The surcharge: a survival guide

Conserving energy spares the planet from harmful and deadly chemicals; but let's be honest with ourselves, what the majority of us really do care about is saving money. Herman Grech analyses what we can do to save a few liri as energy prices burn a...

Heavy fuel

The government has just announced an increase in the water and electricity surcharge to 55 per cent plus an additional 3c increase in the price of fuel at the pump... and all hell broke loose.

The problem is not a domestic one as countries the world over try to grapple with soaring oil prices brought about by a number of factors, especially the insatiable demand from China and India, which are experiencing rapid growth.

Crude prices reached a record high of $70.85 a barrel in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the International Energy Agency, the oil sector monitoring body, on Wednesday said that oil prices by 2030 would be 50 per cent higher than today if Saudi Arabia did not muster the political will to invest billions of dollars in new production.

How to slash your bill

Saving energy does not have to mean investing a lot of money or turning to Neanderthal forms of heating your home. Some common sense goes a long way to spare you the shock the next time you receive the electricity bill.

With the existing utility rates, there is little one can do to keep paying the tariffs you did two years ago. But with a bit of attention, effort and switching, you can save up to 10 per cent of the bill, according to Enemalta engineer Joseph Vassallo.

"It's also about time we start looking at the lifetime cost of our appliances, especially for those still moving into their home," Mr Vassallo said.

Since it is operating practically all the time, the refrigerator consumes at least nine per cent of a home's energy. Modern-day refrigerators, however, are renowned to be very efficient, saving on energy, Mr Vassallo explained.

Always look for appliances with the energy label A; they may be more expensive but ultimately they are more cost effective, he added.

It is also important for consumers to rid themselves of certain household-cost misconceptions. For example, it is not costlier to switch the electric geyser on and off throughout the day than leaving it on throughout. Appliances and electrical items on standby mode still waste power and switching off DVDs, televisions and radios could save a unit between 3c5 and 4c every night, Mr Vassallo noted.

Some tips to save electricity costs in the:

Kitchen

Check fridge and oven door seals for air leaks.

Check that your fridge's on/off cycle is working properly and that it is not overloaded.

Use your electric kettle to heat only small amounts of water.

Load the dishwasher to full capacity before running it.

If you have a microwave oven, use it as regularly as possible. It is the most efficient electrical appliance money can buy for use in the kitchen.

Don't open the oven door while food is cooking. If you want to toast bread, use a toaster. Avoid using the grill.

Bathroom

Set your water heater to a comfortable temperature - 60° is enough. Reducing the temperature by 5° reduces consumption by 10 per cent.

Switch off your water heater if you do not use it regularly throughout the day.

Don't run the water continuously while shaving or washing your hair.

Try to fill your washing machine or tumble dryer up to full load.

Do not use too much detergent. Overuse makes your washing machine work harder and use much more energy.

Bedroom

Do not leave heaters running for long periods. Heat your room to a comfortable temperature.

If you are buying an air-conditioning unit, select one that has a heat pump.

When choosing an electric heater, select one that incorporates a thermostat or energy regulator.

Switch on your electric blanket only half an hour before you go to bed.

Living room

Switch off appliances when you are not using them.

Do not keep doors and windows open in rooms where an air conditioner is in use.

Install white curtains or blinds to reflect away the heat.

Lighting accounts for about 15 per cent of your home's electric use.

Compact fluorescent lamps produce four times as much light per watt, last 10 times as long and cost one-third as much to operate.

Keep bulbs and fixtures clean. Dirty fixtures reduce light intensity by as much as 25 per cent.

The effect of carbon dioxide on climate

If we do have a conscience we should realise the effect of carbon dioxide and its effect on global warming. When we burn oil, gas and coal we retrieve the energy stored by plants millions of years ago and preserved as fossil fuels. In doing so we release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

This accumulation of carbon dioxide acts as a filter that traps the sun's rays in the same way as glass does in a greenhouse, causing the average temperature of the atmosphere to rise.

Water in the oceans will expand, causing sea levels to rise and greatly increasing the risk of flooding in low-lying areas.

The role of fuel is to indirectly power large turbines, which in turn generate electric current distributed through a system of high voltage cables and transformers. However, this method of generating electricity through the burning of fossil fuels has one fatal side effect - the emission of deadly chemicals, namely huge amounts of carbon dioxide, sulphur oxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter.

Go green and save money

The good news is that technological innovation has driven down the cost of alternative energy sources.

David Zammit, chairman of Solar Solutions Ltd, a company specialising in renewable energy sources, said that Malta's environmental conditions - sunny weather and ample wind - offer us the fuel that we need in an inexhaustible and free supply.

The two technologies that best exploit the sun and wind to generate electricity are photovoltaics (PV) and wind turbines.

The primary and only essential component of a PV system is an array of modules or panels that directly convert sunlight into electricity. According to Mr Zammit, PV systems are extremely reliable because they contain no moving parts, do not wear out and have a lifetime of 30 to 40 years.

There are two types of systems: "stand-alone", which would be a PV system using batteries to store electricity, and "grid-connected", where the PV system is connected to the Enemalta meter and any excess electricity produced is fed to the grid and purchased by the electricity supplier.

The advantage of a PV system is that it is virtually maintenance free (giving the panels an occasional wipe to increase efficiency is recommended) and will last and be guaranteed for over 20 years, Mr Zammit said.

The only limiting factor in installing a system is space: one needs a south-facing roof which is clear of obstacles and will not be shaded in any way.

There is good news after last Monday's budget. To promote alternative energy, the government is now willing to refund 25 per cent on the expenditure incurred on the purchase of PV technology to a maximum of Lm500.

Secondly, Enemalta will not charge the Lm20 fee for the installation of the meter necessary for the operation of PV technology.

Thirdly, Enemalta is introducing a system which allows it to absorb the excess energy generated by the PV technology. In the event that more energy is generated through the PV technology than that consumed through the Enemalta electricity grid, the corporation will pay for the balance at a rate of 3c/kWH.

Other alternatives are wind turbines, a simple way of generating electricity through the wind, an inexhaustible and renewable form of alternative and clean energy. The wind turbines are huge with diameters of 50 metres and over and are therefore not being given priority in Malta due to aesthetics and land limitations.

Although the turbines generally need a plot of open, unobstructed land in which to be placed, there are smaller turbines that can be roof mounted. These should be on the market within the next year, according to Mr Zammit.

This year the government has also increased the refund limit to 25 per cent on the installation of solar energy products to a maximum of Lm100. Furthermore, this scheme is to be extended to encompass wind energy as well as roof insulation of private homes.

Typical average rate consumption (prior to the 55 per cent surcharge):

Appliance	Typical power rating W	Estimated cost/hour at 2c per KWh	Estimated cost/hout at 4c per KWh
Air conditioner	2300	4c6	9c2
Computer	100	0c2	0c4
Dishwasher	2400	4c8	9c6
Fan (pedestal)	80	0c2	0c4
Food mixer	135	0c3	0c6
Grill	2000	4c0	8c0
Hair dryer	1500	3c0	6c0
Hi-fi	100	0c2	0c4
Iron	1000	2c0	4c0
Kettle	1800/2400	3c6/4c8	7c2/9c6
Lighting - fluorescent	65	0c1	0c2
Microwave oven	1300	2c6	5c2
Oven	1800/2400	3c6/4c8	7c2/9c6
Radio	60	0c1	0c2
Refrigerator	40/150	0c1/0c3	0c2/0c6
Television	60	0c1	0c2
Toaster	600/1200	1c2/2c4	2c4/4c8
Vacuum cleaner	1000	2c0	4c0
Washing machine	2400	4c8	9c6
Water heater - storage	1200	2c4	4c8
Water heater - instant	10000	20c	40c

The above ratings are indicative and may vary according to the manufacturer's specifications. When electricity consumption varies from 1,400 to 2,950 units per annum (according to the number of persons) the cost will be doubled to 4c per KWh. Source: Enemalta