Just Standing By

Did you know that, in the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off?

Most people think that if they switch off their VCR, it will stop using energy. Think again. While it's turned off, or on standby, your VCR (and DVD, TV, set-top box, and answering machine) is still using a significant amount of energy to power functions like clock displays and remote controls. The electricity that is wasted nationally is equivalent to the annual output of 12 power plants — and that costs consumers over $1 billion each year!

With an average rate of 12 cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity in the state, the cost of this wasted electricity amounts to about $72 a year for each Californian. Of course Alamedans pay slightly less than that average rate, but any wasted energy isn't good for the consumer — or for utilities trying to reduce peak energy loads.

Alameda Power & Telecom is encouraging its customers to think about energy use when they purchase home electronics. By choosing a product that uses as little standby power as possible, consumers can reduce energy demand — and help protect the environment at the same time.

So, how do you find a product that uses less energy? On your next trip to the store, ask for ENERGY STAR. Home electronics that have earned the ENERGY STAR use as much as 50% less energy to perform standby functions, while providing the same performance as less-efficient models. Less energy means you pay less on your energy bill.

In recent years, many Californians have suffered from power shortages due to higher demand for power than could be supplied. "Happily, Alameda isn't suffering from an energy crisis, in part because Alameda Power & Telecom draws 80% of its power from its own renewable energy sources," says Andrea Faizi, Marketing Assistant. "Still, the less energy we need to generate, the better it is for the environment. We all need to do as much as we can to reduce our energy demand, and choosing more efficient products is a great way for consumers to do that."

While the ENERGY STAR specification for standby use is already low, it's set to go even lower in 2 years. By July 2005, all home electronics that carry the ENERGY STAR label will use 1 watt of power or less when turned off.

"If all home electronics were replaced by models that only use 1 watt of power during standby, the nation could save $2 billion a year in wasted energy costs," Faizi says. "That would be a relief for consumers and utilities alike."