Everyday energy solutions save nature as well as money

Emissions from housing make up about a quarter of the carbon footprint of households. Heating and the consumption of electricity are things we can easily influence ourselves by choosing a fossil-free electricity contract, paying attention to our energy consumption, or simply lowering the temperature at home. When the electricity is produced from renewable energy sources, there is no need to think about it after signing the contract.

What if we want to make our everyday life even more ecological? The good news is that the environmentally friendly choices are often also choices which reduce the electric bill. There are numerous ways to reduce the carbon footprint of your home and living, and everyone will surely find something that fits their budget and lifestyle.

Smart thermostat to monitor and control the heating

Lowering the indoor temperature is often the first tip to reduce electricity consumption at home but adjusting a degree or two with a traditional radiator thermostat is not necessarily that simple. A smart thermostat installed directly on the radiator makes it easy to achieve the right room temperature. You can see the correct temperature on the thermostat screen, so lowering the room temperature by a degree is also effortless.

In addition to radiators, you can also use intelligent heating control for underfloor heating. In this way, an empty home does heat up empty and you save on heating costs. Smart thermostats are an easy and relatively inexpensive way to increase the energy efficiency of the home, while reducing the carbon footprint. A quick installation also makes thermostats an attractive option, whether you live in an apartment building or a detached house.

Portable power stations provide security for home appliances

A portable power station is often thought as an emergency backup in case of power outages or other unexpected situations. The portable power source can easily be taken with you to garden parties, camping sites or summer cottages, enabling the use of electronics, and why not also bigger appliances, out of reach of the power grid. The most efficient power stations keep even the refrigerator running, but more often it is used to power small electronics such as computers and phones. The versatile connections enable multiple devices to be powered at the same time.

As the use of exchange electricity increases, a backup power station is an excellent alternative for powering appliances when the price of electricity is at its highest. Charge the station when the price of electricity is at its lowest, which also reduces the demand for expensive exchange electricity. Depending on the model, you can use the quick-charge function with mains power or take advantage of renewable solar power and charge the backup power station with solar panels. In this way, the use of the charged device is also as environmentally friendly as possible.

Is an electric car an eco-friendly option?

Electric cars are more and more common on roads and in cities. The affordable price of charging compared to fueling a combustion engine attracts many, but environmental factors are increasingly important for many buyers. For example, in Finland, about half of the electricity is produced with renewable energy sources, making electric cars ecofriendly, especially when compared to countries where electricity is mainly produced with coal power. The charging of an electric car takes place mostly at home, meaning the emissions caused by an electric car can be influenced by your own electricity contract and the form of production.

The low-maintenance nature of electric cars makes them even more environmentally friendly. As an electric car owner, you will not have to worry about changing the oil or spark plugs and you can focus on enjoying the car. Although an electric car is a significant investment and its manufacturing phase generates emissions, especially the manufacturing of the battery itself and later indirectly through the production of electricity, driving an electric car produces less carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, an electric car can be considered an ecological alternative compared to combustion engine cars.

An air source heat pump helps all year round

For those looking for a long-term solution for an energy-efficient home, an air source heat pump is the right choice. The air source heat pump consists of an indoor unit that can be installed on the wall and an outdoor unit installed outside. The refrigerant and thermal energy of the outside air pass through the compressor, where the refrigerant is compressed, and its temperature rises. Thermal energy passes through the heat transfer cell into the indoor air of the home. After this, the pressure of the refrigerant drops and it evaporates. The vaporized refrigerant moves to the heat transfer cell of the outdoor unit, where it once again binds the heat energy of the outdoor air.

An air source heat pump is suitable for supplementing the home's electric heating, and if used correctly can even cut the heating bill in half. The heating power is higher than the electrical energy used by the device, making the air heat pump a profitable option. By using the thermal energy of the outside air, the device is also an environmentally friendly choice, as it reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by heating.