Standby Power

Tip

• Appliances like televisions and DVD players left on standby could represent around 10% of your total energy use.  When not in use turn them off at the power point.
• Don't use a remote control as an on/off switch.  Turn the equipment off at the appliance and stop yourself wasting electricity in standby mode.
• To be sure not to waste energy, when not in use turn appliances off at the power point.
• Appliances that use standby power include PCs, TVs, DVD and Blu-ray players, air conditioners, and mobile phone chargers.
• In a typical household around ten percent of the electricity used is on appliances that are in standby mode - you're not needing it, why pay for it?
• Turn lights off when they are not needed.
• Your Blu-ray players may have a quick-start mode.  Turning this off may reduce the standby power use by about 90%.

Information

Different types of standby modes

Active standby - The appliance has been left on, but is not actually doing its job.  For example a washing machine that is left on after the washing cycle has finished or a DVD player that is not actually playing a disk.

Passive standby - The appliance has been turned off using a remote control, but not at the appliance itself.

Off-mode standby - Even when an appliance is turned off it may continue to consume some energy if it is still switched on at the power point.