Tips from experts: Saving energy is that easy

“Anyone who wants to harm Putin saves energy”: Economics Minister Habeck recently issued this slogan. Small measures that do not even mean major sacrifices are enough.

At the consumer advice center in Mainz, the doorbell keeps ringing. Private individuals have long wanted to know how they can save energy by making small changes in their behavior. Recently, however, there have been significantly more inquiries. Hans Weinreuter from the consumer advice center says: “People have never been so willing to seriously deal with the topic of saving energy.”

Money shouldn’t be the only incentive

Energy prices were already high before the Ukraine war, but gas and oil prices have exploded since the Russian attack on Ukraine. Politicians have therefore launched a relief package for citizens. However, this does not compensate for the actual additional costs.

Irrespective of the money, however, it is generally worth considering where and how energy can be saved, says Axel Bernatzki from the Rhineland-Palatinate Energy Agency. Because saving energy helps the environment and ensures the success of the energy transition, the switch from fossil to renewable energies. Contrary to what many people suspect, this does not necessarily mean doing without or making large investments.

For example, energy can be saved when heating without having to buy a new heating system straight away. The International Energy Agency says: If all average-sized households in Europe were to lower the living room temperature by just one degree, they would need 2.5 percent less gas per year across Europe.

Up to 20 percent less fuel consumption through driving style

There is also a lot of savings potential when driving a car: Greenpeace calculates that the introduction of a speed limit of 100 kilometers per hour on motorways would reduce fuel consumption in Germany by two million tons a year. The ADAC does not want to commit itself to these specific figures. Spokesman Jürgen Grieving explains that such calculations are very time-consuming, since many factors influence fuel consumption and there are general differences from car to car.

However, Grieving also emphasizes that every driver’s driving style can have a massive impact on fuel consumption: “Fuel can be saved by driving as evenly as possible. Frequent acceleration increases fuel consumption, as does high speed. The general rule is: the faster I drive, the higher it is Consumption.” In principle, fuel consumption can be reduced by as much as 20 percent through a forward-looking, even and moderate driving style.

Carpooling to get to work not only saves fuel and protects the environment. The United Income Tax Assistance (VLH) points out that the commuter lump sum can be taken into account in the annual wage tax adjustment – “regardless of whether you are at the wheel or not”. However, passengers are allowed to deduct a maximum of 4500 euros per year from their taxes. Drivers who use their own car could have the commuter allowance credited indefinitely. The United Income Tax Aid therefore recommends that the members of a carpool take turns driving.

Saving electricity in the kitchen

A lot of energy can also be saved on a small scale: The consumer advice center of Rhineland-Palatinate has put together tips on how to save electricity in everyday life without having to accept a loss in quality of life. A lot of energy can be saved in the kitchen alone.

For example, by setting the refrigerator correctly: a plus of seven degrees Celsius in the upper compartment is perfectly sufficient. Lowering the temperature by just one degree already increases power consumption by around six percent. The consumer advice center recommends that the temperature should only be lowered to two degrees if there are perishable foods such as minced meat in the refrigerator.

In the freezer, a temperature of minus 18 degrees is sufficient. This should also be defrosted regularly. According to energy consultants, this can save up to 45 percent on energy costs for the compartment. With the dishwasher, it helps to always use the ECO program or low temperatures between 45 and 55 degrees. Although the programs take a little longer, they save energy and water.

Cooking and baking also offer simple ways to save energy, as the consumer advice center emphasizes. Heating water in a kettle uses less electricity than heating it in a saucepan. In general, only fill as much liquid into the kettle as is actually used. And of course: always cook and roast with a lid. Cooking with an open pot increases the cooking time by three times. Eggs, vegetables and potatoes can be cooked in a way that saves energy if they are placed in liquid that is only one to two centimeters deep. Baking with convection uses about 15 percent less energy than with top and bottom heat.

Saving electricity on computers and smartphones

According to the Rhineland-Palatinate Consumer Advice Center, surfing the Internet, office applications or watching films is more economical on a laptop or notebook. This consumes significantly less power than a desktop computer. This also applies to graphics work or computer games. If you only want to surf the Internet, you can also use a tablet: it uses the least power.

Computer screensavers are – contrary to what many people assume – not an energy-saving measure and also do not “protect” the screen. The monitor and the graphics card of the PC consume more power, especially with colourful, moving images. Energy consultants therefore say: do without screen savers and use the “energy saving mode” or “hibernate” on the computer – especially if you leave your desk frequently. But be careful: “Sleep mode” is comparable to switching off the device; in economy mode it may be that the computer continues to consume energy.

According to the Rhineland-Palatinate consumer advice center, switching off the WLAN at night also saves energy. The router does not necessarily have to be disconnected from the network for this. The settings often allow a time control that disables WLAN at night.

In general, it is advisable to purchase a power strip with a switch for the office. The computer and other devices such as printers, loudspeakers or scanners can then be switched off at the same time by flipping the switch. Because electrical devices should generally be switched off completely after use. Even when they are in standby mode, many devices use electricity, energy consultants say.

You can save power on your smartphone by switching to flight mode at night. The following applies to routers, computers and smartphones: The fewer programs and services running in the background, the less the processor has to work. To do this, you can go to the autostart settings and close programs that are no longer used.

“Kicky amounts add up too”

Defrosting the fridge, unplugging appliances, using a lid when cooking – does that really do that much? Dominik Bartoschek from the SWR environmental editorial team says: “Yes, even messy amounts add up”. Every cent that people save on energy costs could be used elsewhere. For food, for example, which has already become significantly more expensive because of the Ukraine war. And quite apart from the costs for electricity, gas and fuel: Ultimately, all energy that is not consumed is good for the environment.