The heat is on! Yes, because it's summer already and we know when summer strikes, but, for now I believe we're experiencing El Niño. So, it means hotter weather is everywhere and we don't have much choice or rather places to cool down.The only means we can lessen the heat is with the use of our appliances like air conditioning units, electric fans, and refrigerators. Of course this comes with depletion of our finances. Higher electric bills!

Fortunately, I was invited to an exclusive tour of the Meralco Power Lab, where we learned many ways to conserve energy. The Meralco Power Lab is a two-level, multipurpose facility that aims to provide customers with power-related information, such as testing and validation, comparisons of electricity-related technologies and practices. We learned that there are still many ways to reduce the amount paid for electric bills. Here are some highlights of the tour and tips for energy efficiency.

The Air Conditioner or AC is the most frequently used appliance during summer, particularly in the Philippines, where it is used all day long rather than just at night for a good night's sleep.

Here are some tips on using Aircon:

1. Choose the appropriate size of air conditioner for your room.

2. Make sure to check for air leaks as they can prolong the time it takes to cool down the room temperature.

3. To speed up the cooling process, you can use an electric fan, but ensure that the air conditioner is positioned directly facing the fan.  

4. Utilize the timer feature automatically turn off the air conditioner when the temperature becomes too cold, even while you're sleeping.

5. Regularly clean air conditioner to prevent it from accumulating dust, which can slow down the air ventilation and cooling process.

 

The Refrigerator is a major contributor to a household's energy consumption. It runs continuously, consuming electricity to maintain a cool temperature to preserve food and beverages.  

Below are some tips for utilizing your refrigerator efficiently.

1. Choose a refrigerator that suits the size of your home and the number of people living in it.

2. Ensure that there are no air leaks by checking if the door is properly sealed after closing it, to prevent wasting the cool temperature inside the refrigerator.

3. It is advisable to wait for warm food to cool down before placing it inside the refrigerator.

4. Refrain from putting too much stuff inside your refrigerator as it can obstruct air vents, resulting in a slower cooling process.

Use a DC Fan - DC stands for Direct Current Fan. A DC fan utilizes a transformer to convert the energy into direct current, which is a one-way current, thereby reducing the amount of power consumed.

Switching to LED Lights and installing motion sensor lights can significantly reduce your electricity bill.

Induction Cookers are a cost-effective and user-friendly alternative to gasul stoves. They are also safer, particularly for people with busy lifestyles.

Solar Panels are an effective solution for saving energy, particularly in remote areas with limited access to electricity. For greater savings, consider installing solar panels on your roof.

During the tour, we discovered the Meralco Appliance Calculator which enables tracking of the energy consumption of appliances on an hourly, daily, weekly, and a monthly basis. We will know how much energy our appliances consume, and we can use them properly to prevent an increase in our bills. We can also adjust the usage of our appliances according to our budget. 

They also presented to us their electric vehicles as part of Meralco's Green Mobility Program, aimed at lessening greenhouse gas emissions and promoting the country's shift to electrified transportation. The program intensifies endeavors towards sustainable modes of transportation, and more electric vehicles will soon be accessible as additional electric charging stations are continuously being established across the metro.

Meraco's subsidiary, eSakay, Inc. provides comprehensive EV and charging infrastructure solutions to institutional clients and the public. The company has charging stations within its compound that can accommodate all of its EVs.

 

According to them, EVs are supported by the  government, and many people over the country are already using them. EVs also provide significant help in reducing pollution caused by conventional vehicles.

Indeed, Meralco has shared a lot of information to help improve the way we live as Filipinos. Surely, next month, my Meralco bill will be lower. Thank you, Meralco, for the informative tour.