Smart tech tricks to beat winter electricity bills
The numbers are enough to send shivers down your spine—and not just from the cold. With Eskom's freshly implemented 12.74% tariff increase, South Africans face unprecedented electricity costs just as winter temperatures plummet. For households using Eskom's Homeflex tariff, peak winter rates now exceed R7 per kilowatt-hour, turning even basic comfort into a luxury.
'Running a single 2,000W oil heater for eight hours nightly could cost over R3,000 this winter season—and that's just for one room,' warns Dr. Andrew Dickson, Engineering Executive at CBI-electric: low voltage. 'The average family could see their monthly electricity bill jump by R300 or more.'
But according to Dr. Dickson, South Africans don't need to choose between warmth and financial stability. The solution lies in combining smart technology with strategic energy habits.
10 Smart Ways to Stay Warm While Cutting Costs
1. Know Your Energy Enemies
Most households waste electricity without realizing it. 'If you don't understand how much power your appliances consume, you can't make informed decisions about cutting back,' says Dr. Dickson. Smart monitoring devices reveal which appliances are the true budget-killers, allowing targeted energy savings where they matter most.
2. Prevent Power Pile-Ups
Modern smart home systems offer load management capabilities that prevent multiple energy-hungry devices from running simultaneously. 'Rather than having your geyser, heater, and oven competing for power at the same time, smart automation staggers their operation, reducing peak demand and preventing system overload,' explains Dr. Dickson.
3. Set Smart Time Boundaries
Why heat water all day when you only need it for morning and evening? Smart controllers let you specify precise operating durations for appliances. 'Running your geyser for just two hours instead of continuously can dramatically reduce consumption while still ensuring hot water when needed,' notes Dr. Dickson.
4. Embrace Off-Peak Power
Timing is everything. The difference between peak and off-peak rates can be staggering—as much as R6 per kilowatt-hour. 'Programming your washing machine to run between 10pm and 5am could cost as little as R1.01/kWh, compared to over R7/kWh during peak times,' Dr. Dickson points out. Even flat-rate customers benefit from reducing overall grid strain.
5. Outsmart the Winter Spike
Household energy consumption typically jumps by at least 20% in winter as heating systems work overtime. Smart scheduling ensures appliances run only when needed. 'Program your heater to switch on 30 minutes before you wake up,' suggests Dr. Dickson. 'You'll enjoy a warm room without wasting electricity all night.'
6. Let Weather Dictate Energy Use
Advanced smart systems can respond to environmental conditions automatically. 'When temperatures drop below a certain threshold or daylight fades early on cloudy winter days, your lights and heating can adjust accordingly,' says Dr. Dickson. This means no more paying to heat an empty house when the weather unexpectedly warms up.
7. Control Your Home from Anywhere
Left in a rush and can't remember if you turned off the heater? 'Smart home technologies allow remote control of connected appliances from your smartphone, wherever you are,' Dr. Dickson explains. This flexibility prevents wasted energy when plans change.
8. Defeat the Stealth Energy Thieves
That innocent-looking 'sleep mode' on your TV, computer, and kitchen appliances might be silently draining your wallet. 'Electronics in standby mode can collectively consume more electricity than when actively used,' warns Dr. Dickson. Smart plugs can automatically cut power to these devices when not needed.
9. Maximize Your Solar Investment
As more South Africans invest in solar systems to buffer against rising electricity costs, protecting that investment becomes crucial. 'Smart power indicators help solar users manage energy more effectively when grid power is unavailable,' says Dr. Dickson. 'They can disconnect non-essential appliances automatically, preserving battery life until systems recharge.'
10. Shield Your Appliances
Even with reduced load shedding, voltage fluctuations and power surges remain common, especially in areas with aging infrastructure. 'Smart technology can detect unsafe voltage levels and automatically cut electricity flow until it stabilizes,' explains Dr. Dickson. 'This protects expensive appliances like refrigerators and entertainment systems from costly damage.'
Contrary to popular belief, adopting smart home technology doesn't mean rewiring your entire house. 'Devices like smart plugs, isolators, and controllers can be easily installed by an electrician without additional wiring or hubs,' Dr. Dickson emphasizes. 'Even renters can benefit from the latest smart adaptors, which can be taken along when relocating.'
As winter tightens its grip and electricity costs soar, these smart strategies offer South Africans a way to maintain comfort without financial strain. 'Even small changes can make a big difference,' concludes Dr. Dickson. 'By using smart technology to manage energy use, South Africans can stay warm, save money, and feel more in control of their electricity bills.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Readout - Prime Minister Carney speaks with President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa
OTTAWA, ON, June 11, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, spoke with the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa. The leaders agreed to advance shared priorities during their respective G7 and G20 presidencies this year, including energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, and wildfires. The Prime Minister thanked the President for South Africa's deployment of firefighters to help combat wildfires in Canada in recent years. Prime Minister Carney and President Ramaphosa also agreed to deepen the partnership between Canada and South Africa. They looked forward to meeting at the 2025 G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta. Associated Links Canada-South Africa relations Canada's 2025 G7 Presidency Canada and the G20 This document is also available at SOURCE Prime Minister's Office View original content:
News24
2 hours ago
- News24
Fiscal framework passed with DA's support
On Wednesday at 14:00 both Houses of Parliament - the National Assembly (NA) and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) - will consider the 2025 Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals. This framework outlines economic policy and revenue projections, setting the overall limits for government spending.
E&E News
6 hours ago
- E&E News
AI's energy demand ratchets up pressure on Republicans
Meeting the historic escalation of U.S. electricity demand led by data centers will require wind and solar power that President Donald Trump is steering the nation away from, energy executives and members of Congress said during a POLITICO Energy Summit in Washington on Tuesday. 'If it's not renewables, what's it going to be?' said John Ketchum, CEO of NextEra Energy, the Florida-based power company. But the argument that renewables and battery storage can be deployed has not moved the White House from an agenda that pins the electric grid to coal and natural gas and reverses course on clean energy technology. At the POLITICO summit, industry executives and members of Congress said the approach to energy backed by Trump and conservative Republicans is making it harder to power Silicon Valley's AI tech companies as they race against China. Advertisement 'The president is in charge,' said Jarrod Agen, director of the National Energy Dominance Council created by Trump. 'The president has not focused on wind and solar.' Some speaking at the POLITICO summit lamented that Trump's aversion to sources other than fossil fuels and nuclear reactors undermine another Trump goal: lowering energy prices. 'We're in a constrained supply environment and an increased demand environment,' said Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee ranking member Martin Heinrich. 'People's electricity bills all over the country are going to go up. What I can guarantee you is in the next election and the election after that Republicans are going to own increased energy prices.' Utah Republican Sen. John Curtis said changes should be made to a House-passed tax, energy and security bill that would quickly phase down investment and production tax credits included in the Democrats' 2022 climate law — potentially leading to the cancellation of major energy and industrial projects. 'Investors have invested billions of dollars based on the rules of the road, and you have employees who have set careers based on these things,' Curtis said. If the U.S. wants to be energy dominant, Curtis said, 'let's not crush any of it.' The tech industry on Tuesday also urged Republicans to make specific changes to the megabill now in the Senate. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), the Data Center Coalition — a trade group that includes Microsoft, Google, Amazon Web Services and others — called for a 'pragmatic approach' to help power data centers. 'As demand for data center services continues to rise, timely access to affordable and reliable power is and will continue to be the pacing challenge for the industry,' said the letter. 'With thoughtful and targeted changes to [the legislation], the U.S. can maintain its leadership in AI, while simultaneously committing to long-term fiscal responsibility.' The tech industry letter calls for extending the time companies have to receive 'tech-neutral' tax credits. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, many of the credits could be claimed through 2032. But even with the support of moderate Senate Republicans, it's unclear how much can be put back into the House bill as congressional leaders push for passage by next month. Meanwhile, since taking office, Trump has ordered aging coal- and gas-fired power plants to stay open. 'We need to keep those functioning until we get the rest of the resources on line,' said Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Trump has directed DOE to analyze the impact of plant closings on electric reliability, a prelude to more emergency orders to keep them running. NextEra's Ketchum said keeping coal plants open for longer wouldn't 'make a dent' in the demand coming from data centers, advanced manufacturing, electric cars and other segments of the economy. A report by DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in December estimated that data center demand could climb to as high as 12 percent of total electricity use in 2028 — almost tripling what it is today. Other estimates have put overall U.S. electricity demand rising by as much as 25 percent by 2030. Natural gas has been a focus of the administration. But that's also not a short-term solution to demand growth. Scott Strazik, chief executive of GE Vernova, which builds large gas turbines, told an investor conference last month that the company's order book for turbines for delivery in 2028 is filling up and other orders are geared toward 2029 and 2030. The price of those gas turbines has also gone up significantly. New nuclear plants, another option for data center power, is much further out. U.S. technology leaders, committed to reducing the impact of their data centers on greenhouse gas emissions, say they'll power gas centers with natural gas but also invest in renewable power to offset their carbon emissions. John Bistline, senior program manager at the Electric Power Research Institute, said in an interview that slashing tax incentives for clean energy projects could cut investment by as much as half. But he said deployment of wind and solar along with storage would grow but at a slower pace. Analysts have not worked out how heavy tariffs on steel, aluminum and other energy infrastructure components would impact generation expansion.
