Bye, bye, stand-by!
by
lidijaanna
—
last modified
2008-08-12 13:38
This climate response measure was submitted by third parties in summer 2008 as part of the competition for the cc.alps project. Responsibility for the contents rests with the persons indicated on the form.
Slovenia
si (Slovenia)
2007-03-15
ongoing
Ms Lidija Živčič
Focus društvo za sonaraven razvoj
Ms Lidija Živčič
Focus društvo za sonaraven razvoj
info@focus.si
:
The main purpose of the project is to inform people about the use of stand-by electricity and stimulate them to reduce its use. The key expected impact of this project is reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases due to reduced use of stand-by electricity. The project consists of the following activities: transfer of experience from the UK, preparation of materials and award game on stand-by, implementation of street actions, web award game and general media work.
The main purpose of the project is to inform people about the use of stand-by electricity and stimulate them to reduce its use. The key expected impact of this project is reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases due to reduced use of stand-by electricity. The project consists of the following activities: transfer of experience from the UK, preparation of materials and award game on stand-by, implementation of street actions, web award game and general media work.
Bye, bye, stand-by!
Mitigation measure
- technical
- educational
- strategic
- Energy supply
- Education
national
energy efficiency
use of stand-by electricity
emissions reduction
Many household and entertainment appliances use electricity also when they are not used, when they are in the stand-by mode. To fully switch them off would mean reducing electricity use, while maintaining the same level of service. Studies show that between 5 and 7 % of all electricity use could be avoided by eliminating stand-by electricity use in the EU and in Slovenia up to 9 %. It is important to make people aware of the use of stand-by electricity and stimulate them to cut it down. Therefore the main purpose of the project is to inform people about the use of stand-by electricity and stimulate them to reduce its use. The project achieves this purpose through the following objectives: - formulate background material about stand-by electricity - maintain a web page on stand-by - promote a leaflet on stand-by - communicate the issue with the media and decision-makers - organise award game and give out practical awards - promote the issue and materials in street actions
- transfer of experience: together with UK partners we developed communication and materials concept for the project; - preparation of materials and award game: materials (leaflet and web page) were prepared and evaluated by users; award game (rules, questions) was prepared; - launch of the project: project was launched with a press release and street action on the Environment Day in 2007; - award game: first it was tested during the street action and then stayed active for a few weeks over the web; it was promoted through radio talk shows in stand-by - further street actions: about 6 further street actions were organised throughout Slovenia, whereby activitist informed people on stand-by and executed award game; - practical awards: the awards were plugs for eliminating stand-by, hence leading to less electricity use; - media work: throughout the project, media coverage was stimulated; - lobbying: issue of stand-by was raised for the decision-makers.
- existing background material about stand-by electricity - web page on stand-by electricity - one press release and project clipping - award game (short questionnaire, rules of game) - 420 awards given out (if 80% of them are properly used, they could help reduce electricity use by roughly 31 MWh and emissions by roughly 26.5 tones of CO2 annually) - over 5000 leaflets given out - over 10 000 people are estimated to have been reached through street actions and media - electronic postcard - at least 5000 people aware of the stand-by use and how to prevent it - networking of people who work on the issue in Slovenia - improved understanding of stand-by electricity use - awareness of the problem among some decision-makers
Assessment criteria for the Jury’s decision
The most direct effect of the measure on emissions can be calculated through reductions achieved due to the awards in the award game. We handed out at least 420 awards - electricity plugs that can prevent stand-by electricity use. If 80% of them are properly used, they could help reduce electricity use by roughly 31 MWh and emissions by roughly 26.5 tones of CO2 annually. The indirect effects that the measure could bring on the national level in Slovenia, if made a part of policy, would be about 210 GWh of stand-by electricity saved annually. If only the households stopped using stand-by electricity, we could avoid two middle sized power plants in Slovenia of about 60 MW each and emissions of roughly 170 000 tones of CO2 (which is about 10 % of all efforts needed to fulfill Slovenia's Kyoto Protocol target).
The measure does not have adaptation effects.
| Field | Positive impact | Neutral impact | Negative impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape | X | ||
| Alpine ecosytems/biodiversity | X | ||
| Water, soil, air | X | ||
| Others | |||
|
As the measure contributes to energy conservation, it can have positive effects in the following ways: - landscape: saving energy means either closing down power plants or preventing construction of new ones, both of which eliminates the negative effects on the landscape; - ecosystems/biodiv.: energy production and related climate change have negative effects on ecoysytems and biodiversity and reducing the emissions reduces also those negative effects; - water, soil, air: as above, energy production has negative effects on the water, soil and air, so eliminating those effects is positive for the water soil and air - if the households stopped using stand-by electricity, two middle sized power plants of about 60 MW each could be avoided and emissions of roughly 170000 t of CO |
|||
| Field | Positive impact | Neutral impact | Negative impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social justice | X | ||
| Co-determination/participation | X | ||
| Regional/cultural identity | X | ||
| Others | |||
|
Less used energy means lower energy bills, which can be very beneficial, especially for the low income households. Efficient use of energy makes it more possible that everyone has access to energy. Average household in Slovenia spends roughly 40 W of electricity for stand-by loss, which represents 308 kWh loss of electricity on annual level. The costs of this loss are roughly 30 EUR annualy at the moment, but with the rising prices of electricity the costs are constantly growing. |
|||
| Field | Positive impact | Neutral impact | Negative impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | X | ||
| Value added/income | X | ||
| Know-how/competitiveness | X | ||
| Others | |||
|
On the national level, if made a part of policy, this measure would save about 210 GWh of stand-by electricity annually or roughly 21.000 EUR. Two middle sized power plants of about 60 MW each could be avoided, together with their construction costs. The more energy efficient the economy will be in the future, the more it will be competitive, hence this measure could have positive impact on competitiveness. Also developing appliances that do not use stand-by energy will be a competitive advantage if the country decides to follow this policy. |
|||
This measure is mainly an awareness raising measure. It contributed to the awaraness raising through promotion of materials on stanb-by and media work. Although media did not show high interest in the topic, we managed to get a few radio talk shows that were linked to the award game and were therefore successful. Issue was mentioned in a few daily media too. The materials were distributed to about 2000 people and the web page was visited by roughly so many people too. The fact that the stand-by leaflet is in re-print for the second time shows good demand for it. Measure was communicated to people through 7 street actions only on stand-by and at least 8 other street actions, the cummulative reach of which can be estimated to 10000-12000 people.
The measure is transferable to a very good degree. It could certainly be transferred to other regions, almost entirely, only the information and materials would have to be recalculated and adapted. The method of linking awareness raising with a practical outcome can be applied in other sectors too - e.g. in mobility sector.
Focus is mainly a climate organisation and therefore most of our activities are designed with climate protection in mind. Energy is one of our programs and since energy efficiency is our priority measure for reducing emissions, stand-by action has an important place in the overall strategy of the organisation, also in the long-term. We managed to make stand-by also a part of national strategy through pressing for stand-by chapter in the national energy efficiency action plan. We work on the issue also on the EU level, by promoting the issue in the shaping of the so called Ecodesign directive, which is one of the directives that EU has developed as an answer to climate change.
Further information
The action was innovative because it linked awareness raising and information provision with a practical outcome - reduction in one's energy use and hence emissions. Further innovative element was its influence on the policy development in the field of energy efficiency. Innovative is also the possibility to show quantified effects of awareness raising action, which is normally not the case.
4000
For continuing the awareness raising on stand-by in Slovenia and lobbying for a more comprehensive stand-by regulation on the EU level. Although regulation is being adopted now on EU level, it is not ambitious enough and it will take some time before effects are visible. Meanwhile, we need to prevent stand-by loss in existing appliances.
Online information on the measure
Page on stand-by electricity in Slovene.
http://www.focus.si/index.php?node=193
:
Organisations of civil society
Focus Association for Sustainable Development is a voluntary, independent, non-governmental and non-profit association of individuals. Our aim is to change the behavior of the people for a more environmentally and socially responsible life. Focus covers mainly the following fields: climate change, energy (renewables, efficiency, nuclear), mobility and sustainable consumption.
During the project we cooperated with UK organisation Sustainable Wales, UK Embassy in Slovenia, Institute Jozef Stefan, Slovene E-Forum and Ministry of Environment.
Photos, illustrations, documents
Street action in Ljubljana. Activists give out materials and invite people to participate in award game.
Electricity plugs that help stop stand-by electricity use.
stand_by_letak.pdf
(