Of all the recent price increases, the most notable is the change in electricity rates. The electric company warns of price increases, the public is called out, the elected officials fail to do much, and in the end the price goes up and the public pays, because unlike any other product or service that can be consumed less or look for a cheaper replacement, electricity has no substitute: the private and commercial customer, the wealthy And the poor, who is cold in the winter and hot in the summer – we all consume electricity.
Electricity rates became more expensive after the Electricity Authority announced at the end of last year that it intends to raise the price by 8.2% to 53.1 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh), compared to 49.06 cents before VAT, which was the price until now. The reason for the increase this time, a second significant increase in several months, is a jump recorded this year in coal prices, which is used to produce 22% of Israel’s electricity.
The price will continue to climb
“The increase in electricity prices is not the first and probably not the last in a series of expected increases in electricity prices,” explains Prof. Aral Avinari, head of the master’s degree program in energy systems engineering and electric power supply at Afka, the Tel Aviv Academic College of Engineering.
“The increase reflects increases in the prices of electricity generation inputs, caused, among other things, by the war between Russia and Ukraine. Like most countries in the world, Israel also relies on fossil fuels, oil, natural gas and coal, and is therefore affected by global trends. The transition to the use of renewable energies, mainly Against the background of the depletion of fossil energy resources and the ecological damage created as a result of this energy consumption and especially the effect on climate change is particularly slow in Israel. Therefore, there is a high probability that even in the coming years electricity prices will continue to climb. Even with the particularly high rate of natural reproduction in Israel, alongside the increase in the level of consumption per inhabitant, There is a major impact on the economic aspects of energy consumption in Israel – and mainly due to the need to develop infrastructures that will meet these demands.”
What can be done to stop the price increase?
“A more massive transition to the production of renewable energies, where most of the contribution will come from the utilization of solar energy in open and agricultural areas. One of the challenges in this context is the existing shortage of land in Israel today and additional development and conservation constraints on the land resource due to the expected population growth, such as construction, agriculture and transportation.”
According to the government’s decision, by the year 2030 30% of electricity production in Israel will be from renewable energy, mainly solar-based and some wind-based, with an intermediate goal of 20% electricity production from renewable energies by the year 2025. “Experience shows that the Israeli government is unable to meet the goals it sets for itself. in reducing the use of coal and increasing the use of renewable energies,” says Avinari. “On the other hand, there are voices calling for the State of Israel to set more ambitious goals and even to reach 95% renewable energies within 30 years. Thanks to the geopolitical situation in the Middle East, Israel’s electricity sector is a kind of “energy island”, when it is not possible to deliver or receive electricity from neighboring countries. Therefore, it is possible and desirable to divert excess electricity production from renewable energies, mainly for the purpose of storage. These are moves that involve increasing the storage capacity to a significant level and a large financial investment, but thanks to the economic and environmental benefits, this scenario must be examined and the road map created that will lead the State of Israel to economic stability and independence energetic”.
It will be hot
Every Israeli child knows that home heating devices are energy consumers that affect the electricity bill. In light of the recent price increase, the question arises as to whether it is possible to beat the electricity bill and soften the financial burden for Israeli homes.
“The air conditioner is the most economical and efficient means of heating,” says Nati Maktam, director of engineering at Electra Climate and Energy Systems. “The reason for this lies in a term called the heat efficiency coefficient. The higher the heating efficiency coefficient (COP), the higher the ratio between the system’s output and the electricity consumption of that device and it gives us more, and consumes less.”
Nati Maktam (photo: photos: Inbal Marmari, Afka College, Oz Moalem, courtesy of Electra, Mila Aviv, Flash 90)What causes the air conditioner to consume less electricity?
“The prolonged operation of the compressor at different frequencies in the inverter technology, compared to the switching on and off in normal air conditioners. The air conditioner works according to the output required in the room at any moment, no more and no less, instead of using the maximum output all the time. Many of the air conditioners are ON/OFF technology, which is actually Technology that is more ‘wasteful’ in electricity and energy, thus more harmful to the environment. Only 5% of air conditioners today have INVERTER technology.”
Is there anything that can be done to help the air conditioner save?
“Activate the I feel software. Press the I feel button on the air conditioner remote control and place it far away and in eye contact with the indoor unit. With this action, the feeling of temperature passes from the evaporator unit to the remote control, thus significantly improving the heating operation in the room space, and saving us from unnecessary amplification of the temperature. Beyond that, it is important to keep the filters clean, and clean them every 3 months and make sure that the shutters of the air outlet from the air conditioner are directed at an angle of 45 downwards, because the hot air that the air conditioner emits rises up. This will create air circulation and more efficient air conditioning of the room.”
Maktam explains that the recommended temperature for lower electricity consumption of the air conditioner is between 23-25 degrees, but in the end it’s about comfort and you can heat more or less if necessary. “For example, as soon as we set the temperature above 27 degrees, the outdoor unit will work longer to reach the temperature we required in the room space, which will lead to higher electricity consumption and higher costs of heating the house.”
David Hakek, CEO of BSH, the official importer of Bosch, Constructa, Gagnau and Siemens, agrees with the fact that the operating program of the electric product affects the savings in the electricity it consumes.
“There are operating programs designed to save electricity, for example in the oven, it is recommended to choose the Hot Air Eco program, which is found in almost all ovens today and consumes less electricity. When operating the washing machine or the dishwasher, it is better to choose long-term programs that save a lot of electricity, as well as water. For example, the ECO program that washes the The clothes and tools in a less intensive and longer way, saves electricity and money and reaches the same result.”
David Hakkak, Dean of BSH (Photo: Inbal Marmari)Does the water temperature in the washing machine and dishwasher affect the electricity consumption?
“Definitely. Running the washing machine in the 90-degree boiling program consumes a lot of electricity, so it is recommended to run this program only when the machine is full. As for the washer dryer, it is important to choose a HeatPump dryer with a heat pump that produces hot air, using the same method as an air conditioner or refrigerator, without using a heating element Traditional and wasteful. The pump enables significant electricity savings of a few shekels per operation. In the dishwasher sector, it is advisable to use a dishwasher with zeolite – a synthetic mineral that does not harm nature and boils immediately in contact with water. The material absorbs moisture and emits heat, thus saving electricity. As for saving electricity in refrigerators “, explains Hakek, “There is a meaning to innovation. An old refrigerator consumes 4 times more electricity compared to the new refrigerators of today or those of a few years ago. For travelers abroad for a week or more, it is recommended to move the temperature of the refrigerator to 14 degrees considering that products such as Tahini, ketchup and eggs can be at this temperature for a long time.”
You can also choose in advance to purchase electrical products with a low energy rating.
“That’s right. Comparing a clothes dryer with a heat pump and energy rating A to a clothes dryer with a normal heating element and energy rating C, you see that a dryer with an energy rating A consumes 1.87 kWh, compared to an energy rating C that consumes 4.68 kWh. If you translate this For money – energy rating A requires NIS 1.07 per operating cycle, compared to energy rating C requiring NIS 2.68 per operating cycle, and the meaning is saving quite a bit of electricity and money in the long term (according to 57 pennies per kWh – mg)”.
Mocking Resh
Eran Weintraub, CEO of Leta, an organization that works to reduce poverty, for the sake of creating a just and better society while helping populations in need, motivating civil society for mutual commitment and giving and leading a change in the order of national priorities, says that over the years Israel has become a rich country for poor people. “The outbreak of the Corona virus and the war Between Russia and Ukraine have resulted in a global increase in the prices of raw materials, transportation and energy, with the continuation of the trend being manifested in inflation and the increase in interest rates in the economy, alongside additional increases in the prices of electricity, fuel, food and other consumer products. The cost of living affects many, but it primarily affects the weaker sections, who find it difficult to survive and meet the basic needs necessary to live with dignity and whose purchasing power was limited even before.”
Eran Weintraub (Photo: Oz Moalem)How does this manifest itself in everyday dealings?
“One of the clear expressions that illustrate the meaning of living in poverty is the system of concessions that the elderly, families and children are forced to make due to the economic hardship. Poor families find themselves debating on a daily basis whether to buy food or medicine, pay rent or the electricity bill.”
What does the increase in electricity prices mean for poor families?
“For normal families, dealing with unexpected expenses is part of life. But according to the alternative poverty report of Leta for 2022, 76% of aid supporters will not be able to deal with an unexpected expense or at most will be able to pay tens of shekels. Only 7.8% will be able to deal with an expense unplanned of more than NIS 1,000.
In the alternative poverty report, among other things, an examination was conducted in relation to “energy poverty”, which means the inability to ensure sufficient energy for the basic needs of the household such as: supplying hot water, heating the house or operating electrical appliances. As part of the developed estimate, it was discovered that 86% of the aid supporters are in a state of energy shortage, of which 38.5% are in a state of severe energy shortage. 51.2% of the aid supporters were disconnected from electricity or received a warning letter before disconnection, 53.3% could not afford to operate a heating or cooling device according to their needs, and a fifth (20.4%) do not have such a device at all and cannot buy it themselves. In addition, 44.2% of aid supporters had to frequently choose between paying the electricity bill and purchasing basic products such as food or prescription drugs.”
And winter adds another challenge related to electricity – we have to warm up.
“True. And with the sharp increase in electricity prices, it will make it even more difficult for families and deepen the poverty and scarcity in which they find themselves. It is impossible to accept the reality in which a Holocaust survivor wraps himself in several blankets because he is afraid to turn on the stove because he has no way to pay the electricity bill.”