Entertainment and communication technologies are now using just as much power as cooking, refrigeration/freezing and laundry in our homes.
About the study
In a typical Danish household, the number of tablets, smartphones, TVs, PCs and gaming consoles has been increasing steadily over the past ten years. This can have a significant impact on your electricity bill if you fail to keep an eye on consumption. For example, a PlayStation which is on standby all the time costs up to DKK 1,500 in electricity a year.
"Over the past ten years, we've seen significant changes in power consumption in Danish homes. Ten years ago, entertainment and communication accounted for 26% of total power consumption in an average single-family house with a typical annual consumption of 4,000kWh. Today, that figure has increased to 39%," says Louise Hahn, head of DONG Energy's B2C business.
In flats, the trend is even more marked, with power consumption for entertainment and communication accounting for 50% of total consumption.
Even though the new devices use kilowatt-hours as never before, total electricity costs are more or less the same. Fortunately, energy-saving light sources and A-labelled domestic appliances have also become popular in many homes. However, this picture will change in the coming years unless we keep an eye on the new power drainers.
"I'm sure that the future will bring many new and exciting forms of entertainment and communication. Consequently, we're continually developing our energy consultancy services to help Danes save energy," says Louise Hahn.
Among other things, DONG Energy has launched a new app in Denmark, 'Min Energi' (My Energy), and a group of test families is currently testing new technologies and energy-saving measures. Many energy-saving tips are also available on dongenergy.dk (in Danish), while a customer panel is providing input and good ideas for new initiatives.
