According to a European Union study, the average energy consumption of electrical devices in standby mode represents about 10% of the total energy consumption in a household. In other words, beyond contributing to your ecological footprint, it is also increasing the amount of your monthly bill.
To understand the financial impact, Selectra, a specialist in energy tariffs, made an estimate for a family of two adults and two children, considering several appliances and based on the recommended contracted power of 6.9 kVA. We selected common devices in a home with this type of consumption, such as the desktop computer and laptop, a game console, television, the mobile phone charger, your operator’s set-top box, and the microwave, taking into account the average standby operating time of 16 hours per day.
Considering a dwelling with multiple standby devices, the monthly increase in the electricity bill is quite significant. If we consider a simple electricity tariff, the average increase can be approximately €11.44 per month, resulting in an annual rise of about €137.28 on your electricity bill with no extra need. In another perspective, imagine you have one more desktop computer, three chargers and a television with a set-top box. In this case, the monthly amount would be around €18.82, while the annual would be €225.84.
Thus, it is essential to be aware of the energy cost consumed by standby devices and to adopt measures to reduce their unnecessary consumption, fully turning off devices when they are not in use, such as during holidays. This will contribute not only to lowering the amount of your bill, but also to a more sustainable ecological footprint.
