The rapid development of the market for solar panel systems for private households and small businesses has been observed for several years. Logically, one should also expect a noticeable revival in the market for powerful batteries that allow storing electricity. However, there was a lull in this area until 2015, when Tesla presented its Powerwall battery. Soon competitors began to catch up, and the number of players in the industry began to grow rapidly.
The international exhibition Solar Power Int. was held in Anaheim (California), where a number of young companies presented their new developments. A technology startup called SimpliPhi Power has unveiled a high-power battery aimed at homes and small businesses. SimpliPhi Power is lightweight, does not require expensive cooling or ventilation, and is guaranteed to last longer than lithium-ion batteries.
Even earlier, Orison made a presentation; it intends to introduce a small battery with simple settings (“plug and play”), designed to serve home solar panels. The difference with Orison's solution is that this type of battery does not require special approvals in the United States for use in the private and small commercial sector. Plus, the Orison battery is easy to install.
Being a very young startup, Orison has not yet acquired its own production facilities. She plans to conduct a campaign to attract investment on Kickstarter, and if everything goes well, the first production products will go on sale in early 2016.
The essence of the innovation proposed by engineers from Orison is to fully automate battery management. The device is connected to the network through a regular outlet, after which it operates in recharging mode during periods when energy is supplied from outside (for example, during the day when solar panels are operating). In the evening and at night, the battery releases energy to the home network.
Owners of homes equipped with solar panels should be interested in installing this type of battery. In the future, these systems will bring tangible financial benefits to homeowners by allowing them to better manage their interactions with the national grid. A household equipped with a smart battery will be able to save money by connecting to the public network during off-peak periods and receiving electricity at reduced rates. Power engineers will also benefit; peak loads on power plant generators will be smoothed out.
SimpliPhi batteries use lithium iron phosphate. This connection phenomenally improves safety by reducing the risk of battery overheating and fire.
At the moment, despite the loud PR campaign that accompanied Tesla's entry into the home battery market, batteries of this type remain too expensive and bulky for most potential customers.
SolarCity, the largest solar energy provider in the United States, began offering combination systems involving solar panels and Tesla's Powerwall batteries this summer. However, this solution is currently only available for newly built houses.
SolarCity competitor SunEdison earlier this year acquired Solar Grid Storage, a startup with a number of valuable technologies. But it is still difficult to say what consequences this may have for the household energy storage market.
For many clients, the desired goal is to “finally cut the umbilical cord.” Install enough solar panels and batteries to eliminate the need to rely on the national grid. But most homeowners will not be able to achieve this goal in the foreseeable future.
SimpliPhi General Manager, Katherine Von Berg noted: “As we can see in the market situation, consumers remain tied to the public grid, but develop their own generation and storage capacity, the grid becomes a backup option.”
Orison products use a familiar battery design based on an alloy of lithium, manganese and cobalt. Orison CEO Eric Clifton declined to name the supplier of the battery material. SimpliPhi products feature a new type of battery based on lithium iron phosphate. The absence of cobalt in the design, a rare metal whose market price is subject to strong fluctuations, reduces dependence on raw materials. More importantly, SimpliPhi products solve the problem of overheating, which has been a serious problem with lithium-ion batteries. As is known, conventional lithium-ion batteries have shown a tendency to destruction when overheated (due to thermal breakdown) and even to fire.
At the same time, batteries based on lithium iron phosphate have lower productivity, which leads to an increase in the required volume of premises for their storage.
Be that as it may, it is not yet known whether consumers are willing to pay thousands of dollars en masse to be able to store electricity in their homes.
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Batteries, which are expensive to produce and used in alternative energy to “storage” unclaimed energy, have replaced bacteria.
Specialists from the University of Chicago managed to solve the global problem of storing excess electricity that accumulates during the operation of solar or wind power plants, which in about half of the cases has to be literally “released into the air.” Let us recall that the operation of electricity generating stations from alternative sources - solar or wind energy - differs from other areas of energy in the discontinuous generation of electricity necessary for the operation of numerous electrical appliances, depending on the time of day or wind rose. If the earth's star allows you to receive “free” energy only on a bright sunny day, when the sky remains clear of clouds and other natural phenomena that prevent the rays from “reaching” the surface of the earth, then consumers - home appliances or industrial equipment that needs constant recharge, work and at night. A similar situation occurs when converting wind energy into electricity - when it blows, huge mills provide the necessary production, which automatically stops when the wind direction changes or its insufficient strength. This forces power engineers to provide ways to accumulate energy in excess of consumption in order to meet the needs of the energy network during peak loads, which occur precisely in the evening, even in a situation with no sunlight and winds that have subsided to zero speed.
To achieve this, power engineers today use huge battery stations that allow them to store excess electricity for their subsequent use at times of peak load on power grids, but the issue of building such “storage facilities” and purchasing tens of thousands of expensive high-capacity batteries turns alternative energy into a very expensive pleasure. A number of market players have tried to solve this problem by offering home batteries that consumers can install in their own homes to harness the power of clean energy right in their country cottage without regard to the time of day or wind forecasts. We are talking about Tesla Powerwall batteries, which allow you to accumulate from 7 to 14 kWh in a battery tank mounted on the wall of the room, “filled” by solar panels that work in the absence of the owners throughout the daylight hours. The energy consumption of an apartment or private cottage during the working day, when everyone is outside the home - in offices, approaches zero, and the residents return home after the peak of electricity generation from sunlight has passed. Such a battery helps power the electrical appliances present at home in the evening, at night and early in the morning, but the price of the Tesla Powerwall makes you seriously think about the feasibility of purchasing such an “energy storage device.” The official price list of the manufacturing company of “household batteries” that never appeared on the market reports the initial cost of the product at $3,000.
Energy companies involved in the alternative energy segment are experiencing exactly the same difficulties - the need to store excess electricity in batteries that are expensive and have a limited number of recharge cycles sharply reduces the profitability of such an undertaking. Today, leading European governments directly subsidize companies that convert solar and wind energy into electricity so that they can operate without the threat of imminent bankruptcy. It is precisely this problem—the excessive cost of creating “energy storage facilities”—that scientists from the University of Chicago were able to solve by creating a unique and ultra-cheap technology for converting electricity into methane—a gas used in many industries, including the electric power industry, that is easily transportable and does not require serious maintenance. Created by the head of a research group from the United States, Lawrence Mets, a startup called Electrochaea has already begun work towards the commercialization of the methodology developed by specialists, declaring its readiness to build a powerful 10-MW commercial full-cycle “electro-methane” station in the near future.
The processing plant planned for construction in Hungary will make it possible to continuously convert energy unclaimed by household and industrial consumers into methane that is convenient to use and necessary, in particular, for heating houses. According to Mets, an agreement has been reached with the energy company Magyar Villamos Muvek to lay a gas pipeline directly from the plant building to transport the produced methane directly to the country’s gas transportation system. The prototype for the 10 MW “electro-methane” station under construction in Hungary was the experimental 1-MW BioCat installation, built by researchers three years ago. Testing the performance of scientific research in real conditions confirmed the revolutionary nature and incredible prospects for the widespread implementation of a technology that is unique in all respects. The latter is based on the “exploitation” of slightly “modified” microorganisms, which are a laboratory-created strain of the methanogenic bacterium Archaea. During its life, this bacterium converts a mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide into methane and water, which, after separation, fill methane reservoirs with electricity converted into gas. The first stage of a process that is very simple from a technological point of view is the separation of water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, for which excess electricity obtained from wind and solar plantations that are actively being built around the world is used.
The result of many years of research work by a group of American and European scientists will provide humanity with a very simple, convenient and inexpensive way to store excess electricity without the need to purchase fantastically expensive and technologically “dirty” batteries - when assembling them, manufacturers use materials and technologies that cause serious harm to the environment, and after production resource, used batteries replenish numerous urban and suburban landfills. Instead of critical damage to Nature from lithium-ion containers, Mets proposes to use a technologically advanced method based on natural biological processes for converting electric current into methane, which can subsequently be used in thermal power plants, cars with methane engines and even hydrogen cars. Cars with hydrogen engines run on pure hydrogen, which is most easily produced from methane gas, which turns the development of Mets and his colleagues from the University of Chicago into a scientific breakthrough that is fantastic in scale and prospects for the consumer society.
Wikimedia Commons
Perhaps the oldest form of modern grid-tied energy storage. The principle of operation is simple: there are two water tanks, one higher than the other. When electricity demand is low, the energy can be used to pump water upward. During peak hours, water rushes down, spinning a hydro generator and generating electricity. Similar projects are being developed, for example, by Germany in abandoned coal mines or spherical containers on the ocean floor.
Compressed air
Power South
In general, this method resembles the previous one, except that instead of water, air is pumped into the tanks. When necessary, air is released and rotates the turbines. This technology has existed in theory for several decades, but in practice, due to its high cost, there are only a few working systems and a few more test ones. Canadian company Hydrostor is developing a large adiabatic compressor in Ontario and Aruba.
Molten salt
SolarReserve
Solar energy can be used to heat salt to the desired temperature. The resulting steam is either immediately converted into electricity by a generator, or stored for several hours as molten salt to, for example, heat homes in the evening. One of such projects is the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park in the United Arab Emirates. And in the Alphabet X laboratory, it is possible to use molten salts in combination with antifreeze in order to preserve excess solar or wind energy. Georgia Tech recently built a more efficient system that replaces salt with liquid metal.
Flow batteries
CERN scientists: “The universe should not exist”
Redox flow batteries consist of huge tanks of electrolyte that are passed through membranes and create an electrical charge. Typically, vanadium is used as an electrolyte, as well as solutions of zinc, chlorine or salt water. They are reliable, easy to use, and have a long service life. The world's largest flow battery will be built in caves in Germany.
Traditional batteries
SDG&E
Calmac
At night, the water stored in the tanks is frozen, and during the day the ice melts and cools neighboring houses, allowing you to save on air conditioning. This technology is attractive for regions with hot climates and cool nights, such as California. In May of this year, NRG Energy delivered 1,800 industrial ice batteries to Southern California Edison.
Super flywheel
Beacon Power
This technology is designed to store kinetic energy. Electricity starts the motor, which stores rotational energy in the drum. When needed, the flywheel slows down. The invention is not widely used, although it can be used to ensure uninterruptible power supply.
Scientists have long been trying to find ways to store energy so that they can use it at any time, and not when nature pleases. And, I must say, humanity has achieved some success in this. A large number of methods have been invented to force electric current to “postpone” its action. However, all of them are unsuitable for permanent reliable storage, and most importantly, they are not as powerful as we would like.
On the highest level
Finally, the problem became so big that it was addressed at the highest level. Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich instructed RUSNANO and the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation to develop a program for the development of industrial technologies for storing electricity. Such technologies will be able to compensate for electricity shortages in case of accidents, as well as save unclaimed production from wind and solar power plants.The problem is that more or less acceptable methods have not yet been found in the world. However, state support will, of course, make it possible to intensify the search. Moreover, it is planned to compensate for the risks of investment projects in this area, thereby stimulating demand for the introduction of new drives. The use of storage devices will make it possible to create cost-effective local energy systems, smooth out consumption peaks and create electricity trading markets for distributed energy.
Now the operation of power plants is adjusted to consumers, but in order to avoid sudden starts and possible accidents, a battery with a capacity of 10-20 MW is needed, capable of covering the energy deficit for one and a half to two hours. The search for it has been carried out for the last 20 years, but so far the necessary battery has not been found, and those that already exist are too expensive and have low efficiency.
Currently, the power of batteries used does not exceed 1-2 MW. Thus, the Italian energy concern Enel launched an electricity storage facility at a 10 MW solar station with a capacity of 2 MWh in the fall of 2015.
The greatest demand for storage systems is projected to be in countries that are actively increasing the share of renewable energy in total generation (in some countries it is planned to increase it to 25-30%), as well as in isolated power systems, such as those in Asia and Africa. Another potential consumer is the Far East, where renewable sources are needed due to their remoteness from large power grids and are being actively implemented, but due to the instability of production they are forced to operate in conjunction with diesel plants.
In addition, such systems will also be in demand in electric transport, where storage devices are designed to smooth out the consumption schedule.
“Alternative energy has already won its place in the world,” says RUSNANO head Anatoly Chubais. – Its share in the total generation volume has increased from 1% to 10%, and will only continue to grow. According to experts, by 2050 up to 40% of the energy balance will come from alternative energy. I believe that in the next 5-15 years, energy storage will become a commercially viable technology - and we will move on to a different power industry.
A breakthrough technology that will separate generation and consumption is energy storage. This technology will change our homes because in this situation the consumer will become independent from the electricity producer. And this is a question not of 2050, not of 2030, but of much earlier dates.”
At the strategic session “Creating a system of state incentives for electricity storage in the Russian Federation”, held at Rusnano, it was noted that the global market for electricity storage systems is on the verge of exponential growth - its volume could grow 100 times in 10 years. The trend towards reducing the cost of production of storage systems and improving technical solutions to a level that will be in demand by industry at the turn of 2020 is already obvious.
Conservation tasks
In general, the problem of efficient energy storage, including generated from renewable energy sources, is now one of the most difficult energy issues. Of course, the introduction of batteries will make the energy supply more reliable and allow it to be redundant.The following tasks are solved with the help of storage devices:
equalization of pulsating power produced by a generating plant under conditions, for example, of constantly changing wind speeds;
coordination of energy production and consumption schedules in order to power consumers during periods when the unit is not operating or its power is insufficient;
increase in the total energy production of the generating plant.
To implement these tasks, now, as a rule, so-called capacitive storage devices are used, in which the energy reserve is designed for 2-3-day consumption. They are necessary for use during periods of sufficiently long declines in energy generation.
When addressing issues related to energy storage, many battery characteristics must be taken into account:
relative mass;
unit costs;
duration of energy storage;
the complexity of energy transitions;
operational safety, etc.
The required battery capacity depends on the type and characteristics of the unit, the conditions and usage pattern of the generating plant, the load power and the consumer pattern. It is also determined based on technical and economic indicators, since accumulation should not lead to a large increase in the cost of energy supply to the facility.
Pumped storage stations
How is the problem of energy conservation being solved now? In fact, humanity has invented quite a few types of batteries - from the already familiar to the completely exotic.The most famous are mechanical. For example, pumped storage power plants (PSPP).
Hydropower is essentially a type of mechanical energy, but differs in that it can be accumulated in very large quantities and used at such power and in such periods of time that it is possible to equalize the variable load of power systems and ensure a more uniform operation of thermal power plants.
A pumped storage power plant includes two reservoirs (upper and lower), the difference in levels is usually from 50 to 500 meters. The turbine room contains reversible units that can operate both as motor-pumps and turbine-generators. At high pressure (500 meters or more), separate pumping and turbine units are used. At times when the load on the power system is minimal (for example, at night), these units fill the upper reservoir with water, and during peak load, the system converts the accumulated hydropower into electricity. The efficiency of such accumulation is 70-85%, the cost of electricity obtained in this way is much higher than at thermal power plants, but leveling the load curve and the possibility of reducing the nominal power of thermal power plants reduce the operating costs of power systems and fully justify the construction of pumped storage power plants. Currently, there are more than three hundred of them in the world.
When the demand for electricity decreases, its excess is used at the pumped storage power plant to pump water from the lower reservoir to the upper one. Thus, “extra” electrical energy is converted into mechanical (potential) energy. During times of increased demand for electricity, water is transferred from the upper reservoir to the lower one. In this case, water flows through a hydraulic turbine generator, in which its potential energy is converted into electrical energy.
Flywheels
The second type of mechanical battery is intended for transport devices. The principle of its operation is surprisingly simple. This type of battery is a flywheel that has a large mass and spins up to a very high speed.The energy it stores is nothing more than the kinetic energy of the flywheel itself. To increase the kinetic energy of the flywheel, you need to increase its mass and rotation speed. But as the speed increases, the centrifugal force increases, which can lead to rupture of the flywheel. Therefore, the most durable materials are used for flywheels. For example, steel and fiberglass. Flywheels have already been manufactured, the mass of which is measured in many tens of kilograms, and the rotation speed reaches 200 thousand revolutions per minute.
Energy lost as the flywheel rotates is caused by friction between the flywheel surface and the air and friction in the bearings. To reduce losses, the flywheel is placed in a casing from which air is pumped out, i.e., a vacuum is created inside the casing. The most advanced bearing designs are used. Under these conditions, the annual flywheel energy loss can be less than 20%.
Currently, prototypes of city buses with an energy battery of this type have been created. But the prospect of using flywheel-accumulators is still unclear.
Gyroresonance energy storage devices are the same flywheel, but made of elastic material (for example, rubber). The energy here is stored in a resonant wave of elastic deformation of the flywheel material. N.Z. Garmash was engaged in such constructions in the late 1970s in Donetsk. According to his estimates, with the operating speed of the flywheel being 7-8 thousand revolutions per minute, the stored energy was enough for the car to travel 1,500 kilometers versus 30 kilometers with a conventional flywheel of the same size.
Electrochemical battery
A class of energy storage batteries known as electrochemical batteries has long been used.An electrochemical battery is charged (stores energy) by supplying it with electrical energy. In the battery it is converted into chemical energy. The electrochemical battery releases the accumulated energy again in the form of electrical energy.
This type of battery has two electrodes - positive and negative, immersed in a solution - electrolyte. The conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy occurs through a chemical reaction. To initiate the reaction, it is enough to short-circuit the external part of the battery's electrical circuit. At the negative electrode containing a reducing agent, an oxidation process occurs as a result of a chemical reaction. The free electrons formed in this case move along the external part of the electrical circuit from the negative electrode to the positive one. In other words, a potential difference arises between the electrodes, creating an electric current.
When charging a battery, the chemical reaction occurs in the opposite direction.
Electrochemical batteries have become very widespread, mainly for starting internal combustion engines.
Currently, relatively cheap lead-acid batteries are most used. However, recently, powerful lithium-ion batteries have begun to be used in hybrid and electric vehicles. In addition to lower weight and higher specific capacity, they allow almost full use of their rated capacity, are considered more reliable and have a longer service life.
The main disadvantage of all existing electrochemical batteries is the low value of the specific energy stored by the battery.
Storage using... a carriage
The essence of gravitational mechanical storage devices is that a certain load is raised to a height and released at the right time, causing the generator axis to rotate along the way. The idea is simple: at a time when solar panels and wind turbines produce a lot of energy, special heavy cars are driven up the mountain using electric motors. At night and in the evening, when energy sources are insufficient to supply consumers, the cars go down and the motors, working as generators, return the accumulated energy back to the network.An example of the implementation of this method of energy storage is the device proposed by the Californian company Advanced Rail Energy Storage (ARES).
Almost all mechanical drives have a simple design, and therefore high reliability and a long service life. The storage time of once stored energy is practically unlimited, unless the load and structural elements disintegrate over time due to age or corrosion.
The energy stored in lifting solids can be released in a very short time. The only limitation on the power received from such devices is the acceleration of gravity, which determines the maximum rate of increase in the speed of the falling load.
Unfortunately, the specific energy intensity of such devices is low. To store energy to heat 1 liter of water, you need to lift a ton of cargo to a height of at least 35 meters.
Hydraulics and gravity
There are hydraulic accumulators of gravitational energy. First, we pump 10 tons of water from an underground reservoir (well) to a container on the tower. Then the water from the tank flows back into the tank under the influence of gravity, rotating a turbine with an electric generator. The service life of such a drive can be 20 years or more.Unfortunately, hydraulic systems are difficult to maintain in proper technical condition - first of all, this concerns the tightness of tanks and pipelines and the serviceability of shut-off and pumping equipment. And one more important condition - at the moments of accumulation and use of energy, the working fluid (at least a fairly large part of it) must be in a liquid state of aggregation, and not in the form of ice or steam. But sometimes in such storage tanks it is possible to obtain additional free energy, for example, when replenishing the upper reservoir with melt or rainwater.
Electrolyzer
Here, during the energy storage stage, a chemical reaction occurs, as a result of which the fuel is reduced, for example, hydrogen is released from water - by direct electrolysis, in electrochemical cells using a catalyst, or by thermal decomposition, say, an electric arc or highly concentrated sunlight. The “released” oxidizer can be collected separately or “thrown away” as unnecessary.At the energy recovery stage, the accumulated fuel is oxidized to release energy. For example, hydrogen can immediately provide heat, mechanical energy (when supplied to an internal combustion engine or turbine) or electricity (when oxidized in a fuel cell).
This method is very attractive due to the independence of the stages of energy accumulation (“charging”) and its use (“discharging”), the high specific capacity of the energy stored in the fuel (tens of megajoules per kilogram of fuel) and the possibility of long-term storage. However, its widespread use is hampered by the incomplete development and high cost of technology, and high fire and explosion hazards. Despite these shortcomings, various installations using hydrogen as a backup energy source are being developed around the world.
Capacitors
The most common “electrical” energy storage devices are ordinary radio capacitors. They have a tremendous rate of energy accumulation and release and are able to operate in this way in a wide temperature range for many years. By combining several capacitors in parallel, you can easily increase their total capacity to the desired value. However, capacitors have two main disadvantages. Firstly, this is a very low specific density of stored energy and therefore a small (relative to other types of storage) capacity. Secondly, this is a short storage time, which rarely exceeds several hours, and often amounts to only small fractions of a second. As a result, the applications of capacitors are limited to various electronic circuits.Ionistors, which are sometimes called “supercapacitors,” can be considered as a kind of intermediate link between electrolytic capacitors and electrochemical batteries. From the former, they inherited a practically unlimited number of charge-discharge cycles, and from the latter, relatively low charging and discharging currents. Their capacity is also in the range between the most capacitive capacitors and small batteries.
Other drive types
In spring mechanical accumulators, a large flow and supply of energy is ensured by compression and straightening of the spring. The storage period of the accumulated energy in a compressed spring can be many years. However, it should be borne in mind that under the influence of constant deformation, any material accumulates fatigue over time. Therefore, after a while, the compressed spring may be “discharged” completely or partially.Gas mechanical storage devices include an air receiver. In this class of devices, energy is accumulated due to the elasticity of compressed gas. When there is excess energy, the compressor pumps gas into the cylinder. When the stored energy needs to be used, the compressed gas is supplied to a turbine, which directly performs the necessary mechanical work or rotates an electric generator.
Gas compressed to a pressure of tens and hundreds of atmospheres can provide a high specific density of stored energy for an almost unlimited time. However, the compressor with a turbine or a piston engine included in the installation are quite complex devices with a limited resource.
Storage devices using chemical energy are also known. Chemical energy is the energy “stored” in the atoms of substances that is released or absorbed during chemical reactions between substances. It is either released as heat during exothermic reactions (for example, fuel combustion), or converted into electricity in galvanic cells and batteries. These energy sources are characterized by high efficiency (up to 98%), but low capacity. Chemical energy storage devices make it possible to obtain energy both in the form from which it was stored and in any other form. But this cannot be done without special technologies and high-tech equipment.
In addition to those described above, there are other types of energy storage devices. However, most of them are very limited in terms of the density of stored energy, the time of its storage, and have a high specific cost. Therefore, their exploitation is not seriously considered.
Now we can no longer imagine your life without electricity and heating. Our entire daily life involves the use of many electrical appliances that provide us with the necessary level of comfort. Today we will talk about how you can save electricity at home.
The diagram on the left shows the energy consumption structure for a family of 3 people.
Every year, electricity and heating costs increase due to higher tariffs and an increase in the number of electrical appliances used. Since energy reserves are very limited, the cost of electricity increases annually by about 15% and, accordingly, our payments for electricity also increase.
Therefore, more and more people are starting to think about how to save electricity at home.
In addition, saving electricity will reduce the consumption of natural resources and reduce emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere, and therefore make a feasible contribution to the preservation of our rivers, lakes and forests.
By saving 100 W of electricity, we can save 48 kg of coal, or 33 liters of oil, or 35 m3 of natural gas.
On average, a family of three living in an apartment of 50 m2 pays about 59% of the total amount of utility bills for energy resources, of which: 32% is heating and hot water supply, 15% is electricity, 12% is gas. 
1.Insulate door and window openings with special insulation.
After all, the main heat leaks occur through windows and doors. 
2. Install new energy-efficient windows, preferably double-glazed ones.
If you have a balcony or loggia, then glaze them too. This is the most effective way to save heat in the house. 
3. It is necessary to properly ventilate the room.
Ventilate with the heating off!
Full ventilation for 2 minutes every 3-4 hours retains much more heat than constant partial ventilation. In winter, 2-3 minutes of complete ventilation is enough. In spring and autumn - up to 15 minutes.
4. Do not cover batteries with curtains or decorative slabs and panels.
This will prevent electricity leakage (losses can be up to 30%) and reduce the risk of damage to household appliances and short circuits.
2. Turn off electrical appliances that are in standby mode(standby mode) - TV, stereo, DVD player. 
Most devices work actively for several hours a day, and the rest of the time they are in standby mode, which wastes a significant amount of energy.
3. Organize proper lighting.
A. Make the most of natural light (use light curtains, light colors on walls and ceilings, wash windows more often, do not clutter window sills.) This will make the room brighter.
b. Use the principle of zonal lighting - it is necessary to rationally use general and local lighting. General lighting is intended for general lighting of the room (chandelier). Local lighting (lamps, sconces) allows you to illuminate dark corners of the room.
The combination of local and general lighting (combined lighting) allows you to use light more rationally - to illuminate only the area of the room that we need. As a result of the installation of combined lighting for a room of 18-20 m2, up to 200 kW/h is saved.
4. Replace traditional incandescent lamps with energy-saving ones.
They consume several times less electricity and last several times longer.
5. Turn off lighting and other electrical appliances that you do not need at the moment.
When leaving, turn off the lights.
6. Wash lamps and shades more often.
How to save energy in the kitchen and when preparing food
An electric stove is the most energy-intensive household appliance, accounting for more than half of all electricity consumed. By following simple rules and techniques when cooking, you can save a significant amount of energy.1. When cooking in a saucepan, you need to turn on the burner at full power only until the water boils. As soon as the water boils, immediately switch the heating of the burner to the minimum position, in this case the energy consumption will sharply decrease and the cooking time will not increase.
2. Be sure to tightly cover the pan with a lid. When cooking in an open container, energy consumption increases by 2.5 times. Even if the lid is slightly open, this is equivalent to the fact that there is no lid at all, because... heat is lost with the escaping steam.
3. Use cookware with a bottom diameter that matches the size of the burner. The diameters of the bottoms of the pans must be greater than or equal to the diameters of the burners of the electric stoves on which they are placed.
4. Do not allow water to boil violently on a burner turned on at full power, because boiling on a heated stove requires much less power.
5. If you turn off the electric stove burner a little earlier before the end of cooking, you will save electricity due to residual heat.
6. When cooking vegetables, use a minimal amount of water in pans.
7. Choose pots of a size that matches the volume of food needed. If you need to cook a small amount of food, it is better to do it in a small one. saucepan on the smallest burner.
8. The bottoms of pots and pans must be smooth and clean so that there is close contact with the burners. Dishes with a crooked bottom or with carbon deposits require 60% more electricity.
9. When purchasing cookware, choose frying pans and saucepans with thick bottoms and glass lids.
10. Use pressure cookers. They save a lot of energy and time. The cooking time in them is reduced by three times, and energy consumption is halved. This is achieved thanks to the tightness of pressure cookers and a special cooking mode - the temperature inside the cookware reaches 120 degrees due to excess steam pressure.
11. Stainless steel cookware with a thick polished bottom ensures good contact with the stove and saves energy. Aluminum, enameled, and Teflon-coated cookware are not economical.
12. The condition of the electric stove burners is of great importance. If one or two spirals burn out in a burner or the burner swells due to overheating, electricity consumption increases up to 50%. It needs to be changed urgently.
13. Use special electric heating devices (frying pans, pots, grills, coffee makers, etc.), in which the dishes turn out more tasty and of higher quality, and much less electricity is spent. Use an electric kettle, which itself saves energy by automatically turning off when water boils in it. Boil only as much water as required at a time.
14. Timely removal of scale inside electric kettles can significantly reduce energy consumption.
15. Use thermoses or potters to keep water and food warm for long periods of time.
16. Do not use the switched-on electric stove burners to heat the room; this is uneconomical, ineffective and dangerous.
17. Use microwave ovens to heat and cook food; they will save you time and energy.
What we usually do uneconomically:
■ choosing the wrong dishes - energy loss 10% -15%
■ Do not close containers tightly when preparing food. - losses 2% - 6%
■ We use too much water - losses 5% - 9%
■ We use dishes that do not fit the size of the burner - losses 5% -10%
■ We do not use residual heat - losses 10% -15%
And to reinforce the material, here is a wonderful infographic from the United Energy Company. The picture is clickable. 
By using these simple tips you can significantly reduce your energy costs and save money.
Let's repeat the basic rules:
To save energy in your apartment, you need to learn how to use it rationally. At the same time, in addition to significant savings in energy bills, you are making a very important contribution to solving global environmental problems.
The article uses materials from the Information and Consulting Center for Energy Saving (ICC). 
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