Monitoring your energy use P1#y1 With electricity prices regularly featuring in the media, you might be wondering what consumers can do to keep track of their energy consumption and costs. We explored this topic in one of our surveys. In this latest insight, hear what our citizen scientists had to say… Electricity prices, peak demand, carbon emissions – these are just some of the energy-related issues in the media these days. While we often hear about the costs faced by consumers and the environment, the good news is that we can better manage and even minimise some of these impacts by keeping a close eye on our energy consumption. But how exactly can we do that, you ask? Well, as some of our research has showed, there are a number of ways. Taking charge of your consumption In one of our CSIRO Energise surveys, we asked our citizen scientists about how they monitored their household energy consumption. It's good to see that the vast majority of people reported monitoring their usage in some way, shape or form, with energy bills in paper or electronic form the most popular method (86% of respondents). This was followed by mobile/tablet apps and web portals (26% and 22%, respectively). C:\Users\fre18m\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\Eddy_iPad-4.jpg While some people use energy bills to track household energy use, others use tablet or smartphone tools. About one-fifth (19%) of survey respondents reported using some type of in-home energy monitoring device or display. These technologies may help some people to better understand and manage their energy consumption, and ultimately reduce energy costs, by allowing them to monitor and check their usage as it occurs. Some devices and displays may even give an indication of how much energy is costing at a particular moment in time – handy information if you are on a time-of- use tariff where you’re charged different rates for electricity at different times of the day. C:\Users\fre18m\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\Monitoring energy use.png In our survey, we asked those citizen scientists with in-home displays and devices to describe how they thought their energy consumption had changed since installing these products. The majority (70%) said that their energy usage had decreased either a little or a lot, about a quarter said their energy consumption had remained about the same, and almost none said their usage had increased since installing the device or display. There are many other ways people can keep an eye on how much energy they use around the house. For instance, a number of our citizen scientists said that they monitor or record their energy meter readings on a regular basis, while others used excel spreadsheets to track usage patterns over time. Regardless of how you monitor your energy consumption, keeping an eye on the number of appliances you use, as well as the frequency and duration of your usage, can help you understand how your household currently uses energy and what you can do to use it more efficiently. Understanding your household’s needs and patterns of energy consumption is an important first step – a big shout-out to everyone who is already doing it! For more information on devices and display for monitoring your household's energy usage, head to the Australian Government's YourHome website: https://www.yourhome.gov.au/energy/smart-meters-displays-and-appliances For further information csiro.au/energise Contact us 1300 363 400 +61 3 9545 2176 csiroenquiries@csiro.au csiro.au As Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst, CSIRO is solving the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. CSIRO. Unlocking a better future for everyone. Survey snapshots provide a quick look at some of the results provided so far by our citizen scientists.