How to Lower Your Electricity Bill in Sydney: 5 Energy-Saving Electrical Tips

Electricity prices have climbed significantly in recent years (around 20% higher over the past three years in NSW without subsidies), leaving many Sydney homeowners looking for ways to save. The good news is, there are several simple electrical upgrades and habits that can cut your power usage and reduce bills. Here are five effective tips to lower your electricity bill while keeping your home comfortable.

1. Switch to LED Lighting

Lighting makes up about 5-10% of a typical household’s electricity use. Upgrading your old bulbs to LED lights is one of the quickest wins for energy savings. LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs use up to 75% less energy than halogen bulbs and last 5–10 times longer. That means immediate reductions on your lighting costs and fewer blown bulbs to replace. In fact, the upfront cost of LEDs usually pays for itself within a year through energy savings.

Why it helps: If you still have incandescent or halogen downlights, you’re burning money. For example, a 50W halogen downlight can be replaced with a 9W LED that provides the same brightness – an 80% reduction in consumption per light. Multiply that across your home’s lighting and the savings add up fast. Plus, LEDs run cooler (improving safety) and many are dimmable, giving you more control over energy use.

Tip: Consider hiring a licensed electrician to install LED downlights or swap old fixtures for LED-compatible ones. At ETS Electrical, we can retrofit modern LED lighting throughout your home safely and ensure the placement and wiring are correct for optimal efficiency.

2. Optimise Heating & Cooling with Efficient Appliances

Heating and cooling are often the biggest energy users, especially during Sydney’s hot summers and cool winters. To save power without sacrificing comfort, focus on efficiency and smart usage of these systems:

• Use ceiling fans to assist your air conditioning. Fans consume only a fraction of the electricity (typically 50–75 watts) compared to an air conditioner (2,000+ watts). In summer, run fans to feel 4–5°C cooler, which means you can set your AC a few degrees higher and still be comfortable. In winter, reverse the fan direction (if it has that feature) to push warm air down from the ceiling. ETS Electrical installs energy-efficient ceiling fans that can greatly reduce reliance on AC.

• Set sensible thermostat temperatures. Every degree matters. In summer, try setting your air con around 24°C instead of 18–20°C; in winter, aim for ~18–20°C on the heater. This prevents overworking your system. A rule of thumb is that each degree cooler or warmer can increase running costs by about 5–10%.

• Upgrade to energy-efficient appliances. If you’re due for a new fridge, air conditioner or heater, look at the energy star ratings. Modern inverter air conditioners, for example, use far less electricity than older models. While an appliance upgrade has an upfront cost, the lower running costs over time will pay you back. For big appliances like hot water systems, consider efficient heat pump models or solar hot water to significantly cut electricity usage.

• Use timers and smart controls. A lot of savings can come from simply not running things longer than needed. Add timer switches or smart plugs to electric heaters, pool pumps, or outdoor lighting so they turn off automatically. Smart thermostats and home automation systems allow scheduling and remote control of your AC or heater – meaning you won’t accidentally leave them running all day. Our team at ETS Electrical can install smart home controls so your devices only use power when necessary.

By optimising how you heat and cool your home – and using efficient appliances – you can stay comfortable year-round while consuming much less electricity.

3. Embrace Smart Home Technology for Energy Management

Smart home devices aren’t just convenient – they can also save you money by eliminating energy waste. Modern electrical technology gives you fine-tuned control over your home’s power usage. Here are a few ideas:

• Smart lighting systems: Motion sensors and smart switches ensure lights aren’t left on in empty rooms. For example, install sensor-triggered lights in infrequently used areas like hallways, garages or bathrooms. You can also use smart bulbs or a home automation hub to schedule lights or dim them during certain hours. Dimming an LED light by 50% can cut its energy use roughly in half.

• Smart plugs and power strips: These allow you to remotely turn off (or schedule off) anything plugged in – useful for cutting standby power draw. Many electronics like TVs, game consoles and microwaves continue to consume power in standby mode. A smart plug lets you fully shut them off via an app or timer when they’re not needed (like turning off the TV and entertainment system at midnight automatically).

• Smart thermostats and AC controllers: Devices like Google Nest or Sensibo can learn your schedule and temperature preferences. They’ll adjust heating/cooling when you’re out of the house or sleeping, ensuring minimum energy is used. Some can even sense when you’re on the way home (via phone GPS) and pre-cool or pre-heat efficiently.

• Energy monitoring systems: Consider installing an energy monitoring device on your electrical switchboard. These gadgets (like the Sense energy monitor or smart meter apps) show real-time power usage of your home. By seeing spikes and patterns, you can identify energy hogs and modify usage. It’s an eye-opener to see how much that old beer fridge in the garage is costing you, for instance.

By automating off switches and closely monitoring consumption, you take the guesswork out of saving energy. The initial setup can be done with the help of an electrician – ETS Electrical frequently helps Sydney homeowners integrate smart systems like C-Bus or simple smart plug kits. Once in place, your smart home will quietly trim waste and optimise electricity usage 24/7.

4. Use Appliances Efficiently and Cut Standby Power

How you use your appliances day-to-day has a big impact on your energy bill. Adopting a few efficient habits can lead to noticeable savings:

• Run full loads and use eco settings: Whether it’s the washing machine, dryer or dishwasher, try to operate them with full loads rather than many small loads. A half-empty dishwasher uses almost the same energy as a full one. Use cold water for laundry when possible (modern detergents work well in cold water, saving the heater element energy). And take advantage of any “eco” or energy-saving modes on appliances – they exist to use minimal power and still get the job done, even if they run a bit longer.

• Avoid peak usage times if you have time-of-use tariffs: Many Sydney households with smart meters are on time-of-use plans where electricity costs more during peak hours (typically early evening) and less during off-peak (late night). If you’re on such a plan, try running energy-hungry appliances like washing machines, dryers or pool pumps in the late evening or early morning when rates are cheaper. Some newer machines even have delay start timers specifically for this reason.

• Eliminate “vampire” standby drain: Walk around your home and notice how many little red or green lights are glowing on devices that are off – those indicate standby power draw. Chargers left plugged in, microwaves with digital clocks, idle game consoles, TVs awaiting remote signal – all consume trickles of electricity 24/7 that add up. The simple solution is to switch them off at the wall when not in use. You can use a master switch or smart power board for entertainment clusters (TV, sound system, streaming box) so one button cuts power to all. According to government energy data, standby power can account for 5–10% of a home’s electricity use if not managed. Unplugging devices or switching off the socket not only saves a few dollars each week but also reduces fire risk from faulty idle electronics.

• Maintain your appliances: A well-maintained appliance runs more efficiently. For example, clean the lint filter in your dryer every use – a clogged filter makes the dryer run longer. Defrost your old fridge/freezer periodically; thick ice buildup makes it work harder. Ensure fridge door seals are tight. Clean dusty air conditioner filters for better airflow. Little tune-ups like these help appliances draw less power to do the same job.

By being mindful and developing these habits, you’ll waste far less electricity in daily life. It doesn’t cost anything to change how you use what you already have – and the savings from efficiency are essentially “free” money on your power bill.

5. Consider Renewable Energy and Efficient Energy Sources

Finally, look into longer-term investments that can slash your grid electricity consumption:

• Install solar panels if feasible: Sydney has abundant sunshine, and rooftop solar photovoltaic systems have become more affordable and popular. A properly sized solar PV system can generate a significant portion of your home’s electricity for free during the day. Any surplus can feed back into the grid for credits, offsetting your night-time usage. Many Sydney homeowners with solar report dramatically lower quarterly bills – some even achieve net zero bills except for the daily service charge. While solar panels have an upfront cost, government rebates and interest-free loans are often available to help, and the systems typically pay for themselves in savings within 3-7 years. If you do get solar installed, ETS Electrical can assist with integrating the system safely with your home’s wiring (working alongside accredited solar installers).

• Upgrade to a smart meter or time-of-use plan: If your home still has an old analog electricity meter, you might be on a flat rate plan and not benefiting from flexible pricing. Upgrading to a smart digital meter (which a Level 2 electrician can install) opens up options like time-of-use plans or demand-based billing that could save you money if you can shift usage to off-peak times. With a smart meter, you’ll also get detailed data on your consumption, helping you make smarter choices. Many Sydney homes have already been upgraded, but if you haven’t, it’s worth discussing with your energy provider – often the upgrade is free or low-cost because the providers want them installed.

• Efficient hot water systems: Traditional electric hot water tanks are one of the biggest energy guzzlers (heating water can account for ~25% of home energy use). If yours is old, consider switching to a more efficient solution like a heat pump hot water system or a solar hot water unit. Heat pump systems use electricity much more sparingly by extracting heat from the air, and solar hot water obviously uses the sun. These upgrades can be pricey upfront but heavily cut ongoing power usage and often attract rebates. Even an instantaneous gas hot water system could be more cost-effective than an aging electric storage tank.

• Use off-peak for hot water or EV charging: If you have an electric hot water tank connected to a controlled load (off-peak tariff), make sure it’s functioning on that timer – it heats water at night on cheaper power. Similarly, if you drive an electric vehicle, schedule its charging after midnight when rates are lowest. This way, even energy-intensive needs have a minimal impact on your wallet.

Every home is different, so the key is to assess which renewable or efficient solution fits your situation and budget. You don’t have to implement everything at once – even one solar battery or a heat pump can start compounding savings. For tailored advice, consider an energy audit by a professional. At ETS Electrical, we help Sydney homeowners identify the best electrical upgrades for energy efficiency – from LED lighting plans to installing smart meters and efficient appliances. With the right combination of immediate tweaks and long-term investments, you can take control of your power bills and enjoy a more energy-efficient home.