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Efficient use of household appliances can adjust the domestic consumption of energy

Attentive to the determinations of the National Agency of Electric Energy (Aneel), which announced changes in the collection amount of the tariff flags, Neoenergia advises customers to use energy consciously and avoid wasting energy. In practice, changes in daily habits, such as turning off light bulbs when not in use and unplugging appliances whenever they are not being used, can make the difference.

Energy savings can result from small gestures such as using natural light and ventilation in the rooms whenever possible, opening doors and windows.  When choosing light bulbs, the consumer should prefer the most economic models, which are the LEDs, capable of providing savings of up to 78% compared to halogen bulbs, which replaced incandescent bulbs, and 40% compared to compact fluorescent bulbs.

When buying electrical appliances, Neoenergia's orientation is to choose the most efficient models, which have the Procel Seal or which have the "A" energy consumption classification established by Inmetro (National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality).  It is important to compare the consumption described on the label, because the variation from one brand to another can be up to 50% between appliances with the same capacity. 

In the case of the refrigerator, during use, the main tips are: avoid leaving the door open longer than necessary and do not put hot food inside the refrigerator or dry clothes and cloths on the back. The 342-liter frost free duplex refrigerators are 50% more economical than the 501-liter side by side refrigerators. The capacity of the refrigerator impacts the consumption of electricity.

When using air conditioning and electric showers, customers should pay attention to the temperature.  To save in the shower, they can spend less time, turn off the tap while soaping, and leave the shower on the "summer" setting, which consumes up to 30% less energy.  The same goes for the air conditioner: the higher the thermostat temperature, the lower the consumption. When you are not using the air conditioner in winter, for example, it is recommended to turn it off at the circuit breaker of the general energy board, because stand-by also consumes energy. In the ceiling fan that has three speed positions - low, medium, and high - the medium position in some models saves half the energy used in the high one.

In washing machines, those that wash and dry with the front opening, using hot water, the energy consumption can triple compared to those that only wash with cold water.  The model of the iron also makes a big difference.  Consumption doubles when using a steam iron compared to a dry iron, and if you use a steamer, this consumption multiplies six times. It should also be noted that some steam irons have an automatic shut-off device that operates after 15 minutes of inactivity (upright position), preventing energy waste and protecting against possible fires.

Commercial premises

Neoenergia advises consumers who own commercial premises to, besides observing the lighting system and turning off appliances that are not being used, review electrical installations. The awareness of the teams that work in the company about the importance of saving energy is essential, emphasizing the importance of turning off the lights when leaving the rooms, for example. If possible, it is worth investing in the installation of sensors for the automatic switching off of bulbs. In the case of commercial establishments that receive customers, such as stores, a tip is to use electrical appliances according to demand. An example of this is to start turning on air conditioners and computers gradually, according to the increase in customer movement.

The company makes available more information, manuals and publications on energy efficiency in the Neoenergia Publications application.  

What is the tariff flag?

In Brazil, hydraulic energy represents almost 60% of the electricity matrix - that is, more than half of the installed capacity comes from water. This means that in periods of drought, such as the current one, other sources need to be activated, mainly thermal, raising the cost of energy.

When hydroelectric generation is in favorable rainfall conditions, there is no increase and the flag is green.  However, if there is a need to use other sources, the yellow and red flags can be activated at level 1 or level 2. With the maintenance of the severity of the hydrological regime in the main hydrographic regions of the National Interconnected System (SIN), the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and Aneel decided to create the scarce hydric tariff flag, with a higher amount than the others, which will be in effect from September 2021 to April 2022.  Consumers can consult more detailed information about the tariff flag on Aneel's website -www.aneel.gov.br