The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety in the Association office Ö-quadrat, Berliner Energy Agency and Energy Agency Regio Freiburg, implemented a pilot project. The task was to install electric saving and water technologies and analyse the effect of on-site energy advice. Additional inefficient refrigerators have been changed through high efficiency cooling devices in the Hartz-IV-households (households without own income).
In this pilot study, conducted in 2008, 108 Hartz-IV-households were studied, including 80 in Freiburg, and 28 in Berlin.
Advice to households and direct installation
The consulting services were carried out according to a special schedule and process. They included the measuring of the electric power consumption, the direct installation of energy saving lamps, TV stand-by-reducer, installation of switchable power strips, timers, perlators, flush-stop for the toilet and water-saving shower heads, or when required to support the replacement of existing inefficient refrigerators or freezers through high efficient appliances. The support was given through a grant of up to 300 € (max. half of the purchase price) and an additional micro-credit to cover the difference between purchase price and grant.
The analysis of the basis of the 108 Hartz-IV-households showed the following results:
* Households could save on average 18% of their electricity consumption.
* The cost per kilowatt saved were up 7 cents / kWh, well below the cost of
producing, transporting and deliver electricity.
* The average benefit per household was 840 Euro (over the life of the
conservation technology; at constant current prices).
* The CO2 emissions were reduced by 3.7 tons per household.
In a modified form, the project "Stromspar-Check" is currently implemented in more than 60 cities in Germany.
Further information
Project description
Website Stromspar-Check