Q: What is 'standby power'?- When electrical appliances are turned on at the wall, but are not actually operating, they could still be using electricity called standby power. For instance, if computer equipment such as your PC, printer, and scanner are always switched on at the wall, they are constantly using small amounts of standby power, even while you are not using them.
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Q: Do all appliances use standby power?- No, but many do. Today, most household appliances have a built-in standby mode when they are not operating, that uses low levels of power. You can see an appliance is using standby power, if a small light or time display stays on when it is not being used. It is not only the light or timer that consumes standby power, but also some of the internal electronics.
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Q: Which appliances use the most standby power?For a list of household appliances, and an indication of the standby power they use, see the Appliances Standby Guide.
Some of the highest users of standby power are TVs - particularly large flat screens - and other types of home entertainment equipment. Computer equipment, telephones, office equipment and monitoring devices can also use large amounts of standby power.
Think about all your entertainment equipment using standby power - this might include a TV, set-top box, DVD or video player, CD player, hard drive, amplifier and speaker system in your home. If they are using standby power day and night, the cost to you and the environment can start to mount up. All caused by appliances that are not even being used.
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Q: Is there any easy way to save energy, money and greenhouse gas emissions?- Yes, there is a simply way to save money and help the environment. Just switch off electrical equipment at the wall when you are not using it. If you are buying a new appliance, look for one that switches off completely, or features low wattage standby.
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Q: Are there any appliances that I should not turn off?- Yes, there are a few. You should no turn off smoke detectors or security alarms for safety reasons. And it is a good idea to leave along time-controlled equipment like reticulation systems. For convenience, you might not switch off alarm clocks or programmed TV recorders that would lose their settings when you turn them off.
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Q: What are the advantages of turning power off at the wall?The instant you switch off, your appliances use less power - and that in turn saves you money, which can really add up over time.
Using less power is also good for the environment. Keep in mind that feeding power to appliances on standby produces greenhouse gas emissions - a major cause of global warming.
There are also safety reasons for switching appliances off at the wall, particularly when there are children around. Just a flick of the switch could prevent a child from receiving burns, or an electric shock.
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Q: How much can I save by switching appliances off at the wall?- The amount of money you can save depends on the type of number of appliances you are using. To give you an idea, a typical Australian home wastes about 10% of their total power (and energy bill) keeping appliances on standby. Why pay for what you are not using? Just by getting into the habit of switching off appliances at the wall, you can do something to help your bank balance and the environment.
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Q: What is the difference between SmartPower and A1?SmartPower is a tariff that charges your power use at variable rates, depending on what day of the week and time of the day it is used. SmartPower makes it cheaper to use power during off-peak periods, between 9pm and 7am weekdays, or anytime on the weekend.
The A1 tariff is simply a flat rate - so you pay the same rate for your power, no matter when you use it.
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Q: Why has Synergy introduced SmartPower?A growing population living a modern lifestyle creates a large demand for power during peak times. If there are too many users drawing power at the same time, it can lead to disruption in your power supply.
So, to make your service as reliable as possible, we have created SmartPower as an incentive to use power when overall demand is low. SmartPower offers cheaper power rates during off-peak times, saving you money and helping to improve the reliability of WA's power supply.
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Q: Why should I switch to SmartPower?- By choosing SmartPower you can save money by shifting some of your power use to different times of the day or week. SmartPower may not be right for you - for instance if you are often home using power on weekdays during peak periods, your situation might be better suited to an A1 tariff.
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Q: What information do I need to switch to SmartPower?Firstly, you need to find out if your property has a compatible digital or SmartPower electronic meter, or if you will need one installed. You should also consider the way you use power, and if SmartPower's cheaper off-peak periods will cater to your power needs.
When you are ready to join SmartPower, and you are certain you have a compatible meter, complete this online application and we will arrange for your meter to be re-programmed. A re-programming fee of $66 will appear on your next bill.
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Q: What if I do not have a SmartPower compatible meter?Most recently built homes have a compatible meter that can be re-programmed to suit SmartPower at a cost of $66. Otherwise, you need to have a Synergy SmartPower meter installed. There are two types of SmartPower meters which you can shoose from.
If you have a small to medium sized home, up to 2 bedrooms, with very few appliances you probably need a single phase meter.
If you have a large home, 3 or more bedrooms, with appliances such as underfloor heating, air conditioning, or a pool pump, you probably need a 3 phase meter.
If you are unsure which meter is best for you, please contact an electrician, or the Energy Smart Line on 1300 658 158 for more information.
The two SmartPower meter options and installation costs are shown below. When you are ready to request a new SmartPower meter, contact us to arrange installation at your home.
SmartPower meter installation costs:
- Single phase for an existing home: $171
- Three phase for an existing home: $268*
*Three-phase meter installations now cost less than in the past. During January we will be contacting customers that installed a three-phase meter since March 2007 to pass on the difference in these costs.
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Q: Am I locked-into SmartPower for a period of time?- Not at all, there are no contracts so you can return to a flat rate A1 tariff at any time. Just keep in mind there is a $66 meter re-programming charge when you switch. Contact us any time to change over.
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Q: Will SmartPower save me money?- It can, but it all depends on how much of your power usage you can shift to cheaper SmartPower periods. You should consider your energy needs and habits, before deciding to switch to SmartPower.
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Q: Can I switch back to A1?- Yes, you can change back to A1 any time you like by contacting us. A $66 meter re-programming charge applies, to be included on your next bill.
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Q: Will my meter be removed if I decide to revert to flat pricing?- No, your meter will remain where it is, but it will need to be re-programmed. This keeps your options open in case you decide to switch back to SmartPower down the track. There is a $66 re-programming fee each time you switch between SmartPower and A1 flat rate pricing.
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Q: How will SmartPower appear on my bill?With SmartPower, your meter records the amount of power you use, and when you use it. Your SmartPower bill separates your energy use into 4 different periods of the day - peak, off-peak, weekday shoulder and weekend shoulder - and charges your usage during these time periods at different rates. Take a look at this example.
If you're on the A1 tariff your bill will show a single amount of power usage, charged at one flat rate.
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Q: Do you have any tips for saving money with SmartPower?- You can save money by shifting your power usage to off-peak times between 9pm and 7am weekdays, or to anytime on the weekend. There are some great money saving tips, right here on our website.
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Q: I am on a green energy option, how will SmartPower affect me?- You will stay signed-up to the green energy option, whether it is NaturalPower, EarthFriendly or EasyGreen. But it means that instead of paying the premium on top of the A1 flat rate, the same premium will now be added to the applicable SmartPower variable rates.
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Q: I am currently on A1 and REBS - how does switching to SmartPower affect me?- We always buy back your power at the same rate it is currently charged to you, minus GST. So if you switch your power supply from A1 to SmartPower, your REBS rates will also change in line with SmartPower.
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Q: Who do I contact for more information about SmartPower?- If your questions are not answered in these FAQs, or the SmartPower section of this website simply contact us and we will be happy to help.
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Q: How do I know if I am on 'time-of-use' pricing?You can check your bill to see if you are on a 'time-of-use' tariff. Your tariff is shown on the back of your bill, under Usage Calculations, and if it is listed as SM1 (SmartPower), B1, R1, R3, S1 or T1, you are on 'time-of-use' pricing.
If you are on 'time-of-use' pricing, you should also be using a compatible meter, such as a Synergy SmartPower meter. These meters measure both the energy you use, and what time of the day you are using it.
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