Christmas is around the corner, and what would it be without the magic of lights around the tree and outside the house? We use electricity to fuel so many aspects of our festive celebrations, and without it, the season wouldn’t quite be the same.
To get into the Christmas spirit, we’re excited to share some electricity-related facts with you. All of them are festive in nature and highlight how crucial electricity is to our celebrations, but also how far we have come with things like green energy as we move towards a fossil-fuel-free future. It’s time to memorise these facts so that you can show off your knowledge around the dinner table this Christmas.
Dreaming of a Green Christmas
39.9% of the UK’s energy comes from renewable sources, which makes 2022 our greenest Christmas yet. Even better is the fact that approximately 97% of the energy produced in Scotland comes from renewables, which shows just how far we have come in trying to make the planet a better place.
Goodbye Teatime Peak Time
Usually, dinner time is when we see peak power consumption in the UK. It’s the moment that everyone switches the oven on and boils the kettle, but Christmas changes all of this. Since we usually eat earlier on Christmas Day and are prone to snacking, peak electricity usage tends to happen at around 13:30 instead. After that, it drops down as we all snooze and chill out after our massive feasts.
Lighting Up Christmas
Before electricity, Christmas trees were lit with candles. It was beautiful but also a bit of a fire hazard. In 1882, Edward Hibberd Johnson modified the lightbulb to create Christmas tree lights for his New York home. His creation changed Christmas forever and is the reason why our homes are so bright every year.
The Power of Eels
Did you know that the Enoshima Aquarium in Japan once used electric eels from the Amazon to power the lights for their Christmas tree in 2010? Every time an electric eel moves it can generate up to 800w of electricity, which is pretty incredible. It certainly made for a festive spectacle.
Watching Your Power Consumption
Christmas lights can use a lot of electricity (especially the outdoor ones) but since they are on consistently there is no need to worry about them crashing the grid. However, with increasing power costs it might be worth watching your power consumption. Switching to solar lights or energy-efficient Christmas lights can save you a little cash while also being more environmentally friendly.
To Conclude
Christmas is a wonderful time of year and one that is consistently filled with bright lights for everyone to admire. We hope this fact-filled article has been able to give you a little ammunition for the next family trivia night, but most of all we hope you have a fantastic Christmas and a wonderful New Year.