We’ve been having problems with vampires lately. Not the vampires that suck blood but vampires who suck electrical energy. We have lost $3 billion worth of energy because of vampire energy, that’s 5% of the United States energy. That’s enough energy to power the country of Italy for a whole year! Vampire energy is defined as the electric power consumed by electronic appliances while they are switched off or in a standby mode; also called standby power This problem can easily be solved and there are many ways to control the situation.
We suggest:
- Un-plug unused devices, chargers, coffee makers, toasters, microwaves, etc.
- Use surge protectors that have an on/off switch, and turn off when not in use for extended periods of time.
- When you leave on a trip unplug appliances that don’t need to be working.
- Buy energy smart devices
- Turn-off game consoles instead of leaving it paused for a long period of time.
- Put your computer on sleep mode or turn off completely when not in use.
Sources:
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/everyday-tech/vampire-power2.htm
https://energy.gov/articles/4-ways-slay-energy-vampires-halloween