Contact’s bach plan. Switching plans means you only pay for power while you’re there with no daily charges, meaning you only use what you pay for.
While these might seem like small changes, added up, they can make a big difference to our environment, particularly if the whole of Aotearoa as a team gets on board.
Aotearoa is moving toward greener energy generation, which means the energy used to power your home is predominantly powered by renewable resources – like geothermal and hydro. Right now, 85 per cent of our energy is renewably generated and that means 15 per cent still comes from non-renewable sources.
Reducing energy usage across the board decreases the amount of non-renewable energy that providers have to source to power homes.
To take energy saving a step further, and help make home power usage greener over summer, Kiwis can also think about shifting to using power at off-peak times. When people get home in the evenings from a day at the beach or out making the most of the sunshine, they tend to start using lots of power – from cooking dinner to putting washing on. This creates a peak in energy demand and means energy providers have to access energy generated through non-renewable resources.
Typically, renewable generation is used first but, as soon as demand begins to spike, non-renewable generation is accessed to top up electricity demand. While it can be challenging to shift your power usage outside of high usage times, the more you can shift your power usage to off-peak times, the less fossil fuel is used and the greener our electricity becomes.
By making small adjustments, we can reduce our home energy usage – saving you money and improving outcomes for Aotearoa and the planet.
For those wrapping up working and taking a much-needed break, enjoy your summer holidays. Kia noho haumaru Aotearoa – stay safe New Zealand.
Find out more about Contact’s bach plan here.