Efficient Advice on Electricity Consumption in Private Households

Efficient advice on electricity consumption in private households
The project team developed an "informative electricity bill" for energy suppliers which it pilot tested in Heidelberg.

Research approach

In conjunction with ifeu, ISOE developed a readily integrable, low-cost instrument. This "informative energy bill" combines individual feedback on personal electricity consumption with electricity-saving tips and sources of advice and information.

Here, scientists investigated the correlations between the type/intensity of consultancy, the consultant, and the reachability of different target groups.

The aim of the project was to create efficient modules for an advisory service on how to save electricity and then develop them further.

Based on the results of analysis, appropriate modules were selected. These were pilot tested in Heidelberg in cooperation with the Climate Protection and Energy Advice Agency Heidelberg and Neighbouring Municipalities (KliBA)" and Heidelberg municipal utilities.

Background

Whereas industrial and commercial electricity consumption had seen a decline in the preceding years, consumption in Germany's private households rose by 12.6 per cent from 1990 to 2002. One cause of this rise was the growing incidence of electrical appliances and the increased operating time, particularly in the field of information and communication technology. Rising standby power loss and the inadequate deployment of energy-efficient appliances served to compound this effect.