Jul 01, 2008 | Amsterdam Energy bills could be reduced by hundreds of euros a year
Research by Nuon has shown that Dutch households unwittingly waste roughly 14% of the electricity and 43% of the gas they consume. This comes to an average of around EUR 585 per household. Preventing this waste could reduce energy bills by an average of 30%. The energy wasted is enough to keep 300 million low-energy light bulbs permanently lit for an entire year, or to light a surface area as big as the Sahara Desert. Partly due to the rise in fuel prices, Nuon believes that the Dutch will increasingly need to find better ways of cutting back on energy consumption and preventing waste.
Wasted energy is energy that is consumed to no useful purpose: it generally goes unnoticed and adds nothing to the user’s comfort. Examples include heat loss through uninsulated floors, roofs and walls, use of old central heating boilers instead of high efficiency boilers, heating empty rooms and placing electrical appliances on automatic stand-by. Dutch households pay an average of EUR 1,926 for gas and electricity; measures to prevent waste could slash energy bills by hundreds of euros a year.
These figures are confirmed by Nuon’s energy advisors. Rob van der Plas: "We regularly see badly-located radiators hidden behind curtains or under radiator covers. Because the level of heat output is poor, thermostats will keep boilers going for longer. That adds up to between 170 and 200 cubic metres more gas than you would normally need. The benefits of roof insulation are also underestimated. An uninsulated attic requires 450 cubic metres more on average to heat."
Gas consumption by households is now falling slightly. This is because new-build dwellings in particular are well insulated and many older boilers have been replaced by high efficiency boilers in the last ten years. More comfort, less cost. However, electricity consumption is still rising. In the Netherlands, we use more and more electricity each year. Consumers can visit www.verspillingscheck.nl (Dutch only) to see how much energy they are wasting and how much they could save without having to reduce their comfort levels.
About Nuon
Nuon is an ambitious energy company, serving more than three million consumers and organisations with over 10,000 employees in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Nuon produces, transports and delivers electricity, gas, heating and cooling, and engages in energy trading in the major international markets. Nuon also supplies additional services and technological innovations to businesses and consumers. In doing so, Nuon aims to provide a reliable, sustainable and affordable energy supply.
With a turnover of EUR 5.7 billion in 2007, Nuon occupies a prominent position in the Dutch energy market. The shares are held by local and regional authorities.