Commencing September Save Power is partnering with News Limited to run an eight week Daily Telegraph Save Power Challenge.
Six homes and six small businesses will be cutting their power use over the duration of the challenge.
NSW homes
The homes have been given a home energy assessment by a trained assessor and have had a power meter fitted to help them monitor how much electricity they are using daily. They were also given a personalised energy savings action plan to show them how to save power, such as taking shorter showers or switching appliances off at the power point.
NSW businesses
The six small businesses are becoming more energy efficient — and saving money — through the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW Energy Efficiency for Small Business Program. Businesses get a subsidised energy assessment and 50 per cent off the cost of improvements up to $5,000 from their tailored Action Plan.
The Action Plan lists a range of energy efficiency changes — from those that may cost nothing – such as turning off lights or air conditioning when a room or building is not being used — to items with more than a 2 year payback and that are eligible for 50 per cent funding under the program. These include lighting, heating, air conditioning, commercial refrigeration and hot water system improvements.
Businesses that use less than $5,000 a year in electricity can get up to $2,000 to help make energy efficiency changes and those using $5,000–$20,000 a year in electricity can get up to $5,000.
The Energy Efficiency for Small Business Program, which is open to businesses that use up to $20,000 in electricity a year or have up to about 10 employees, is one of the ways the NSW Government is helping people to save money and reduce our impact on the environment.
The homes and businesses are being followed in the Sunday Telegraph and in Monday's Daily Telegraph Business Owner section. Look out for their stories in the papers and online at news.com.au
Simple things we do can make a difference
The average NSW home produces 160,000 black balloons of carbon pollution a year.