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ENERGY FIRMS SAY A FEW SIMPLE ACTIONS COULD SAVE YOU BETWEEN 10 AND 15% It is generally agreed that you can save money on your energy bills by optimising your use of household appliances and

by unplugging standby devices, but by how much? _The Connexion_ contacted two of France's main energy providers to find out more. Here's what they said... READ ALSO: UK AND FRENCH

MAYORS HOLD POST-BREXIT MEET-UP ON ENERGY AND MOBILITY HOW CAN I SAVE MONEY ON MY ENERGY BILLS IN FRANCE? Voltalis, a French company that sells an electric heating system which can be

controlled remotely, told _The Connexion_ their solution helps members save up to 15% on their energy bills. Likewise, multinational energy-provider Engie has made available studies on

helpful tricks for lowering energy consumption, which show that switching off devices left on standby could save an average of 11% on bills. Combining both solutions could help save from

€330 to €500 per year, depending on the size of the household. Reducing energy consumption has been a key priority of suppliers and government policy in recent months, as France is affected

by the rise in global market rates and the threat of winter shortages caused by tensions relating to the war in Ukraine. READ MORE: HEATING IN FLATS, SOLAR PANELS, PRICE RISES: FRENCH

GOVERNMENT Q&A READ MORE: ELECTRICITY SHORTAGE IN FRANCE: WILL THERE BE POWER CUTS THIS WINTER? The government has announced that the _bouclier tarifaire_ (price cap) on gas and

electricity prices which was implemented in autumn 2021 had cost the state €24billion as of September 1, 2022. However, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne has also stated that regulated gas and

electricity prices are to be capped at a 15% rise in France in 2023, and this has been confirmed in the projet de loi de finances budget. READ MORE: REGULATED FRENCH GAS AND ELECTRIC BILLS

CAPPED AT 15% RISE IN 2023 “An electric heating system combined with a hot water tank represents 77% of a household’s energy consumption,” said Olivier Dupuy, director of communication,

digital and marketing services at Voltalis. “This is where you can work out how to reduce your energy bills,” he added. Voltalis’ remote heating system applies to households that use

electricity only and gives full data on its consumption, allowing members to see and monitor their personal usage. Household energy systems in France are split roughly into thirds, with one

third being full electric, the second powered by gas and the last by other energy sources such as heating oil. Voltalis offers an app which can help customers to control their usage. Users

can reduce their consumption when they are out of the house or asleep, and set a time for the heating to come back on. Voltalis members have reported saving between €250 and €300 on average

per year in energy bills, but some households have seen their bills slashed by €500, Mr Dupuy said. He added that studies have suggested that people tend to consume less when they have

detailed personal knowledge of how their usage affects their bill. “You do not deprive yourself of energy,” he said, but rather consume in a smarter way. Some may say that energy suppliers

looking to make a profit will never help people to significantly reduce their consumption, but Mr Dupuy responded that technological tools allow customers to use the energy more

intelligently than under past decades. READ ALSO: 'AUTOMATIC WATER HEATER SWITCH-OFF COULD SAVE FRANCE FROM BLACKOUTS' €80 FROM ELECTRICAL ITEMS ON STANDBY Households not powered

by electricity can look out for other solutions to lower energy consumption such as turning off devices which would normally be left on standby. Devices on standby have been estimated to

cost 11% of a household's total yearly bills, or around €80, by the French agency for ecological transition, Ademe. In concrete terms, television cathode-ray tubes, multi-function

printers, routers, game consoles and DVD players each consume between 30 kWh and 70 kWh per year while on standby, according to a 2016 study from the Swiss government energy office. Engie

has equally advised its clients to unplug as often as they can. The unplugging of electrical items could save up to 250kWh per year according to another study by the Ademe. Ademe also

recommends unplugging one’s WiFi box instead of the washing machine, as the former consumes more than 200kWh per year, while the latter consumes 100kWh. A plugged-in dryer, however, can

consume around 600 kWh per year, Engie warned, advising customers to use theirs only in winter if possible, or favour longer cycles with low temperatures. RELATED ARTICLES HOW TO CHECK WHEN

ELECTRICITY USAGE IS UNDER STRAIN IN FRANCE STOP LIT-UP ADVERT SCREENS AND PRIVATE JETS, URGE FRENCH CAMPAIGNERS