Green and ethical >>> solar

A question about : Green and ethical >>> solar

The true eco warrior would surely drive economies through household design and behaviour.

I am gradually getting everything in order from the investment and design perspective (now good B-rating). However, I am failing in getting the family to share my passion in adjusting behaviour to achieve the real economies that I think possible.

After some measurement of usage of white goods, I concluded that they were accounting for about half of my electricity consumption (approx 4,000 kW/h per year out of approximately 8,000 KWh/year. I carried out a full house audit and produced an estimate of 7,843 kWh, equating pretty much with actual usage.

Presumably, with higher usage the opportunity for using self-generated electricity is higher. What do others think.

Best answers:

• I can tell you what my wife thinks about not using the tumble dryer, but its not printable in these forums....
  Getting things like TV's, set top boxes with auto standby, pir and timer lights, electronic radiator valves have helped "less enthusiastic" members of our family be more energy efficient without having to change their behaviour.
  But if behaviours won't change, how can you get your appliances used during the day when your panels are generating?
• Oh dear. I feel for you.
  I have a lodger that is so wasteful it's ridiculous. In the few hours he's around in the evening and the hour or so in the morning he can use more electricity than I do in 24 hours.
  Both last night & this morning the washing machine has been on - attributable only to him, both times whilst it's dark. The tumble drier gets used to "air clothes".
  My consumption hit over 6kW peak this morning and I wasn't even home. Lodger had washing machine & dishwasher on at the same time and had propped open the door to "let some air in" whilst the heat pump was busy trying to replace the lost heat.
  I've given up asking him to be reasonable, so the next step is to start cutting plugs off appliances.
• I've just bought the parts from Wilco to fit the EXPORT LIGHT. I'm fixing the light on our landing outside of the airing cupboard. I will the light to the output of the Solar iBoost, so whenever we're exporting, it's a signal for the Sterling family to use the electricity wisely.