At busy times, reducing your energy consumption for a few hours can help ease pressure on the grid and make sure there’s enough electricity for everyone.
Find out how AGL customers Jennifer McDowell and Gunjan Shah decreased their energy consumption and earned credit on their electricity bills as part of our Peak Energy Rewards program.
There are times when the demand for electricity is so high it can put pressure on the grid. These are known as peak energy events; they’re often caused by very hot or cold weather and when people are using energy the most. For example, a peak event may take place for a few hours on a hot, summer day when people are getting home from work and all turning on their air conditioning at the same time.
The Peak Energy Rewards program gives you the opportunity to opt in to reduce your usage during these events in return for a credit towards your bill.
Reducing your energy use doesn’t have to be difficult – just ask our recent Peak Energy Rewards competition winners and customers, Jennifer and Gunjan. Here are their top energy saving tips for peak events and day-to-day living.
When a peak energy event is on, try to keep the dryer off. And the rest of the time, the less you use your dryer, the more power you can save.
Turn off the heater and keep warm in other ways. Put on a jumper, snuggle under a blanket in front of the TV, or take a heat pack to bed instead of turning on the electric blanket.
Do your bit by turning off the aircon and cooling your home using fans and cross ventilation. When it’s really hot, Jennifer closes the shutters on her windows to keep the heat out and the cooler air inside.
And if a peak event is scheduled, delay turning on the dishwasher or washing machine for a few hours.
5. Reduce oven use
Your oven uses a lot of power and keeping it off during peak events can help you meet your reduction target. When you do turn it on, why not make the most of it and cook several days of meals at once? Jennifer preps multiple meals at a time in the oven and reheats them in the microwave later.
6. Reduce standby power
Getting into the habit of turning appliances off at the wall when not in use can help you save power in peak events and over the longer term.
“You don’t need to keep your TV running when you’re in bed, and you don’t need your phone charger running when you’re out for the day,” says Jennifer.
7. Keep an eye on your usage
Both Jennifer and Gunjan keep track of their monthly usage. Jennifer looks at her monthly Energy Insights emails, and Gunjan checks the AGL app regularly to see his energy use snapshot. By identifying when they are using the most electricity, they can see where they can reduce their usage.
It’s always good practice to switch off any lights you’re not using. For a more long-term way to save, LED lighting is incredibly energy-efficient and can help reduce your power consumption over the long term.
9. Invest in insulation if you can
A well-insulated home will keep its temperature for longer, saving on heating and cooling. Draft stoppers on the door and heavy curtains on the windows can also help keep the heat inside during the winter months.
We’ll text you when an event is scheduled and then after the event, we’ll send you an email to let you know how much energy you used and whether you met your reduction target.
If you did, we’ll give you up to $10 off your next bill – depending on the targets you meet and the length of the event.
"AGL’s Peak Energy Rewards program really does make you stop and think about your power usage. I’m always looking for ways to do better for the environment as well as trying to improve our power usage.”
Jennifer McDowell
"It’s prompted me to think how I can control my energy in these hours and to be wary of how expensive certain appliances are. It also pushes me and the rest of my household to save money and do better for the planet."
Gunjan Shah
Saving energy doesn’t have to be complicated. A few simple switches can be all it takes to help dial down your energy consumption so there’s enough to go around, do your bit for the planet and save money on your bills.
Join our Peak Energy Rewards program to earn bill credits while doing your bit to reduce pressure on the grid.
