Did you know that you could save more money through energy efficient technology?

It is quite distressing whenever you have to pay for exorbitant energy costs on a daily basis.

This has often prompted most of us to seek redress from authorities, if at all that electricity bill is not worth what you spent on power.

Likewise, for charcoal, the effect is the same when a sack gets exhausted quickly before the expected time.

In this era where most homes and businesses are having to face increased costs of energy, experts advise that we resort to energy efficient technologies.

The term “energy efficient” signifies a device or system using less power to accomplish the same task as a competing product. They are also more sustainable than other items, relying on fewer fossil fuels. Buildings, systems, devices and appliances can be energy efficient.

According to Energy Efficiency expert Jacob Etunganan , of the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, efficient technologies enable families to afford alternative energy sources.

“Now that we have more dams we can still continue with demand-side management measures because it helps families save because if I save that is when I have more money to connect to a power source”, he remarked.

Relatedly, to the government, when citizens spend less on energy, the savings do create a ripple effect on aggregate demand which in turn keeps the economy vibrant.

But what remains a challenge is a lack of awareness of such technologies which also lower greenhouse gas emissions, and other pollutants as well as decreasing water use.

Energy efficiency is an integral part of Uganda’s national strategy, with one of the many targets set out by the government being to reduce industries’ electricity consumption by 15-25% by 2025, relative to business as usual. This also goes to touch the household level.

However, despite its high-level commitments, Uganda is far from reaching its targets, partly because of a lack of mind-set change.

For adoption of any technology, specifically an energy efficiency one, it starts with the mind-set change, and to have it, one has to be aware of the specific issues that the technology is addressing, explained Etunganan.

“In this case you are striving at reducing on the cost of energy used either charcoal, firewood, electricity or LPG used at home, therefore you will need to appreciate, what are the technologies available in the market that can actually reduce on the quantities used for cooking, cooling or lighting, ”he added.

Some of the energy efficient appliances include, the multi-purpose electric pressure cooker, refrigerators, dishwashers, clothes washers, ceiling fans, heat pumps, smart thermostats, whole-home dehumidifiers, air purifiers.

On the other hand, energy efficient practices include, unplug appliances when not in use, install LED lights, make sure your appliances are energy efficient, seal up any gaps, turn down your thermostat, insulate your home better, reduce water consumption.

According to research done by the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP), University College London (UCL), energy efficient technologies and practices can reduce a company’s costs and boost savings, subsequently increasing its productivity.

Such technologies can also improve the resilience of firms by limiting dependence on potentially volatile energy markets. The link between efficiency and productive use of energy, however, remains mostly unexplored.