Celebrating the equiwatt community: Meet Rosemary and Sharon

Here at equiwatt, we are very much of the opinion that when it comes to sustainability, every action, no matter how small, can contribute to a greener future.

One of the main focuses of the equiwatt app is to make it as easy as possible for our amazing community of users to play their part in helping transform the UK's energy system by collectively engaging in our energy shifting events.

Although switching off your appliances for an hour may not feel like you are doing much, when thousands of us take similar actions simultaneously, the effects can prevent the need for coal and gas power plants being used to generate electricity during the busiest times of the day!

With equiwatt, doing your bit to help relieve pressure on the grid at peak times is not just good for the planet but rewarding too! This sentiment rings especially true for two of our users, Rosemary and Sharon.

Pictured left to right: Sharon O. and Rosemary C.

Not only did they play their part by participating in our powerDOWN events, run as part of National Grid ESO's Demand Flexibility Service (DFS), but each won £500 in our monthly prize draw for their dedication to energy conservation!

In this blog, we will delve into their experiences with equiwatt and their journey towards a more sustainable lifestyle.

Mark: Tell us a little bit about yourselves. 

Rosemary: I’m a retired School Business Director living with my partner in the West Midlands.  

Sharon: I'm 56 years old and I'm retired. I live in North Wales and spend a lot of time travelling around the UK in the motorhome that my partner and I own. 

Mark: How did you first learn about the equiwatt app? 

Rosemary:  I found out about the equiwatt app by accident when I was scrolling through the Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert website.

Sharon: I think I saw the equiwatt app come up on Google.

Mark: What motivated you to take part in powerDOWN events?

Rosemary:  It seems such an easy thing to do with the opportunity to reduce my energy costs and gain points towards rewards too - and I do like a challenge.

Sharon: I've always had an interest in environmental issues and taking part in something that helped in reducing my consumption of energy interested me.

Mark: How has your experience been using the equiwatt app?

Rosemary: I have found the app easy to use and I seem to find out more about the features each time I use it.  I do like being able to see the usage I am aiming to stay below during an event and the ability to see my daily and half-hourly energy consumption (which is a lot easier than trying to do this via my smart meter).

Sharon: I have found the equiwatt app very easy to use. It is always good to see when I have consumed less energy than the predicted amount.

Mark: How did it feel to win the £500 prize draw?

Rosemary: I was very sceptical when I was first told I had won a prize and I didn’t really believe it until the money appeared in my account. Now we just need to decide what to spend it on!

Sharon: I was not ever expecting to have won the £500 prize draw. I have never been one to have won prizes much.

Mark: Has participating in powerDOWN events changed your energy habits?

Rosemary: When you see how much energy you have saved, this does encourage you to think about all the devices which you leave on or on standby and consider whether these can be turned off outside of a powerDOWN event.

Sharon: It has made me think that if I can do without having for instance the lights on for an hour, then that's what I will do. 

Mark: Have you found it easy to reduce your energy usage with the equiwatt app?

Rosemary: Yes, we have found it very easy to reduce energy usage.  It just takes a bit of planning to maybe adjust our normal routine temporarily.

Sharon: It has been so easy to reduce my energy usage during peak times. I will do the clothes washing, cooking etc before or after a planned powerDOWN event is going to happen. 

Mark: Have you noticed any positive impacts on energy bills since using the equiwatt app?

Rosemary: Not yet as we are fairly new to equiwatt but I do think we joined the scheme at a time when our energy usage would normally have been high and we have hopefully made some savings.

Sharon:  I have seen a slight drop in the bills, as my consumption has lessened.

Mark: Do you have any tips for others looking to save energy and money on their bills?

Rosemary: Being challenged to reduce your energy usage encourages you to look around for all the common devices and equipment around the house which can so easily just sit on standby and consider whether you can actually turn them off, hopefully saving on energy bills in the longer term.

Sharon: I try to do most of my cooking on my induction hob rather than use the oven. 

Mark: How do you feel about supporting the National Grid ESO's Demand Flexibility Service (DFS)?

Rosemary: I am lucky that I can have some flexibility in my energy usage times and although I feel I only play a very small part in energy reduction, hopefully as the number of people taking part grows, the impact will be greater.

Sharon: It can only be a good thing contributing to demand flexibility and supporting the National Grid ESO's Demand Flexibility Service. If we all make the effort then it will equate to making a significant difference to our planet.

Mark: What would you say to someone considering using the equiwatt app and taking part in powerDOWN events?

Rosemary: Go for it!  What have you got to lose?  You can choose whether to opt in to an event or not so if it’s not a convenient time for you, you don’t need to take part.

Sharon: I would encourage them to do it immediately. It takes very little effort but will make such a difference, and the bonus is the nice reward you can get from collecting the points.

Mark: How has your experience of powerDOWN events influenced your opinion on the importance of services such as National Grid ESO's DFS?

Rosemary: I wasn’t really aware of demand flexibility services before taking part in the equiwatt events but having done a little reading, I now know what they are and why they are important.

Sharon: It has made me want to continue with it because I know that I'm doing my small bit in helping use less energy.

Mark: Do you plan to continue taking part in powerDOWN events?

Rosemary: Yes, where we can.  It’s a win-win situation if it reduces my energy costs.

Sharon: Yes I will continue to participate in all future events. I want to set a good example to my sons and to encourage them to do the

Have Rosemary and Sharon's stories inspired you to take simple steps towards reducing your energy footprint, one powerDOWN event at a time? Join them and the rest of the equiwatt community by downloading our free app to start earning rewards for helping the planet and saving energy at home!

Here's to a brighter, greener tomorrow, powered by the collective efforts of individuals like Rosemary, Sharon and you! 😉