Struggling to achieve Power Move target!

Hi Terryd

I think on average I only use around 3.5 kWh a day of electricity - with a background rate (12 am - 6 am of 0.02 kWh) . Just me on my own on a wkday I can get that to 2.8, when partner is here it can go up to 5.5 (!) Heating and hot water are gas (+woodburner for sitting room)  -  currently about 40 kWh / day.  I’ve always purposely been a low user (manual gadgets, slow cooker and microwave etc are my preference ) but I have managed to meet the target both months (by doing what I said previously) and currently am on track this month. I seem to come in at around 11 %. 

0.02kwh. 20 watts ? I assume you don't have a fridge or the decimal points in the wrong place. 

Having an electric shower and a family for feed are what drives ours up. 

I think I can eliminate one of those this year.

I do have a small undercounter Beko fridge & undercounter Currys essential freezer but my overnight readings seem to  consistently average at 0.02kWh. I wouldn't have thought either appliance is known for the best energy efficiency but there are both under 2 years old. 

Ah half hourly readings being taking as KwH makes sense so your base load is exactly twice mine when using compatible units. Makes sense as we have 2 fridge freezers running due to bulk making meals for the and freezing them . For use over the next month. 

ahh yeah - half hourly readings - I didnt say that did i which would have added a lot of context! sorry!  But my base load is twice yours! why’s that then????

Slip of the tongue. It's the other way round. Mines double yours exactly 

Phew!!! That's good then  - at least we know we have similar background usage overnight 

This is this first month (February) I’ve missed the target and have done nothing different to previous months. It’s weird! Maybe I’ve used electricity more consistently throughout the day?

Perhaps it’s my aquarium and otherwise low usage of power for the rest of the day but I found it impossible to achieve the target. When I carefully recorded my use for the first 15 days of the month and made sure I was on target your analysis sent for the first half of the month were wildly different to my figures so I gave up altogether. I have monitored my daily use since 2008 and have seen a fall from 6,500kWhrs to below 4,000kWhrs by investing in more efficient white goods and lamps which is quite an achievement (this was part of my business environment plan). I know what you are trying to achieve between 1600 and 1900 hrs. As a retired distribution engineer with a DNO I know of the struggle to get amps to the customer. In rural areas the danger times were 0100hrs+ when storage rads came on, all at similar times. I remember my struggle to keep Oakham on supply during a fault power outage and finding suitable alternative sources to relieve an overloaded overhead line was a struggle. Just one of many instances. Keep up the good work but I let you down on this count, sorry.

As a pensioner living alone I’ve found it easy to meet the target. I’ve been quite diligent in ensuring no high energy equipment is used between 4 and 7pm. I just use lighting and the tv between those hours. 

We have been very successful with power move! it is much easier if you are organised and household with adults only.

We were under target for the first few months, but in February and the first half of March we’ve gone over, despite not changing our routine. I can only put this down to two things; increased use of underfloor heating in the colder weather, and not working from home full-time any more. I can’t turn off the underfloor heating for the whole 3 hours of an evening due to my wife’s asthma, and we have both had to go back into our offices on average 2 days a week, so even though we’re using less daytime energy while we’re out, the percentage has shifted.

I’ve done all I reasonably can, short of cooking dinner ridiculously late (not suitable for when we get home), so unless there’s a change such as including weekend use in the percentage calculation, then I’m out.

I'm a low user as well, autumn clearly means I'll use more energy :( lights etc , had I been a high energy user I could easily cut back. They want me to go from 15.5% to 13.5% by the end of the month, how can I do that?

Hey @Merryharry,

This topic might be helpful:

• What's the biggest impact changes I can make to my usage to help me hit my Power Move target? TIPS

@Merryharry try this:

Run appliances such as dishwasher, washing machine and dryer on weekdays before 4pm instead of at weekends

Do the ironing on weekdays befits 4pm or after 7pm

Only use the kettle before 4pm or after 7pm and

Avoid using the oven or microwave for your evening meal until after 7pm.

Impossible to achieve  reduction In power between 4 and 7 pm. I work from home until 5, my husband wants his dinner before 7. I already only use appliances like washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher between 2 and 4 am. 

So what else can I do? 

Try batch cooking weekends or outside the time restrictions. 

Do you have a gas hob? Otherwise you need to either get your husband to eat after 7 or accept that power move isn't for you (I don't mean that as a negative thing g it just doesn't suit everyone)

I had a similar issue today. I cooked earlier (before peak) and microwaved it to warm it up just now (during peak). I don't have gas. I won't know until tomorrow whether it met the challenge.

Not everyone's daily routine lends itself to this scheme. As previously suggested try to reduce energy in other ways such as batch cooking, cut down on dishwasher - use the sink and leave dishes to air dry. As for hubby - ever considered giving him salads - or a divorce ?  Joke!

I think that 2versus1 is correct. Power Move isn't for me.

 Do parents coming home from work at 5 with kids yelling for their dinner and putting their pcs and tvs on,  manage to win ? 

Never mind I'll continue  to do my bit between 2 and 4am.

Hey ho,  wonder if I can persuade hubby to have sandwiches for his dinner after a hard day's grafting. 😏 

Thanks all. 

Hi @Linds and @Swift92 Its not always possible to meet the 13.5% target, as @2versus1 says. 
 

Have you sat down with paper and pencil to work out your combined percentage over, say, the three days 1st - 3rd November (using the half-hourly figures in your OVO account usage page), just out of interest for yourselves? I know @Swift92 is particularly interested in yesterday (good idea to compare microwave cooking versus oven), but it could be that you might be nearer to the 13.5% than you think? And there are strategies for further tweaks, some great suggestions elsewhere in this forum.

And as @IanFerguson suggests above (sorry, hadn’t seen your post before I replied)…

Try my (personal) tips for those who want to eat between 4-7 by clicking this

• Help us spread the word about Power Move Blog

Great stuff  @Nukecad …oh, and @Linds, I forgot to remind you, make sure your 2AM - 4AM washing/tumbling etc. sessions are on a weekday morning, not a Sat or Sun (or any of the December Bank Holidays)!