Save energy FAQs

• Stop heat escaping from your house – insulate, shut windows and doors, seal under doors
• Close off unused areas
• Draw curtains and blinds
• If you have ceiling fans, adjust the blade rotation to push the rising warm air back down to where you need it.

• Put non-slip rugs on timber or tiled floors
• Dress warmly
• Set your thermostat for 20°C. (Source: Energy Use in the Australian Residential Sector 1986 – 2020 EES).

• Malfunctioning older appliances (such as leaking hot water systems)
• Energy hungry appliances (like electric heaters)
• Colder weather requires more heating
• Less daylight means more use of energy for lighting
• Hot water systems work harder to reach thermostat temperatures
• Longer showers and more baths for warmth.

• Turn it off for cleaning and checking
• Check both indoor and outdoor units to make sure nothing’s blocking air inlet and outlet points
• Set thermostat temperatures no lower than 23°C
• Remove and clean air filters
• Clean the front grilles of the indoor unit (do this every 2 weeks during summer).

• Manufacturers recommend 20°C degrees.

How efficient is a hall light compared to a child's night light?

A night light is the most energy efficient solution. These are designed to stay on for longer periods so energy costs can be as little as 13 cents per year.

• Check with your local pool shop staff
• Tell them the capacity of your pool in litres, and size of your pump
• A pump with an input of 1,120 watts will cost up to 25 cents per hour to run if connected to Peak Electricity Tariffs
• You may save money by connecting to Off-Peak tariffs (applicable in Qld and NSW)

• It takes longer to take the heat out of food and drinks
• You might be overpacking your fridge so air isn’t circulating as easily
• You might be opening the door more often.

How can I read my meter?

• Reading your meters

To help explain the energy jargon, we've compiled this reference to explain what these terms mean, so you'll never find yourself stumped again. 

• Watt (W): a unit of electrical power 1kW = 1000 watts  
• Watt hour (Wh): a unit of energy (power and the time during which that power is generated or consumed)
• Kilowatt hour (kWh): often referred to as a 'unit' of power. Electricity meters are marked to be read in units of 1kWh = 1000 watts operating for 1 hour  
• Horsepower (HP): a unit of mechanical energy 1 HP = 746 watts (not applicable for refrigerative air conditioning units) 
• Hertz (HZ): speed of electricity current measured in cycles. E.g. 50 or 60 HZ per second.
• volt (V):  a measure of the amount of pressure required to make electrical energy flow in a circuit
• amp (A) or ampere:  a unit of electrical current. The amount of electricity which is flowing in the conductor

Unit of measurement:

• watts ÷ volts = amps (eg - 1680 watts ÷ 240 volts = 7 amps)
• amps x volts = watts (7 amps x 240 volts = 1680 watts)
• 1500 watts = 6.25 amps
• 2000 watts = 8.33 amps
• 2400 watts = 10 amps

• Mj/h (megajoule per hour/s): measurement of energy consumed by a gas appliance per hour under specific conditions
• Natural gas: a gas that can be delivered to your property via a pipeline
• LPG cylinder exchange: LPG is generally stored in cylinders at homes and commonly used for BBQ’s and caravanning. You can have your cylinder or bank of cylinders replaced using our Quick Swap service, we can even deliver it to your door. 
• LPG tanker fill: LPG is stored in cylinders installed on site or at home.  These cylinders are regularly filled on site from an LPG tanker truck.

Unit of measurement:

• 1 gigajoule (GJ) = 1000 MJ
• 1 terajoule (TJ) = 1000GJ
• 1 petajoule (PJ) = 1000TJ
• 1 M³ of natural gas (NG) = 38.9MJ
• 1 litre LPG = 500g
• 1 kilo litre (KL) = 1000 litres
• 1 x 45kg cylinder = 89 litres
• 1 kW = 3.6 MJ
• 1 litre gas = 25.3 MJ

• Tariff: a unit of cost associated to the supply of energy.
• MEPS (Minimum Energy Performance Standards): MEPS programs are made mandatory in Australia by state government legislation and regulations which give force to the relevant Australian Standards. It is mandatory for the following products manufactured in or imported into Australia to meet the MEPS levels specified by the relevant Australian Standards:
  •  refrigerators and freezers (from 1 October 1999 )
  • mains pressure electric storage water heaters (from 1 October 1999 )
  • small mains pressure electric storage water heaters (<80L), low pressure and heat exchange types (from 1 October 2005)
  • three phase electric motors (from 1 October 2001 )
  • single phase air conditioners (from 1 October 2004 )
  • three phase air conditioners (from 1 October 2001 )
  • ballasts for linear fluorescent lamps (from 1 March 2003 )
  • linear fluorescent lamps (from 1 October 2004 )
  • distribution transformers (from 1 October 2004 )
  • commercial refrigeration (from 1 October 2004 )
• CO_2e (carbon dioxide equivalents): measurement of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere.