Energy Saving Week and Tips

Energy Saving Week and Tips

Published7.10.2024 (Edited8.10.2024)

We depend on energy and it’s good to learn to use it wisely. However, what does smart energy use mean? Where should we start? Energy saving – why should we care? Many people take energy for granted, when in fact each of us needs to pay attention to how we use energy.

1. How does saving energy benefit you?

News flash: saving energy also saves your money. If you don’t know what you’re using energy for, it’s worth finding out in the first place. In this way, you can start cutting unnecessary consumption.

Nice to know: Even if electricity, heating and water are included in your rent, it’s smart to be reasonable with your electricity use. This way the rent will not go up.

Saving energy is also good for the environment: by cutting unnecessary energy consumption, you reduce your carbon footprint.

2. What are the environmental and social benefits of energy saving?

Energy production, distribution and use all have an impact on the environment. For example, the production of energy from different sources, the construction and maintenance of electricity grids and the transport of oil and gas to refineries and users all have an environmental impact.

Nice to know: fossil-free or renewable energy is the primary energy source in Finland. This is done using nuclear, hydro, wind and solar power.

3. How do you save energy at home and in your free time?

Heating is the biggest energy consumer at home. A good place to start is to set your room temperatures at the right level. In living rooms, 20-22°C is a good temperature, but less is fine in the bedroom – you’ll often sleep better at a cooler temperature.
Hot water and electrical appliances also consume energy. So avoid running hot water: skip long showers and don’t wash dishes under running water. You’ll also save water if you use washing machines and dishwashers.

Nice to know: if you bake a frozen pizza in the oven, you’ll use significantly more electricity than heating a ready meal in the microwave.

In your free time, you save energy by taking public transport, walking or cycling, shopping only when you need to, putting only what you eat on your plate and recycling and repairing your old stuff.

4. When should you use electrical equipment?

This is something you may not have learned in school: the price of electricity varies hourly depending on the production and consumption situation. So it does matter when you use electricity. The smartest time to consume electricity is when you can get it at a low price.

This benefits everyone, regardless of their electricity contract. By favouring cheaper times, you can also influence the prices of future electricity contracts.

Nice to know: don’t keep several devices on at the same time. Otherwise, you’ll cause a peak in consumption.

5. What do you need to know about the electricity contract?

In some student and rental apartments, electricity may be included in the rent, in which case the landlord is responsible for the electricity contract and its conclusion. If you are responsible for your own electricity contract and bills, it is good to know a few basic things about them.
There are two types of electricity contracts:
  • In an exchange-traded electricity contract, the price of electricity varies hourly. If you schedule your electricity use for low-cost hours instead of high-cost hours, you save money.
  • With a fixed-price electricity contract, the price of electricity is the same throughout the contract period. So there is no need to actively monitor the electricity price. A fixed-price electricity contract can be either fixed-term or continuous.

Nice to know: you can compare electricity suppliers, prices and contract conditions at sahkonhinta.fi.

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