Rashmi R Hebbur In times of energy crisis, urban citizens, who are now largely dependent on electric gadgets for daily living, have some hope by the way of home energy conservation. It can bring some relief to the family budget in the wake of inflation, and also reduce the burden on the national economy and environment... You can save electricity at home, without sacrificing your comforts - all you need to do is be vigilant of the electricity usage practices of your family, and you can ensure reduced consumption with a few easy-to-do techniques. Indian Association of Energy Management Professionals (IAEMP) president Sunil Sood, a resident of Jayanagar, has brought down his average monthly consumption to 66 units (from an earlier consumption of of 120 units); he shares his strategy. Understand usage First, understand the usage patterns of your home. Learn to read the electricity bill. There are two types of charges imposed - fixed charges and energy charges. Energy Charges are those that vary depending on the quantum of consumption. You can figure out the consumption of each appliance by multiplying its watt capacity by the number of usage hours. (1,000 watt hours = One unit of electricity) Sood explains, "One can save energy even without sacrificing comforts. There are only three important issues - taking care of ghost consumers; use of energy efficient electric appliances; and the appropriate sizing and positioning of appliances with scope for flexibility of usage.' Ghost consumers Identify the "ghost consumers' which consume power - not because they are in use, but because they are plugged in and are in stand-by mode. For example, it is a common practice to use the remote control device to switch off television. This keeps the TV on, in stand-by mode - where it consumes 6 watts per hour. Even if you switch off the TV set and not the switch at the plug point, the TV consumes 0.5 to 1 watt power. All appliances including cell phone chargers, CD/DVD players and microwave ovens should be switched off from the mains after use, to prevent unnecessary drawing of power. If a computer is used for one or two hours a day, then switch off the mains connecting to UPS at least during night: the UPS consumes 9-15 watts per hour. The cell phone charger uses 3 watt per hour when plugged. The usual practice is not to remove the charger even after the battery is charged. Usual measures - like switching off lights, fans and mosquito mats when not in use - are beneficiary. Remember, mosquito mats consume 5 watts per hour. If you use an electric geyser, do not leave it in thermostat mode, for it causes standing losses of 1-1.5 units. Efficient gadgets, smart use Using electrical gadgets that are energy-efficient is very crucial. Using CFL bulbs instead of a regular bulbs or tubelights is one such measure. However it is not enough just to use efficient appliances; using them in the correct size, and positioning them favourably is crucial. Some tips: Install LED (Light Emitting Diode) lamps for night, area lighting. Maintain minimum light level with LED lamps to delay switching on the main lights Install two 23 watt CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lights) at opposite walls of the room, instead of a single 40 watt tube-light. This way, you can choose to use only one of the CFLs when you do not need bright light, or need light only in a certain portion of the room. Replace T12 tubelights with T5 tubelights .Go for more number of smaller wattage, energy-efficient fans of 50 watts instead of 80 watt-rating If possible, changeover to a smaller capacity fridge. A small family of up to 4 persons can easily manage with a fridge of 80 litres capacity, instead of a 165-litre fridge, which is often used. A fridge consumes 1.2 to 4 units daily, depending on its size, model, or make Alternatives Using available alternatives to conventional electrical energy is a great step. Use a Solar Water Heater or Gas Geysers, instead of spending high quality electricity for hot water generation. Plan your work at the computer to keep it on for a minimum number of hours. You can also switch off the fridge in winter, or during cold nights.