A practical guide to reducing electricity consumption in summer

Summer heat can lead to an increase in energy consumption: cooling rooms becomes a priority, but so does trying to keep costs down on electricity bills. That is why it is important to choose energy-efficient solutions and adopt virtuous behaviours to better manage the energy in your home. In this guide you will find practical, simple and effective tips to reduce energy consumption during the hot season, while maintaining home comfort without waste.

What strategies should be adopted to reduce electricity consumption?

Choose energy efficiency products such as Enel Clima and Enel Solare Virtuale can concretely help you face the summer in a more conscious way, avoiding peaks in your bills. So let's find out how an efficient air conditioner, a favourable offer and responsible energy-saving habits can make a difference.

Efficient air conditioners

 Choosing the right air conditioner is the first step in reducing the economic and environmental impact of home cooling. The latest models, especially those in energy class A+++, provide savings of up to 40% compared to less powerful devices. And for those still using systems purchased before 2016, the upgrade may be worth even more: it is estimated that the new generation of air conditioners consumes almost half as much energy as older models. 

For Enel's power or gas customers - or those who choose to become one - there are significant benefits if you buy a new air conditioner, such as a total bonus of €180 on your bill and interest-free financing for up to 24 months. 

Maintenance is also crucial. Dirty filters or worn components force the devices to work under strain, resulting in an increase in consumption of up to 30%. A proper cleaning and regular check-up of the system can therefore have a significant impact on the bill.

Smart offers to reduce energy consumption

Besides the efficiency of appliances, intelligent consumption management also contributes to reducing waste. In particular, directing the use of air conditioning to the times when energy is cheapest can bring tangible benefits. This is the rationale behind power offers that save money during daylight hours, making the use of electrical appliances more profitable in the central hours. 

One of the most innovative solutions in this respect is Enel Solare Virtuale, an offer that zeroes the cost of the energy component in the time slot between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., for up to 130 kWh per month. A kind of “photovoltaics without panels”, designed for those who do not have the possibility to install solar panels, as in the case of many apartment blocks or houses in old town centres. 

For consumption above the threshold of 130 kWh per month and for consumption in other time slots, the energy component will still be offered at a fixed price of 0.162 €/kWh. The offer includes a monthly fee from the fourth month onwards of €12 per utility and a CCV (Marketing and Sales Component) also of €12 per month per utility.

How to avoid peak bill charges

Technology alone is not enough: good daily practices can also play a key role. Cooling only the rooms used, placing the air conditioner in individual rooms and areas rather than in a passageway, such as a corridor, shading windows during the hottest hours, and reducing the use of heat-generating appliances are simple but effective strategies. 

Those with a photovoltaic system can also optimise self-consumption by switching on the air conditioning precisely at the times of maximum solar production. This way, as well as using clean energy, you also get the best in economic benefits.  

Preparing in advance, choosing efficient technologies, activating tailor-made power offers, and taking small steps every day: this is the winning combination to meet summer with no nasty surprises. An approach that is good for the wallet, the environment, and the quality of life. Let's delve into behaviour that makes a difference when it comes to reducing your energy consumption in summer.

Optimise your heat insulation

Per affrontare al meglio il caldo estivo risparmiando energia, il primo passo è migliorare l’isolamento termico della tua abitazione con alcune soluzioni vantaggiose:

• Tetti ventilati e pareti ventilate: favoriscono una circolazione naturale dell’aria e creano una barriera fisica contro il calore, contribuendo a mantenere una temperatura interna più stabile e confortevole.
• Coibentazione di infissi e tapparelle: attraverso doppi o tripli vetri isolanti, profili a taglio termico, guarnizioni ermetiche o tapparelle abbinate a cassonetti isolati, che possono ridurre la trasmissione di calore, migliorare l’isolamento e limitare le dispersioni termiche.

Questi accorgimenti, se adottati insieme, contribuiscono in modo significativo a migliorare l’efficienza energetica dell’edificio, ridurre i consumi e migliorare il benessere abitativo.

To better cope with the summer heat while saving energy, the first step is to improve heat insulation in your home with some beneficial solutions:

• Ventilated roofs and ventilated walls: they promote natural air circulation and create a physical barrier against heat, helping to maintain a more stable, comfortable indoor temperature.
• Insulated windows and shutters: through double or triple glazing, thermal break profiles, airtight seals or shutters combined with insulated boxes, can all reduce heat transmission, improve insulation, and limit heat loss.

All together, these measures can contribute significantly to improving the energy efficiency of the building, reducing consumption and improving living comfort.

Use blinds and sunscreens

Another strategy to limit overheating during the summer months is the use of blinds and sunscreens. Some options are:

• Awnings: installed on the outside of the house: they block the sun's rays before they reach the windows, limiting the indoor greenhouse effect. 
• Venetian blinds: adjustable both internally and externally, they modulate light and heat according to the time of day, promoting ventilation and comfort. 
• Reflective films: applied to windows, they repel a significant portion of solar radiation, improving the energy efficiency of your home. 

Fundamental in all cases is the positioning and direction of the shading devices: if placed on south or west-facing façades, they are particularly useful for avoiding heat accumulation during the hottest hours.

What are the most efficient ventilation solutions?

Sometimes you don’t have to use an air conditioner to combat the heat. There are intelligent solutions, both natural and technological, that keep rooms cool, improve air quality, and also reduce energy consumption. Ventilation, if well managed, can become a valuable ally during the summer months.

Cross and night ventilation

Encouraging air circulation also helps to improve living comfort by reducing the use of air conditioners. There are mainly two natural ventilation strategies that can be implemented:

• Cross-ventilation: achieved by opening windows on opposite sides of the house, it uses natural currents to cool the rooms passively.
• Night ventilation: this allows the internal temperature to be lowered naturally, especially if airflow is channelled through corridors and strategic openings.

Controlled mechanical ventilation systems

These solutions are complemented by controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV), a system that constantly renews the air inside the home by recovering the freshness of extracted air. This not only maintains a healthy environment, but also avoids heat loss, resulting in energy savings on cooling. Also in the domestic sector, VMC is becoming increasingly popular, particularly in well-insulated buildings where natural air exchange is reduced.

What can I do every day to reduce consumption?

In everyday life there are many opportunities to reduce energy consumption, small gestures that can make a big difference, both economically and environmentally. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Appliances and smart schedules

Using electrical appliances during the cooler hours of the day, such as early in the morning or in the evening, is a smart choice to limit electricity consumption. This avoids overloading the power grid during the hottest hours and improves the efficiency of household appliances, which should not work in overheated environments.

Efficient lighting even in summer

Artificial lighting can also affect consumption, especially if obsolete light bulbs are still used. Choosing LED lighting with energy-efficient lamps and always switching off unnecessary lights are small gestures for saving energy without sacrificing room brightness.

Switch off devices on standby

Many electronic devices continue to consume power even when they appear to be switched off: this is known as standby consumption. Turning off TVs, modems, set-top boxes and chargers altogether when not in use is an effective way to reduce passive consumption by appliances on standby and save electricity.

Why is it important to reduce energy consumption in summer?

Dall’utilizzo consapevole dei climatizzatori, alle strategie intelligenti per l’isolamento termico e per la ventilazione naturale in casa, ridurre il consumo di energia in estate è più semplice di quanto sembri. È importante perché aiuta a limitare le emissioni inquinanti, legate soprattutto all’utilizzo intensivo di dispositivi di raffrescamento a bassa efficienza energetica; a contenere i costi in bolletta, che tendono ad aumentare nei mesi più caldi dell’anno, a parità di consumi; a migliorare, infine, il comfort abitativo, evitando sbalzi termici per ambienti più salubri e vivibili. 

Cosa aspetti? Per scoprire di più sulle nostre offerte vai sul sito enel.it, visita i negozi Enel o chiama al numero verde 800 900 860.

From the conscious use of air conditioners to smart strategies for heat insulation and natural ventilation in the home, reducing energy consumption in summer is easier than it looks. It is important because it helps to limit polluting emissions, linked above all to the intensive use of cooling devices with low energy efficiency; to keep bills down, as they tend to increase in the hottest months of the year, consumption being equal; and finally, to improve living comfort, avoiding thermal shocks for healthier and more liveable environments. 

What are you waiting for? To find out more about our offers go to enel.it, visit Enel shops or call the toll-free number 800 900 860.