Saving power saves you money and if we all do it together we can lighten the load on Eskom and suffer less load-shedding. The best way to save power at home is to go off-grid with a solar power system. Partial off-grid systems are available such as grid-tied systems that allow you to use solar power during the day and are less expensive as they don't use batteries. Then there are Microcare systems that are scalable allowing you to power a 12V appliance, charge a phone and power lights to a full-scale off-grid solution that can be used to run a farm or business.
Even if you are generating your own power you can still follow these power-saving points (the ones that apply).
Turn your geyser to 55 degrees C this will make sure that you are running your geyser at an optimum heating level and drawing less power.
Install a solar geyser to heat your water. Solar geysers are efficient and low maintenance.
Turn off lights when not needed. Replace old bulbs with led bulbs and use dimmer switches to reduce the power usage. Use solar charging LED lights for lighting the exterior of your home.
Turn off appliances that are not in use. A TV on standby still draws power.
When using washing machines and dishwashers, make sure that they are filled to maximise the cleaning and minimise the usage.
Install a solar power grid to generate your power. Even if you are using a small system, use it daily and not just when affected by load-shedding.
Grow your grid - most off-grid solutions are scalable allowing you to add more units to increase the power generated. You can replace your Eskom grid entirely and become power self-sufficient.
