Engineers have done a fantastic job of reducing the electricity requirements in the past couple of decades. In many cases, appliances use one tenth (1/10th) the electricity of older versions of appliances. Buying new appliances can thus save you a lot – or sometimes a little in $ and greenhouse gases, depending on which appliance you change. This page shows the approximate electrical load of older and newer appliances. This proves you can buy yourself into a greener lifestyle.
An alternative to upgrading your appliances is installing solar on your roof OR purchasing clean energy from an energy provider. This will clean half, most, or all of your greenhouse gases, depending on your choice and/or subscription. If purchasing clean energy, ask your provider how your rates will change from year to year. There may be a slight (or fairly large) increase in fuel cost for avoiding fossil fuels, depending on energy provider. The ‘clean’ energy available should be from renewable sources, such as solar, wind, or geothermal.
If you choose to purchase energy efficient appliances, the table below demonstrates for various appliances: the energy most home appliances currently use (second column) and the energy required by new state-of-the-art appliances (third column). The far right column shows potential savings in kilowatt hours (kWh) and greenhouse gas equivalents and is listed in metric tons = tonnes. Column 3’s ranges assume lowest and highest greenhouse gas values. To start, consider where you can save the most electricity: column 2 estimates the percentage (%) of electricity used by that appliance in your home.
Units and Abbreviations: lbs is an abbreviation for pounds, kg is an abbreviation for kilograms, both are units of measurement of weight.
- kWh = Kilowatt hour, a unit of measurement used by electricity providers to measure electrical use.
- Ton refers to a metric ton, or tonne.
- GHG = Greenhouse Gas.
| % Avg. Energy Use per Home Traditional kWh | State-of-the-Art: EnergyStar ‘Most Efficient’ Source: U.S. www.energystar.gov | Reduction in Greenhouse Gases with More Efficient Device | |
| Heating, ventilation and air conditioning | 46-47% total 10,200-23,400 kWh/yr In northern states: 29% heat 17% cooling | Heat pumps can replace furnace and central air conditioning, very efficiently. EnergyStar Furnaces rate to 98-99% efficient: natural gas or propane gas | From personal stories, heat pumps can cut fuel costs in half (or better, depending on existing heater efficiency) |
| Water heating | 14-21% (U.S. govt: 20%) 4860-5400 kWh/year | Estimated to use 70% less energy and to save $550/year for family of 4. Heat pump water heater: 1213 kWh per year | 4668-6912 lbs GHG = 2117-3135 kg GHG = 2-3 tons GHG |
| Lighting | 8-12% 1 100W Incandescent = 72 kWh/yr. Multiply by no. of light bulbs Lumens Incand. Halogen 375 25 20 800 60 45 1600 100 90 | Lifetime: Incandescents last 1,200 hours; CFLs 8000 hours; LEDs last 50,000 hours each. CFL LED 4 13-15 6-8 23-28 16-20 | NOTE: LEDs are 25% more efficient than discontinued fluorescents; replace with T8 (1 inch) or T12 (1.5 inch) LED according to fluorescent diameter. |
| Refrigeration | 4-5% 1200-1944 kWh/year | Bottom Freezer: 12.8 ft3: 295-386 kWh/yr 16.1 ft3: 355-438 kWh/yr 28 ft3: 595 kWh/yr Top Freezer: 17.5 ft3: 333-448 kWh/yr 20-21 ft3: 371-477 kWh/yr Side-by-Side: one product rated “Most Efficient” 27.4 ft3: 546 kWh/yr | Assumes 300-500 kWh/yr: 1152-1848 lbs = 523-838 kg GHG = 0.5-0.8 ton GHG |
| Cooking | 3-4% 680-1440* kWh/year * assumes 1 hr/day each: oven, stove | Induction: 187-190, 195 kWh/yr Radiant: 195 kWh/yr Coil: 195 kWh/yr | Assumes 190-195 kWh/yr: 627-1594 lbs = 284-723 kg GHG =0.3-0.7 ton GHG |
| Electronics, Entertainment | 3% 660 kWh/year (assumes 5h TV/day and 6h gaming/week) | ||
| Clothes Washer and Dryer | 3-13% Washer: 900 kWh Dryer: 845 kWh | Front Load Washer: 4.5-5 ft3: 74-120 kWh/yr; 3452-4900 gallons/yr No Top Load Washers rated Most Efficient 5-5.7 ft3: 110-150 kWh/yr 4700-6087 gallons/yr Dryer: 4 ft3: 125-154 kWh/yr 4.5 ft3: 217-245 kWh/yr 7.8 ft3: 266-460 kWh/yr | Washer assumes 75-150 kWh/yr: 960-1056 lbs = 425-479 kg GHG Dryer assumes 125-460 kWh/yr: 493-922 lbs = 224-418 kg GHG =.65-.9 ton GHG (for washer & dryer) |
| Room Air Conditioner | 800??? kWh Varies by size, age. | 12,000 Btu: 592-600 kWh 10,000 Btu: 470-500 kWh 9000 Btu: 415-422 kWh 8000 Btu: 375-414 kWh | |
| Dishwasher | 2% 600 kWh/year | Max Place Settings = 12 225 kWh/yr; 2.36 gallons/cycle Max Place Settings = 16 210-225 kWh/yr; 3.2 gallons/cycle | Assumes 225 kWh: 557 lbs = 253 kg GHG =1/4 ton GHG |
| Computers | 1% | Battery-operated laptops are more efficient than desk-tops; both are low in power. Gaming equipment has higher electricity requirements. |
The Energy Star ratings shown qualify as EnergyStar “Most Efficient”, except where noted.
Sources for Column 2:
- Energy Efficient Homes for Dummies
- GreenLogic Energy: https://greenlogic.com/blog/the-top-5-biggest-users-of-electricity-in-your-home
- Wisconsin Energy: https://www.we-energies.com/savings/tips
- https://www.voltlighting.com/learn/lumens-to-watts-conversion-led-bulb
- Comparison Chart: LED Lights vs. Incandescent Light Bulbs vs. CFLs, https://www.usailighting.com
If you want to calculate your existing device’s actual kilowatt hours (kWh), find the current level:
- estimated on an attached EnergyStar sticker; or
- measured with a kill-a-watt (for lower voltage/amp appliances); or
- listed (embedded) on the appliance.
To calculate greenhouse gas savings = (Column 3 – Column 2) * 1.28 lbs CO2/kWh => lbs CO2.
Electricity accounts for 25% (U.S. including commercial) or 5% (worldwide) of greenhouse gases, with residential heating accounting for an additional 6%. My personal experience is that making a home more energy efficient also brings down electricity use.
References
References for this section and links includes:
- Harley, Bruce (2012) Insulate and Weatherize for Energy Efficiency at Home. The Taunton Press, Newtown CT.
- Amann, Jennifer Thorne, Wilson, Alex, and Ackerly, Katie (2012) Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 10th edition. New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, BC Canada.
- Presentation: How to Save the Planet and Save Money Too, 27 January, 2025.