If you’re reading this you are probably aware of the major energy bills increase we’ve all had to face in the UK – if you haven’t, then I’m afraid you’ve been living under a rock and you might receive a shocking bill through the post soon…
The shooting bills are caused by the increase in the energy price cap that came into effect the 1st of this month, a rise of 54% causing bills to go up £693. The record increase has been largely driven by wholesale gas prices, which have quadrupled in price over the last year.
The price cap will be effective until 31st September and, combined with the cost of living rising on many fronts, it’s caused energy prices to become a major issue both practically and politically.
Updated twice a year, the cap tracks wholesale energy and other costs to stop energy companies from making excessive profits, ensuring customers pay no more than a fair price for their energy.
It also allows energy companies to pass on all reasonable costs to customers, including increases in the cost of buying gas. Since it was last updated in August, the current level doesn’t reflect the unprecedented record rise which has occurred. Meaning that, under the cap mechanism, energy companies are allowed to pass on these higher costs to their consumers – as they can’t afford to supply electricity and gas to customers for less than they paid for it.
During the last 12 months, 29 energy companies have left the market or have been put in special administration because of the global soar in prices – affecting approximately 4.3m domestic customers.
Now whilst it is true that there’s little homeowners can do about the unwanted rising… you can control how much gas and electric you are using.
Switching light bulbs has potential to make a massive difference and it can’t hurt right now to learn ways of minimising those increasing costs!
According to the experts, the average home has 67 light bulbs. Now you can imagine how, if you were using the wrong kind of bulb – the kind that likes to spend your money, it doesn’t take too long to bump up those pennies. This is just one of many reasons why it’s so important to make the switch from incandescent bulbs to LEDs.
For the purpose of any new readers, LED stands for light-emitting diode. They’re tiny semiconductors (diodes) wrapped in plastic to protect the elements and focus the light – a diode is a semiconductor device with two terminals, typically allowing the flow of current in one direction only. The current comes into an anode (+) and flows out of the cathode (-) and don’t have wire filaments like a standard lightbulb.
A standard lightbulb refers to the incandescent bulb, which have filaments that glow, producing both heat and light when energy flows through them. Alternatively, LEDS have electrons that flow to create protons – light that we can actually see – and generate almost no heat. This essentially means that LEDs require much less energy to create the same amount of brightness as incandescent lights do, lasting much longer too.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, switching from 100-watt incandescent bulbs to LEDs can save £9 per bulb each year. A quick calculation of 9 times by the average of bulbs in a home (67) means householders could save just over £600 a year.
Independent finance broker Norton Finance said: “Lighting makes up 15% of average UK household electricity consumption, so making the switch to more efficient lighting can make a massive difference to energy costs.”
The reason that LEDs use much less energy is because diode light is much more efficient, power-wise, than filament light. Bright LED flood lamps use only 11-12 watts while creating a light output that can be compared to a 50-watt incandescent bulb.
Whilst we’re on the topic of money, you might be wondering about the initial costs of LEDs. Although they do cost a little more upfront than your average bulb, it can be recouped in just a few months through the points mentioned above. Think of it as a good housing investment that your wallet will thank you for later!
Not only will it have a noticeable impact on your energy bills, it will also reduce your environmental impact – which is just the cherry on top in our eyes!
Don’t be afraid to take the LED plunge, you won’t regret it in the months to come!
And if you’re ready to take the step into the future of lighting, Contact Cube Lighting & Design here to see if you qualify for free LED lighting!
Want to keep reading? Check out our latest blog post here: How does your office lighting affect you?
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