MP Gallant Supports Canada’s Action On Appliance Power Waste

August 17, 2007

Pembroke - Cheryl Gallant, MP, Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke, urges the public to support the federal government’s lead in reducing energy consumption. Canada's New Government will put in place standards to limit the amount of power consumed by products in “standby mode.”

“When I was growing up, my parents always urged me to turn off lights I was not using. While it may seem to be a common sense way to conserve energy, it is not always done. That is why I am pleased with our efforts to reduce energy usage by limiting “standby power”.

Standby power is the electricity consumed by items such as televisions, CD players, computers and microwaves - even when they are turned off. Although the electricity consumption is minimal - usually between one watt and 20 watts - a typical Canadian home could have 25 or more devices that are consuming electricity 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It is estimated that standby power accounts for as much as 10 percent of the average household's annual electricity consumption.

"If all the products that use standby power were limited to one watt, the average household's electricity bill would drop by at least $35 a year," said Cheryl Gallant MP. "Consumers will start to see these savings when they replace older products with new, more efficient models."

It is estimated the savings would equal the amount of electricity needed to power 400,000 homes. Emissions reductions would be equivalent to taking a large coal-fired power generating unit offline. Canada's action reflects a growing international movement to address the energy wasted by standby power, and supports the "1-Watt Initiative" promoted by the International Energy Agency. This initiative, which urges a one-watt standby power limit for all energy-using products, was endorsed by the G8 leaders at their 2005 summit in Gleneagles, and standby power was also discussed at the North American Energy Ministers' meeting in Canada recently.

Canada's regulations for standby power will be implemented in two steps, with the first standard being put in place in 2008 to address standby power in consumer electronic devices, followed by a more stringent standard in 2010. Consultations with stakeholders on how the standards will be set and implemented are already underway.

“Using energy more efficiently is perhaps the easiest and most effective way to control our energy costs, reduce harmful emissions and contribute to our energy security. But it can be difficult to be more energy efficient when you may not be aware you are consuming electricity,” concluded MP Gallant.