We know that Italy imports 46 percent of its gas from Russia and uses it to produce around 22 percent of its electricity. And we also know that the first quarter of this year started with a 41.8% increase in the gas bill and 55% in electricity. What we don’t know is what would happen if supplies from Russia were to be stopped. Perhaps it would be necessary to cut the heating in the houses, the gas in the factories and make controlled blackouts of the electricity. As happened in Italy in 1973 and 1979.
How to contain the expensive bill
A small gesture to sanction what is happening two thousand kilometers from Italy can also be to try to contain the expensive electricity and gas bills. From now. Starting from our energy-intensive habits.
According to the Energy Efficiency Department of the Enea agency, 58% of household electricity consumption is attributable to household appliances. Renewing the range of products for the home, the researchers write, is a first step to obtain a significant reduction in energy consumption. For example, by replacing a washing machine from 20 years ago with a current one in class A, electricity savings of 35% could be obtained; on the other hand, taking into account the replacement of a refrigerator could reach up to 40%. To be even more precise, according to Altroconsumo, switching from a refrigerator of 15-20 years ago to a combined one currently on the market in class C allows an estimated saving of 105 euros per year.
Energy labels
But first let’s start with the “fundamentals”: the energy labels. They have changed since March 2021, in order to provide a simpler interpretation by users. The classifications above A have disappeared and the scale varies from G to A. The letter indicated, it is good to know, is not in itself a sign of lower consumption, but only of greater energy efficiency. However, it is not just a question of energy class, but of annual consumption and correct use.
Let’s start with the most energy-intensive appliance, the electric oven. Here the variables to be taken into consideration are numerous, ranging from energy class to size. As advised by Altroconsumo, to save on the electricity bill, there are common sense practices such as using appliances in the correct way. A few examples? If you manage to cook combined with a stove or microwave, it also saves time. Or even, by filling large appliances and making them work at full load and therefore reducing the number of washes, you can save about one euro per month for each appliance. Between washing machine, dryer and dishwasher, Altroconsumo writes, it is active to save up to 40 euros per year.