[WizzyWigg]

Hi @JoeSoap . My final thought. 🤔 It's a shame that there's no incentive/reward for those who use high demand appliances outside of peak times as part of their normal daily routine.

[JoeSoap]

Originally Posted by WizzyWigg

Hi @JoeSoap . My final thought. 🤔 It's a shame that there's no incentive/reward for those who use high demand appliances outside of peak times as part of their normal daily routine.

But if you're not shifting the energy use to help with grid demand then the incentive remains purely to reduce the usage as much as you can to save on the bills. This scheme is not about rewarding people for being high consumers of electricity. I find the idea baffling 🤔

[WizzyWigg]

Originally Posted by JoeSoap

But if you're not shifting the energy use to help with grid demand then the incentive remains purely to reduce the usage as much as you can to save on the bills. This scheme is not about rewarding people for being high consumers of electricity. I find the idea baffling 🤔

You win Joe 😞. I wasn't suggesting a reward for being a high consumer, that really would be bonkers 😂.

[JoeSoap]

Originally Posted by WizzyWigg

You win Joe 😞. I wasn't suggesting a reward for being a high consumer, that really would be bonkers 😂.

Well that's very generous of you 😁. In truth it can be looked at from more than one angle. I've always treated it as just lowering usage during the event and shifting what I can to another time. At the outset of the scheme it was possible to game it and reap very good rewards, although I never did, but not so now. Also, with the amount or reward per kWh reduction being halved in this event (so it seems), it's going to become less worth the bother. It was good debating with you... especially since you said I won 😂

[JoeSoap]

I'm going to hold my hands up to using electricity when I don't have to. I leave some appliances on standby when not in use and in the case of the PC it stays on from morning until bedtime. I have some outside LED lights that I like to have on at night and, as previously mentioned, some LED lights that gently light the way through the entrance hall so we don't bump into things when transiting through... as we do. To some this will all be unnecessary consumption and therefore a waste of energy. To me it is about convenience, comfort and safety. We also don't go cold.

So how do I cut down during an event?

It invariably happens at the time when I do some cooking. I generally favour cooking at moderate temperatures for longer periods. I will delay putting the oven on and use higher temperatures for a shorter period if it means keeping the oven off during the event.

When using the slow cooker I crank it to the High setting about 30mins before the start and then, just before the start, wrap it with oven gloves, put the tea cosy flat on the top, wrap it all in tea towels and switch it off for the duration of the event. It doesn't save a lot of the overall energy consumption but reduces it by 100% of the normal consumption for the entire duration of the event.

I switch off all refrigeration for the entire duration and ask that the doors are opened for the minimum of time.

The kettle is replaced by a pan on the gas hob.

All outside lights and some indoor lights are switched off. As soon as young Soap Sud comes home I hear, ''There's an energy event then?''

I shift the Hot Water timed boost to outside the event hour and increase the CH thermostat by one degree about ten minutes before the start. I then reduce it by two degrees (one degree under normal) during the event. I've mostly gotten away with it so far and it greatly reduces the amount of time the pump runs for the duration of the event. By the time anyone notices it is getting a bit chilly I can normally hold off by saying only a few minutes to go.

I switch off the computer.

So far I have passed every event with a minimum reduction of 49% and a maximum of 86% with rewards ranging from £1.15 to £3.28. To me it's a bit of a fun challenge but to the rest of the family it ranges from a roll of the eyes to disappointment. I have to reassure Flo that it won't really affect her beyond having to boil a pan instead of the kettle for her cuppa. It's me that puts all the effort in and perversely I quite enjoy it 🤪.

Whatever floats your boat, eh? 🤣

[WizzyWigg]

Originally Posted by JoeSoap

Well that's very generous of you 😁. In truth it can be looked at from more than one angle. I've always treated it as just lowering usage during the event and shifting what I can to another time. At the outset of the scheme it was possible to game it and reap very good rewards, although I never did, but not so now. Also, with the amount or reward per kWh reduction being halved in this event (so it seems), it's going to become less worth the bother. It was good debating with you... especially since you said I won 😂

Twas a good exercise. 🤓 Thoroughly enjoyed. Cheers Joe. 👍

JoeSoap 1 WizzyWigg 0

I shall continue in my own inimitable way. 😂


PS Same again next weekend? 😂😂

[JoeSoap]

Originally Posted by WizzyWigg

PS Same again next weekend? 😂😂

Same time , same channel 👍

[WizzyWigg]

Originally Posted by JoeSoap

Same time , same channel 👍

It's in the diary. How about debating the finer details of the internal dynamics of a ball bearing? 🤔

[JoeSoap]

Originally Posted by JoeSoap

Bright has updated and I calculated my best reduction yet at -86%. I reduced by 1.254kWh from 1.454 to 0.2. At £3/kWh that would have been £3.76 by my calculations but I now expect £1.88. Hey ho... not so bad.

Well, my calculation of an 86% reduction was spot on and I earned £1.90. That would have been a tidy £3.80 at their normal reward rate. That's still worth it for me but those that can only reduce by a small amount may start to think it's not worth the effort.

[meldrewreborn]

@JoeSoap

It’s well short of the minimum wage!