I have done it.

[SteamyTea]

Take me 20 years, but very little cash to to reduce my household energy use to below 3MWh.year^-1.  When I first moved in, it was around 11 MWh.

This last year, I used 2,780 kWh.  That is 335 kg of CO₂.

Feeling pretty chuffed about that as I have been warm, but never too hot, fed and bathed.

If you are wondering why there was a big drop from 2022, that is because I fitted my home made secondary glazing (making my windows triple glazed).

 

 

 

[Russdl]

Good effort @SteamyTea using around a quarter of what you used to consume in the same gaff is no mean feat. 

 

What was the main driving force? CO2 emissions or cost reduction? 

[Big Jimbo]

Well done fella.

[Marvin]

Hi @SteamyTea

 

There is a certain joy in knowing you paid once to reduce your energy use and the effect lasts for years!

 

Every time the sun comes out a little thought in the back of my mind thinks about our hot water tank warming. 

 

 

[SteamyTea]

27 minutes ago, Russdl said:

What was the main driving force? CO2 emissions or cost reduction

Mainly the challenge and CO₂.

The grid intensity CO₂ is outside of my control, but then I started it was around 0.7kg.kWh^-1.

Initially I saved 30% by just managing my usage better.  That was a no cost option.

Changed to LED lighting (less than £30).

I then started by spending some money, mainly £60 on some digital timers to limit my E7 window better (heat up in the last 4 hours rather than the first 4 hour).

Then extra loft insulation (still got some more to add).

Then I started the miserable job of draughtproofing, cheap to do, but time consuming.

Then the secondary glazing (less than £200 for all but 2 windows, so 12 windows in all.  Left 2 windows for escape routes).

I also reduced parasite loads.  This really involved making sure any standby loads were very low.  Getting rid of a desktop PC and using laptops has made the biggest difference.

There were setbacks, mainly my lodger who, until I beat her with a pointy stick, would stand under the shower till the water went cold.  Eventually she learnt her lesson.

2 minutes ago, Marvin said:

Every time the sun comes out a little thought in the back of my mind thinks about our hot water tank warming. 

If it was not more the orientation and the small roof, and having to spend my spare cash on bi-monthly visits to see my Mother, I would put some PV on the roof.  As my DHW usage is about 4 kWh.day^-1, I could probably get 80% of my DHW for nothing (I could also reduce usage, but I love my morning baths).

39 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

Well done fella.

To celebrate, I heated up the room I am in to 24°C this morning.  Hansom it was.

[Big Jimbo]

24C that is lavish my friend.

[SteamyTea]

1 minute ago, Big Jimbo said:

24C that is lavish my friend.

Having grown up in the Far East and the West Indies (very close to Caracas), I would have my home at 24°C and above all the time.

[Big Jimbo]

And there i was thinking you came from somewhere around Aylesbury. Don't know why.

[SteamyTea]

3 hours ago, Big Jimbo said:

somewhere around Aylesbury

Just ended up stuck there when I first finished university.