Standby Energy Consumption
Most households contain appliances which consume electricity even when they are not operational. This is generally referred to as ‘standby’ energy consumption and can amount to over 10% of total electricity used in a typical home.
Appliances and equipment with a standby mode include VCR’s, televisions, home entertainment systems, air conditioners, battery chargers, whitegoods (except refrigerators), and other equipment which consumes power while not performing its primary function.
The following table provides a guide to the standby wattage and average annual standby energy cost for various appliances.
Average standby Annual cost
| Energy use | (watts) | (approx) |
| Television | 10 | $15 |
| Clock radio | 4 | $6 |
| VCR | 8 | $11 |
| Stereo | 10 | $15 |
| Mobile phone charger | 1 | $2 |
| Personal computer | 2 | $3 |
| Computer monitor | 5 | $8 |
| Printer | 8 | $11 |
| Microwave oven | 4 | $6 |
| Cordless phone | 3 | $5 |
Source: Resource Smart
