Avoid unnecessary energy consumption
Standby consumption is the power used by appliances when you don’t switch them off at the mains. Around 10-15% of a household’s energy consumption goes on standby consumption.
Typical standby consumption
New appliances should have standby consumption of no more than 1 watt (check the Purchasing Guidelines for the few exceptions). Some of the latest computers have standby consumption of only 0.1 watt. Printers, modems, TVs and similar devices use 3-15 watts on standby.
1 large flat screen TV with a connected DVD, games console and set-top box can use 40-50 watts on standby. This is the equivalent of EUR 80-100per year in standby consumption (1 watt costs circa EUR 2 per year).
Measure standby consumption of your appliances with an electricity meter.
Switch off at the mains, or use an AutoPowerOff plug bank
The easiest way to limit your standby consumption is to switch off at the mains. However, if you have extra devices connected to your computer or TV, you will find that energy saving equipment is a good solution.
There are some appliances that, in terms of standby consumption, you can do nothing about. These include, for example, electric ovens, built-in microwave ovens and appliances which are controlled by clock timers and therefore can’t be switched off completely. In this situation it’s worth considering whether you want to pay for standby consumption or would prefer to choose another appliance.
AutoPowerOff plug banks and wireless systems
The Trust recommends the use of energy saving equipment for appliances to which you have a lot of extra equipment attached. When you switch off your computer or TV, an AutoPowerOff plug bank automatically switches off the monitor, printer, DVD, games console, etc.
You can also find wireless systems for managing standby consumption. These switch your appliances on and off automatically, as required.
AutoPowerOff standby consumption
AutoPowerOff plug banks have standby consumption of their own. However, choosing a plug bank displaying the Energy Saving Label is your guarantee that this standby consumption never exceeds 1 watt.
Page last updated 08.02.2011