Overconsumption of Electricity in Homes

The Problems

1. Economical Aspect:

1. Bruneians tend to overconsume electricity because of the low electrical tariff set by the government.

2. The government should be stricter in terms of the law regarding the charging of late payments of electricity bills as well as unpaid bills.

2. Environmental Aspect:

1. In Brunei, fossil fuels fire the generation of electricity. Therefore, the more electricity is used, the higher the amount of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.

2. In 2005, Brunei’s energy consumption increase by 1.8 percent.

3. Brunei’s primary energy demand will increase from 2002 to 2030 due to growth in electricity demand and transport sectors.

4. Brunei is ranked fifth amongst 26 other ASEAN countries.

3. Socio-Cultural Aspect:

1. Due to urbanization and modernisation, lifestyles and habits change, which in consequence increase the amount of energy demand.

2. Factors such as income level, the use of leisure time, cultural differences as well as climate have an impact on total energy demand by households.

3. In Brunei, one of the major appliances that consumes the most electricity is the air-conditioner, considering that Brunei has a warm and humid climate.

4. Bruneians also prefer to spend their leisure time indoors, watching the television in an air-conditioned room, due to the warm climate.

5. Local citizens tend to leave their air-conditioners switched on 24 hours everyday, even when the room is not occupied.

6. Most Bruneians are also ignorant of the relation between electrical consumption and global warming.

Solutions:

1. Use renewable energy:

1. Some instances of renewable energy:

Solar energy, wind energy, hydroelectric power, bio-fuels and geothermal energy.

2. Most suitable for Brunei: Solar energy, as Brunei is an equatorial country and hence receiving a lot of sunlight throughout the year.
3. Solar energy is beneficial because:

i. Clean power source

ii. Reduces dependence on fossil fuels

iii. Decreases electric bills

iv. Increases awareness of electricity use

v. Encourages more energy efficient behaviour

vi. Good financial investment in the long run

2. Use energy-efficient products (Energy Star qualified):

1. Energy Star qualified appliances use less power and hence using less energy. As a result, emission of heat and greenhouse gases are reduced, which leads to decreased global warming.
2. Partners of Energy Star: Sony, Panasonic and Philips.
3. Many Energy Star labelled products are available in Brunei.

3. Reduce wasted energy:

1. Another way to reduce the overconsumption of electricity is by reducing wasted energy. This can be done in various ways:

i. Turn off the lights before leaving the room.

ii. Use power strip. Using a power strip instead of a power outlet can save about 2 percent of electricity per year.

iii. Set the computer to standby or hibernate mode instead of using screensavers.

iv. Use compact fluorescent lamps instead of incandescent lamps. Fluorescent lamps last longer and use lesser energy.

v. Opt for alternative ways of relaxation (e.g. yoga, taking a nap) instead of taking a hot bath.

vi. Turn the water off during scrubbing or drying the dishes.

vii. Use front load washing machines rather than top load washers, as they save at least half the of the energy used by top load machines.

Actions:

1. Strategy 1
1. A pamphlet designed showing ways to lower electricity consumption by concentrating on air-conditioners. Air-conditioner was chosen because it is one of the appliances which consumes the most electricity.
2. Ten houses were selected randomly.
3. The focus was to increase their awareness on the efficiency of their air-conditioners and to maintain them well.
4. About twenty minutes were spent at each house explaining the pamphlets and the benefits they could gain.
5. Result of the meetings:

The families were convinced and commented the pamphlets were good guidelines and they could be a good starting point to lower electrical consumption.

2. Strategy 2
1. Research done on the usage of solar power.
2. More research was done on Australia and their usage of solar power.
3. A proposal letter was sent to the director of electrical department. The letter included information on solar power systems used in Australia; the benefits of using solar power to the environment and people in Brunei; the types of solar power systems that could be used in Brunei; and the rebate that the Australian government gives to its people who install the solar power system at their homes.
4. Result of the meeting:

An attempt to meet the director of Electrical Services was made to get his signature, but did not manage to do this as he was busy.

3. Strategy 3
1. The members of the group went to visit 10 houses to distribute the pamphlets on Energy Star.
2. In each visit, they were explained the advantages of using Energy Star appliances.
3. The families were reminded that they could use the pamphlets as a guideline for buying new appliances in the future.
4. Result of the meeting:

The families were cooperative and approachable. However, none of them was aware of the Energy Star program. Therefore, a brief explanation was given to them to explain what the program is about and where they could get the appliances. They also became convinced that Energy Star appliances are just as good as standard appliances. In addition, they were also given tips on how to reduce electrical consumption (e.g. switching the computer to standby mode and switching off the television when it is not needed).

5. The families signed and indicated their identity card number as proof that they received the pamphlets.