Smart meters (SmartPower by npower)

Saving energy. Saving money

What does it mean for me?

A smart meter is a modern replacement for your existing gas end electricity meters. It lets you see precisely how much energy you are using from day-to-day so that you can be more efficient and save money.

Why do I need one?
Smart meters provide you and your energy provider with instant information on your energy consumption. This means:

Cost savings: no estimated bills so you only pay for what you use
Control: total visibility of how much energy you are using at all times
Less hassle: meter readings are a thing of the past
Green: reduced energy usage is better for the environment
But most importantly, this all means lower bills through lower energy consumption.

source: http://www.npower.com/web/smartpower/index.htm – SmartPower

smart power: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_power – smart power

npower

The economy is going down, everyone’s asking what to do now and what’s going to happen. One of the main issues is the strike threat during this winter by Eskom workers for better pay. What’s going to happen when Eskom management and the union don’t come to an agreement? Eskom recently announced that it intends increasing electricity tariffs by more than 30% before this coming winter. I don’t know what the government will actually do. I know that it always promises to do something, but will they really do something this time around?

What can we do as responsible citizens to help the government and Eskom during these trying times? I propose that we should conserve energy while government and Eskom are working on ways to resolve the energy crisis in our country. We are using electricity every single day; is it not time to look at how we can save energy just by following a few simple steps at home.

Here are the ten steps:

1) Turn off the lights, and unplug any unused appliances, they still use a lot of energy even when not in use. (Save a few hundred Rands a year)

2) Put a sleep feature on computers and printers to shut down after 5 minutes of no use (Save a few hundred Rands a year)

3) Replace incandescent light bulbs with Energy efficient florescent bulbs. (Saving you a few hundred Rands a year per bulb including cost of the bulb)

4) Install water efficient fixtures. A duel-flush toilet saves 15,000 litres per year. Replace 4 faucets and 2 shower heads (Save a couple of thousands a year)

5) Turn off the heat or air conditioning when at work or bedtime. (Saving as much as 30% off your energy bill)

6) Pull down your storm windows or seal with plastic in winter. Replace weather stripping. (Save as much as 40% off of your energy bill)

7) Seal holes and cracks in your basement with expandable foam or silicon caulking. Insulate hot water pipes and heating ducts in the basement. (Save hundred of Rands a year including cost of materials)

Insulate your basement perimeter, basement ceiling, and attic. Get a free home energy audit from a credible service provider to identify and insulate the critical areas in your home. (Save thousands of Rands a year including cost of materials)

9) Stop paying a lot for your electricity Bill make your own electricity with renewable energy methods.

10) Slash your electricity Bill by 80% or even eliminate it completely by creating electricity from your own backyard.

A few hundred Rands a year doesn’t sound like a lot, but combined with everything else is pretty much something to start with. Saving energy is really important right now, if we don’t start saving energy there won’t be anything left for future generations.

Stop paying a lot for your electricity Bill, make your own electricity with renewable energy methods. Create electricity from your own Backyard.

To learn how visit: http://slashyourelectricitybill.blogspot.com/

http://slashyourelectricitybill.blogspot.com/

Thank you for reading, British Gas Energy Smart
Digital economy, mobile technology

The following are a few snippets that can be heard in conversations everywhere these days:

“The price of gasoline has gone up again this week.”

“Yes sir, I doubt that we will ever see the prices of a few years ago again.”

“I got my electric bill from the power company yesterday and it has gone up some more.”

“Yes, I got mine too. I believe that the power company is ripping me off. I just don’t know what to do.”

“I heard that Joe down the block is installing a solar electric panels system in his house.”

“I wonder if that is worth looking into?”

The short answer to that last question is “yes”. Millions of people worldwide are implementing solar electric panels in their homes. Solar power generation is clean and it can save loads of money on electric bills.

Implementing solar panels can be a great choice for a lot of people. Before deciding on using solar electric panels, research and planning is required. All situations are unique and different questions must be asked and answered.

The following questions and answers are by no means all encompassing. Hopefully these are some that can help and will put you on the right track to finding the answers that you need.

1. How much of my energy needs can be provided by solar electric panels?

The simple answer to how much can solar electric panels can provide of your electric needs depends on how much space you have and how much you are willing to invest.

2. Will I still need my power company if I have a system that covers all of my electric needs?

It depends on your state. Some states require that you remain connector to the power company’s grid to be eligible for state tax incentives. The excess electric power that you produce is sent to the power company and you are given credit for it. The power company acts as an “electricity bank”, giving you credits and debits.

3. What happens if I produce more electricity with my solar electric panels system than I am using?

Any energy that you produce during daylight hours that is over and beyond what you use is sent back to the electric company and is considered a credit. Usually these credits are used during night time hours when your solar electric panels system is not producing electricity.

4. Will I be able to take advantage of tax breaks for using solar electric panels?

Yes. You need to check with your state to see what credits they give. As of January 1, 2009 the federal tax credit on solar power installation amounts to 30% o the installed cost o the system.

5. How long is a typical solar electric panel’s power system designed to last?

Solar power electric technology has come a long way in the past few years. Most solar electric

Panels are designed to last 30 plus years making this one o the best investments that you can make.

Making the decision to change your power needs from fossil fuels to solar electric panels can be a wise choice. It can be helpful to the environment and save you lots of money.

Next, for those who want to be on the cutting edge, go to http://hubpages.com/hub/Home-Solar-Power-Systems-Tips. Follow the solar power electricity link to discover the most cost effective way to have some of the future NOW.

Thank you for reading, British Gas Energy Smart
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Simple energy saving methods can save you thousands of Rands a year. Let’s face it – electricity costs in South Africa are increasing at an alarming rate. If Eskom is accurate in its assessments, by 2012 electrical tariffs will have increased by as much as 300%! For most of us, energy saving is not a priority until we start feeling the pinch on our pockets. So, if you’ve watched with silent alarm at steadily increasing electrical bills from month to month, then it is definitely time to start think of ways to reduce your electrical usage. And there are a number of key methods that mostly require you to apply a little effort, invest a small amount and most importantly transform bad energy wasting habits into energy saving, energy efficient behaviour.

Here are some immediate energy saving tips you can put into practice right now:

Turn off and turn down your Geyser

This is the most important tip of the lot as geysers utilise as much as 45% of most home owner’s electrical bills! As the most wasteful appliance ever to be created, geysers, like incandescent light bulb, generate a whole load of heat and chew up a lot more electricity mostly for nothing. Turn your geyser off for most of the day and only turn it on again an hour or so before you need to use it – which is often only twice a day. What’s more, you don’t need to warm up the water until it’s a piping, 3rd degree burning hot! Turn down the thermostat on your geyser to 50 degrees – that’s still hot enough and simply requires a little less cold water thrown into the mix. Simply change how you use your geyser and enjoy the easiest and most impactful energy saving results!

Stop using that drier and start using the sun

Driers are the second big energy chewing device in most households next to the geyser. Besides ruining your clothes over time and making others hand-me-downs because they won’t fit anymore – driers are simply one of the lazy, modern appliances that we use far too often. In summer time, the energy saving think to do is to put in a little effort and hang your clothes up outside to dry or a few hours out in the fresh air and sunlight.

Turf energy inefficient appliances

Those nice old electric heaters work like a bomb, but can use over 2000W! Check all your appliances to see what kind of electrical output they require and turf those that chew your electrical bills up. When buying new appliances, ensure you buy ones that have been specifically designed to operate in an energy saving way.

Use Gas for Cooking

Besides being the best to cook with, gas is an energy saving & energy efficient means of heating food. Gas is still VERY cheap and can save you a stack on your monthly electrically bills. Electric kettles, toasters and other electrical appliances utilise a huge amount of electricity because they need to generate a lot of heat very quickly – so use your gas stove to do the trick for you. It may take a little longer, but it is a smart energy saving alternative.

Turn off your lights!

Very typical and very wasteful behaviour that most of us are guilty of! If you’re not in a room, it generally doesn’t need to be lit up. Remember that lighting makes up as much as 25% of most house hold electrical bills, so a great energy saving habit is to turn lights off when you don’t need them on.

Replace your Incandescent Lights with ultra efficient LED Lights

Incandescent (and Halogen to a somewhat lesser extent) is an ultra wasteful, truly energy inefficient means of lighting. Over 90% of the electricity required to run an incandescent bulb is used to simply heat the tungsten metal filament to a temperature hot enough to produce light. With most households burning 60-100W incandescent bulbs, a great energy saving investment can be made and implemented by buying quality LED Lights – whether they be downlights, tubes, strip lights or bulbs. LED Lights utilise a fraction of the electricity required, produce virtually no heat, contain no hazardous materials and have an operational lifespan of +50,000 of continuous use. They can and will save you as much as 90% off your lighting bills!

Keep Doors and Windows Closed or dress warmly in winter

There’s no point keeping the heating on full blast if you enjoy fresh air when it’s cold outside. Indoor heating is often the precipitator of the common cold so a great energy saving method to reducing your heating bills while keeping your nose clean is simply to dress a little more warmly than usual while inside your home or business.

Take care of your Refrigerator

Clean under your refrigerator and ensure that the coils at the back are clean as an accumulation of dust and other materials can make your compressor work overtime. Ensure also that you defrost the fridge from time to time as an ice build up (especially in your freezer) can create air leaks again causing the compressor to work overtime to try and keep the temperature inside your fridge cool. Remember the harder your compressor works, the more heat it generates and the more electricity it uses to cool its contents.

Unplug / Turn off Appliances you are not using

Turn appliances and electronics that you are not using off to start with but know that even though the TV, computer or stereo system is not “on”, electrical charge is still passing through them and can waste a lot of electricity over time – kind of like the dripping tap.

There are many other energy saving methods and means that can save you heaps on your electrical bills, but the list above is a simple and quick way to instantly reducing your electricity costs by mostly changing the way you think about energy while becoming more conscientious about energy saving behaviours that become habits in time for you, your family and your business.

LED Lights are the the future of lighting and with rising energy costs they are the smart forward thinking investment. For more information about how LED Lights can save you time, money and energy while ensuring a clean and green lighting environment, visit http://www.lightsavers.co.za

Thank you for reading, British Gas Energy Smart
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Windmills Electricity or Wind Turbine Electricity is a form of Renewable Energy using the kinetic energy of the wind to allow the Turbine to spin independently against a generator, producing free electricity.

More and more people every year are adding the wind turbine electricity saving measure to their homes to help make ends meet with the dreaded electricity bill.

A Wind Turbine Electricity installation is one of the easiest ways of producing energy in large quantities from virtually any back yard, they are a lot louder than Solar Power Cells, but they work at night, so there are pros and cons.

However having both Windmills Electricity and Solar Power Cells are a brilliant combination as the bad points cancel each other out and produce even more electricity together!

How a Wind Turbine Electricity Installation Works

Windmills Electricity works by placing the main generator/blade housing on top of a 25-30 foot pole in a convenient place in an average household back yard or field. A Wind Fin on a horizontal shaft at the back of the housing is used to point the turbine blades in the direction of the wind, like weather vanes seen on top of buildings.

The Windmills Electricity Turbine blades are pitched at an angle which would make the best use of the wind speed, thus turning the blades faster with heavier winds and slower with lighter winds, generally the blades turn at even the lightest of breezes, around 5-12mph.

Some models have a automatic braking system as standard if the wind speed is too high for the bearings or charge controller to cope with.

As the blades turn they are connected to an internal shaft inside the generator housing, producing electricity as it turns. The continuous electrical charge is carried through a long cable down the 30 foot vertical shaft of the Wind Turbine Electricity Installment to an old AC (Alternating Current) Motor (if Home Made). This charge can be converted to a DC current provided you buy a cheap converter for it.

This is then connected to a battery which is where all the power is charged, stored and ready for use. The battery is permanently connected to the mains system of your house, constantly adding a surplus of energy.

A Charge Controller is recommended for Solar Power Cells and Windmills Electricity, as charge varies from wind speed it may exceed the maximum recommended amps for the system, 7 amps is the average for a Wind Turbine at 450 watts.

These charge controllers are cheap and easy to find in levels from 7 all the way to 70 amps, no matter how many Turbines or Cells you have running, your always covered.

Blade Lengths do vary from model to model, from 3 blades to 5 blades, all depending on wind activity in your particular area. Commercial Wind Turbines are placed at high wind spots called “Wind Farms” so their large blades can pick the wind up and rotate, generating an environmentally sound electricity option.

Residential Wind Turbine Electricity Installations can produce anything from 450-2000 watts of power depending on Wind Speed, Model and Efficiency.

Luckily, Wind Power Cost and Investment is not very high if you look in the right places!

There are two ways to utilize Wind Turbine Electricity, either build your own Windmills Electricity Installation from cheap parts, costing about $250 and a few hours labor. The other alternative is just to buy a ready made good value Wind Turbine Installation for around $300-$1200 depending on how much you want to spend/save etc.

In either case, Visit The Solar Energy House for:
1) More information about Renewable Energy and how to Utilize it.
2) How to be Cost Effective while building your Wind Turbine Electricity Installation or Solar Power Cells.
3) Recommendations on Ready Made Installations.

Thank you for reading, British Gas Energy Smart
Buy electrical pressure cooker

Well, there is a wide range of stunning furnishings through which you can easily decorate your home interiors. Decorating the home interiors is one of the major passions for most of the people. Well, if you are looking out for perfect interior decors, then the wall electric fireplaces will be the best for you. You can easily add charm and splendor to the beauty of your home interiors with the help of these wall fireplaces.

Basically, these fireplace mainly refers to the electric heaters that can be easily installed on the walls of your interiors. These are mainly better than the usual ones and they use the coal fireplaces or the natural gas. They can prove out to be the most beneficial item for your interiors. They basically cover all the security options. These heaters are very much advantageous in the terms of lightning and safety. There are numerous advantages related to these electric fireplaces which are mentioned below.

1. The major Advantage Related to these electric fireside is that they do not contaminate the environment. They do not contribute to the dreadful effects of the Global Warming which makes them eco friendly.

2. The Electric fireplaces are very much better as compared to the traditional electric heaters because they are well enhanced with the exotic safety measures. These fireplaces are simply placed on the walls and this reduces the chances of catching fire. So, the wall electric hearth can greatly save you from the damages.

3. They are not at all harmful for the nature. They do not release any kind of harmful gases and do not cause any kind of adverse effect on the surroundings. The major difference between these electric Hearth and the traditional heaters is that they do not cause pollution as compared to the traditional heaters.

4. You can easily hang these electric heaters on the walls and in this way; you can save a lot of space. The traditional heaters acquire a lot of space as compared to these electric hearth. So, if you do not have sufficient space and you want to decorate your interiors, then you can go with these electric heaters.

5. You can easily place these wall electric fireplaces at any place. There is no specification related to the location of these electric fireplaces. You can simply hang these fireplaces wherever you like. You can install these fireplaces in your restaurants, cuisines, home interiors, offices and other different areas according to your wish.

6. The best advantage related to these wall electric fireplaces is that they are portable and you can easily carry them from one place to another. You can easily change the position of these electric heaters whenever you like. You can easily enhance your home interiors with different majestic looks through these portable wall electric fireplaces.

7. These electric fireplaces are completely free from the flames and hence they do not contaminate the surroundings. No ventilation is required for these fireplaces. They do not create any kind of ashes which will greatly help you to keep the surroundings clean and tidy.

So, these are some of the essential benefits related to the electric fireplaces. You can easily adorn your interiors with these master pieces.

For more information on choosing the right Wall Electric Fireplaces for your home, visit http://wall-electric-fireplaces.com/.

Thank you for reading, British Gas Energy Smart
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Solar power electricity is just one of several methods that are used to generate electrical power. Scientists state that solar energy can potentially supply many, many times the total world energy requirements.

Most of us take the supply of electricity for granted. We are quiet contented to simply plug our heaters, cookers, fridges, computers and televisions into the electrical sockets that are situated conveniently in the walls of our homes.

Most people assume that their electric power comes through the electric grid from a power plant that is situated somewhere not too far from where we live and then pay the utility company for their monthly usage. And that’s the end of it.

But there are different types of power plants generating the electricity that is contributing to the grid for our use. There are hydroelectric power plants that generate electricity by harnessing the power of water, nuclear power plants that harness the power of the atom, coal power plants that use our ever dwindling fossil fuels and wind farm power plants harnessing the power of the wind to generate electricity.

These all have the disadvantage though, of being costly to build, have high maintenance costs and their fuel costs are exorbitant.

Solar energy plants are springing up all over the world as different methods are discovered for harnessing the power of the sun to generate electricity. Governments are pumping millions of dollars into solar plants to test equipment and materials to enable them to add storage for the electricity that they produce.

Solar power electricity falls into the two general categories of terrestrial solar power and space-based solar power.

• Solar power panels use a photovoltaic cell to convert light into an electric current. This is perhaps the method that we are most familiar with as it is these solar panels that are used for generating electricity in the home. This method has also been widely used in power plants around the world. There are different types of photovoltaic cells that are being tested and produced including thin film, monocrystalline and polychrystalline silicon.
• Concentrating solar power is a method of using the suns heat to create steam that drives an electricity turbine. Mirrors that track the sun are used to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam which is then directed at a tower which in turn heats a liquid in the conventional way. Again different methods and types of mirrors are being tested in this area.
• Space-based solar power would use a satellite to collect energy, convert it into electrical energy and then transmit it to earth. This is still very much in the experimental stage but in the not too distant future we will be using electricity that has been beamed down to earth by wireless power transmission using a microwave beam. There are many arguments for using a space based solar system rather than a terrestrial not least because they would be not dependant on weather conditions.

Governments are investing heavily in solar power plants as an alternative method of generating electricity. They are pumping huge sums of money into the development of finding improved ways for storing the electricity.

This may all seem to be taking place on a rather grand scale where we see a solar power plant with many acres of mirrors and solar panels collecting and directing the suns heat to generate power. Yet at the same time governments around the world are offering a selection of grants, tax rebates and other incentives to homeowners who want to build their own small scale solar energy electricity systems. In many situations it is quite possible to sell any excess electricity that you are able to generate back to the utility company.

Want To Know More?
Click Here For The Latest Information solar power electricity
www.solarpowercost.co.cc

Thank you for reading, British Gas Energy Smart
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Electric lawn mowers are a lot more popular than you might think. Electric lawn mowers are great because they are light, efficient, and environmentally friendly.

“Does it come with someone who will do the mowing?” Not exactly, but that seems to be all that this Black & Decker MM875 Lawn Hog 12 Amp 19-Inch Electric Mulching Mower with rear bag lacks. The reliable electric start motor will not allow make enough work for you to develop a coveted “six pack” abdomen either.

Environmentalists will love these electric lawn mowers with purring motor that is soothing rather than ear splitting like power lawn mowers of the past. One reviewer mentioned that he could hear the birds singing above the low sound from his electric lawn mower. The traditional spark plug is not present with this lawn mower and neither is the need to keep an eye on gas levels for refilling at the most inconvenient places.

To bag or not to bag, that is the question! Yes, you may choose to collect lawn clippings in the bag that is included with the electric lawn mowers or to let those clippings naturally mulch and fertilize your lawn. This is both good for the environment as well as your billfold since you won’t need to purchase fertilizers that may be unhealthy for humans as well as pets.

Reviews are generally quite positive regarding these electric lawn mowers. One review did state the obvious which is to always make certain that the electric cord is kept out of the way of the cutting blades or the human mower may become a crispy critter.

In many ways, the Black & Decker LM175 18-Inch 6.5 Amp Electric Mower is similar to the MM875 above. It has a slightly less wide cutting path the option of bag or no bag. This electric mower is about 30 pounds lighter that the MM875 which many make it a bit easier for older children and smaller adults to handle with ease.

One reviewer returned to the electric cord and the need to be aware of its position during mowing. This gentleman mentioned beginning at the electrical outlet and carefully working his way away from that point of origin. His additional comment was that trees, bushes, shrubs and others may entangle the electric cord and recommended increased awareness of the power cord in those situations.

What will they think of next? A flip handle, can you imagine? Yes indeed, the flip handle electric mower reduces time and energy wasted in trying to turn the mower around to cut the next row of grass. This wonderful feature is found on the Black & Decker MM675 Lawn Hog 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Mulching Mower, Flip-Handle electric mower. This feature, like the reduced weight of the LM175 makes mowing easier for older children or smaller adults who might otherwise struggle with a heavier mower that needs to be manually turned.

One reviewer commented on the ease of height adjustment of the handle. He is over 6 ft. tall and states that he has never found an electric mower that adequately adjusts to his height. Over all, reviews have been positive for all three of the electric lawn mowers previewed here. The general comments seem to be reflected in the old saying, “try one, you’ll like it.”

Find great deals online on the very best electric lawn mowers.

Thank you for reading, British Gas Energy Smart
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Try these money saving and time saving ideas, they really work!

Please check (either by phone or online) that your current energy provider has placed you on the cheapest tariff. I had been with British Gas for both gas and electricity for over 12 months, and discovered that I was on the Standard Tariff, unfortunately there were two cheaper tariffs, but British Gas had failed to mention this.I was switched over to WebSaver 6 which has made quite a difference.

• Always request paperless billing, it is very easy to print off a copy of your online bill for your records.
• Mobile Phone. When your contract ends, and you are due for an upgrade, you will get a much better deal if you change networks. Then as a new customer you will get more free minutes, more texts, for a lot lower price.
• Home and Motor Insurance. Never automatically renew your policies before trying out one of the many you will not believe how much you will save. If you higher your policy excess you will get a lower premium.
• Free Trials Online. When you sign up for a free trial online, usually for 30 days, dont forget to read the small print. If you do not cancel the trial before the end of the 30 days they will charge you every month until you do.
• Use a facial cleansing wipe to clean the leaves of your house plants.
• Keep an aloe-vera houseplant on your kitchen window sill. If you burn yourself or you get stung, just tear the end off one of the leaves and place the gel directly on to the skin, it will instantly soothe.
• Place some pebbles in the bottom of your hanging baskets before planting them up, they will help to retain the moisture.
• If you like cheap and cheerful jewellery, go to a charity shop and buy a couple of mug trees, you can use them to hang all your necklaces, bracelets and beads.
• If you keep your make-up in a drawer organise it by buying plastic food containers, place them in the drawer leaving no gaps, and you will be able to keep it all tidy.
• Clean your mirrors and glass topped tables with an equal amount of white spirit vinegar and water in a spray bottle, wipe dry with a lint free cloth.
• Use a cotton wool bud dipped in white vinegar to clean your keypad and telephone.
• Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda on to your carpets, leave for 15 minutes before vacuuming,this will deodorise your carpets, especially good if you have pets!
• Throw half a cup of bicarbonate of soda down the toilet and leave overnight, this takes away all the limescale.
• Make inquiries about changing over to a water meter.
• If you use a hot water bottle, don’t throw the water away in the morning, pour it into a jug and you can use it to water your houseplants!
• If you need a new boiler or radiators, always purchase yourself direct from the wholesaler, then pay a certified gas engineer to install them, this way you save the 20% minimum mark up on the price that you would have been charged by the tradesman.

Sue Ryan

Top Money Saving Tips for You to Try is the latest article from my website, which I hope you enjoy and hopefully you will be able to use some of the tips to save yourself lots of money.
http://www.tipsonsavingmoney.net

Thank you for reading, British Gas Energy Smart
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