The amount of energy you can save by not using lights and air conditioning when you're not home depends on various factors such as the energy consumption of the devices, the duration of non-use, and the climate conditions in your area. Let's break down the potential energy savings for each component:
Lights: The energy consumption of lights depends on the type of bulbs you use (incandescent, CFL, LED) and their wattage. On average, a 60-watt incandescent bulb consumes 60 watt-hours (Wh) of electricity in one hour of use. A 10-watt LED bulb consumes 10 Wh in one hour. If you typically leave lights on for, say, 5 hours a day when you're home, turning them off when you're away could save you 5 x 60 Wh (or 5 x 10 Wh for LED) per day.
Air Conditioning: Air conditioning energy consumption varies depending on the size and efficiency of the unit, the outside temperature, and the desired indoor temperature. Central air conditioning systems generally consume more energy than smaller window units or split ACs. The efficiency of the unit (measured by SEER or EER rating) also plays a role.
To estimate potential savings, you'd need to know the power consumption of your specific air conditioning system and the number of hours you'd typically run it when you're home. For example, if you run your air conditioner for 8 hours a day and it consumes an average of 1500 watts (1.5 kW), not using it for a day when you're away could save you 8 x 1.5 kWh of electricity.
To calculate the total energy savings, you would sum the energy savings from lights and air conditioning.
For instance, let's say your daily energy savings for lights amount to 200 Wh (0.2 kWh) and your air conditioning contributes 8 x 1.5 kWh = 12 kWh. The total daily energy savings would be 0.2 kWh + 12 kWh = 12.2 kWh.
Over a month, these savings can add up significantly, especially during long periods of absence like vacations or business trips. Remember that actual savings will vary depending on your energy rates and how often you're away from home. To get a more accurate estimate, you can check your energy bills and appliance specifications, or use energy monitoring devices to track consumption in real-time.