[LINK] Monitoring power consumption of individual appliances

[Ben Elliston]

Hi Tom

> Continuously monitoring the power use of individual appliances will
> not appreciably help consumers decide when to replace them.

I disagree. They are tremendously useful in educating users about the
power consumption of appliances and, henceforth, instilling behaviour
changes to help *shift* loads.  We won't be paying a flat tariff for
electricity for too much longer. When we are paying time of use
tariffs, knowing when and how to shift some discretionary loads will
be valuable.

> The simplest and most effective way to reduce appliance energy
> consumption is with minimum mandatory energy efficiency
> requirements.  Australia has an energy rating scheme for appliances,
> but it is not the number of stars which an appliance has which
> achieves most of the savings, it is that there is a minimum
> efficiency, below which the appliance is banned. The stars are just
> a marketing gimmick.

I attended a seminar late last year where various "green schemes" were
presented in terms of GHG abatement and the cost of that abatement.  I
was somewhat surprised to learn that *the* single most cost effective
migitation measure the government has used to date is the Miniumum
Energy Performance Standards.  .. direct action. :-)

Cheers, Ben
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