As the cost of living crisis bites and households look for every opportunity to cut bills, headlines that suggest consumers can save hundreds of pounds just by turning off unused chargers are an attractive prospect. But experts say such allegations of “vampire devices” are actually more like zombie statistics.
“Things have improved dramatically since these studies were first conducted,” said Craig Melson, associate director of climate, environment and sustainability at techUK. “Processors are low power, screens have switched from LCD to LED technology, refrigerators and washing machines have become more efficient. The technology is simply more miniaturized, more efficient, using better processors – and most importantly, they are also more adaptable. ”
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A recent British Gas report stated that “Britons could save an average of £ 110 per household per year by simply pressing a switch”. The energy supplier said 23% of Britain’s energy bills were caused by “vampire electronics, the one that continues to drain energy when left on standby”.
But that statistic comes from a 2015 report by the U.S. National Defense Council based on an analysis of homes in California. “Think of the laptop you used 10 years ago,” says Melson. “It may need a big ugly plug in the middle, a big transformer. In general, you can now just plug them directly into USB-C: it’s much more energy efficient and doesn’t need to draw energy.
In addition to being seven years old and based on another country’s energy, consumers may find it difficult to make some of the proposed savings: one third of the “always on” electronics identified in the study are recirculation pumps, ponds, aquariums and protected exits in bathrooms, kitchens and garages. ” Consumers who turn off their aquarium at night can save money, but their fish may object.
Other devices included in the 23% figure are left on because they are designed to work all the time: wifi routers and electric heaters or air conditioners increase the electricity used from home, but provide benefits while doing so.
More importantly, Melson notes, American consumers are not covered by the many European regulations that reduce electricity consumption for British consumers. He said: “The Ecodesign Directive, European regulation, has led to design changes across the sector. It is much more regulated and business practices have evolved. “
The US report, which for the first time found that the 23% figure even highlights the benefits of European regulation: “The European standard addresses much of the idle load problem highlighted in this study,” say US researchers.
Other allegations of “vampire devices” go even further. In October, the UK’s Energy Saving Trust claimed modest £ 35 savings from shutting down standby devices each year, citing a 2013 report that reported energy consumption from devices, including a VCR, largely discontinued in 2004. ., and the PlayStation 2, first produced in 2000.
For consumers who want to save electricity, Melson says the better focus is to look at the “eco-mode” settings of devices such as TVs and game consoles, excluding features such as automatic updates to further reduce the use of Standby mode.
British Gas did not respond to requests for comment.
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