[:en]If you had to guess which North American nation had the highest average household energy consumption in the world, you would probably answer the USA—and you would be wrong.
Canadian households use slightly more electricity on average than our neighbours to the south, making us the most energy-hungry nation on Earth in terms of household electricity consumption.
Which comes as no surprise to you. As a homeowner in Edmonton, your energy bill probably takes up a healthy portion of your household budget.
Let’s look deeper at just how much Canadian households are spending on energy.
Note: The benefits of smart home technology on your energy bill are well known: more control equals less consumption.
Canada: The world leader in electricity per household
The most recent data available from ShrinkthatFootprint.com (2010), reveals that homes up north consume 11,879 kWh/year. That’s two to three times more than your average European home.
Of course, there are many reasons for this:
– The Canadian Climate
– Higher Incomes in Our Country
– Larger Average Home Size
But regardless of the reason why we spend the energy, the fact remains that homeowners have to pay for it. Our total slightly outranks the USA, which comes in second place for the same reasons.
According to Statistics Canada’s most recent data (2007), the average household spends roughly $1,187 dollars per year to keep the lights burning and HVAC running. Of course, in the decade that has past that number is sure to have risen.
Edmonton Electricity Prices
If you’re a resident of Edmonton, you can expect to pay around $1200 per year for your electricity bill. Another interesting note is that Alberta’s average energy consumption is far above the national average (7200 kWh per person locally compared to roughly 4500 nationally) which makes sense considering the temperature is so much colder than the Atlantic Provinces or British Columbia. (Source)
If you’re a family with a large home, you can expect to pay even more, especially if you can’t bear the cold when it comes through in the winter!
How can I lower my electricity bill?
So not only do Edmontonians consume more than our fellow Canadians, we pay a bit more for each kWh too.
So how can you lower your electricity bill? Here are a few tips:
– Make sure all windows and doors are firmly shut
– Check to make sure you have adequate insulation
– Sleep with multiple blankets (or a family pet!) for warmth
– Teach your children the importance of conservation
– Take advantage of the sunlight during the day and never leave lights on when you leave the house
There’s one complete solution to all of your energy consumption issues: smart home technology. With
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