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Off peak
What
Believe it or not - doing your washing late at night really can be better for our planet.
It’s all down to how our power system is set up, and the fact that we can’t yet store energy at scale. So when everyone taps into our electricity supply all at once, our nation’s power stations have to be cranked up to full power - even the most inefficient and polluting plants.
Generally electricity usage peaks during the day, but there are especially big surges when our tea-loving nation goes to boil the kettle during halftime of that big match or the ad break of Britain’s Got Talent. While the carbon savings from this Do Action may not be the biggest, it's a great habit to get into. As we move to a more renewables based energy system it'll become ever more important to use our energy at low demand times to balance our demand.
Think about when you use your energy - can you leave it until night time? You could even end up saving money.
So what are you waiting for?!
Benefits
For people
Depending on what tariff you’re on, popping the dishwasher on at night could even be saving you money. With an Economy 7 tariff you have cheaper electricity rates during off peak hours; if you’re on Economy 7, but by not taking advantage of the off peak rates, you could be wasting £46.80 a year just by washing your clothes at the wrong time!
No more sitting around waiting for the washing to finish - washing your clothes and dishes at night can also save you time. Using a machine with a delay timer means you can bung your clothes in before you go to bed, and then set them to finish washing right as you get up. Nifty!
For planet
In order to support all the energy we use during peak hours, we have to utilise even the least efficient power plants. In fact, even just in preparation for the peak hours; fossil-fuel power stations have to be warmed up by grid operators. So using off peak energy means using cleaner energy.
How
When buying a new machine, be sure to get one that comes with a timer on it, so you can set it to start after you’ve gone to bed, or to conveniently finish, just as you wake up.
Download the GridCarbon app onto your phone to track the carbon intensity of our energy supply and stick your washing on when it's low!
Considering moving to an Economy 7 tariff? This article is a must read - It also has a map showing the off peak times in your area.
You can also use neat devices like this WeMo switch, to control any of you electronic appliances from wherever you are with their app. Or you can check out some of these.
References
The Rough Guide to Green Living - Duncan Clark