Problem

Energy Consumption

The stove is responsible for 1.8% of energy consumption in US households.  This can be greatly reduced by simply following some of the tips below. 

Age

If your stove is 7-10 years old, it could be even less efficient than an oven manufactured recently.  This makes it all the more important to follow simple tips to reduce the energy use of this appliance.

Solution

Go Green Living Tips

Hood Fans

Only use a hood fan when you absolutely need to, such as when you are cooking bacon or frying.  The range hood does not need to engage unless there is actually something for it to push out. 

A Spot of Tea

Use an electric kettle rather than boiling water on the stove – it is more efficient and heats up the water faster for your tea.  It uses half the power of the usual method of boiling the kettle on the stove. 

Pots and Pans

Keep them covered to cook food faster, and use only the burner size that fits your pot. 

Thaw It

In addition to taking less time to cook and cooking more evenly, defrosted items take less energy to cook. 

Preheating is Passé

Contrary to popular mythos, most newer ovens heat up fairly quickly and do not need to preheat more than a minute or two. 

Nuke it, Don’t Cook It

Microwave ovens are 80% more energy efficient than ovens when it comes to reheating. 

Super Green Me Tips

Buying a New Stove

Most newer stoves are manufactured with energy efficiency in mind.  Interestingly, stoves are not Energy Star rated.

Also, self-cleaning ovens have more insulation and are therefore more efficient.  Along with the new stove, consider purchasing an Energy Star rated range hood.

Convection ovens cook food more thoroughly in half the time – they simply have a fan that blows the heat over the top of the dish. 

Gas ovens are roughly three times as energy efficient as electric stoves.  If you have a gas hookup, choose this as your range of choice for a greener stove. 

Solar Ovens – Uber Green Me

Want to go the distance with making your oven green?  The ultimate way is with a solar oven.  These take longer to cook foods, typically 2-4 hours for most dishes, but they cost nothing to run.  Foods also do not scorch in a solar oven, so it is not necessary to stir them.  They will even work in winter.  Considering the rising chicness of outdoor living rooms and the low cost of a solar oven – around 200.00 – it can’t hurt to try them out. 

Effectiveness / Result

The Facts

Simply thawing out food before cooking it or putting a lid on a pot can help you conserve energy in your kitchen.  Even though the stove is only responsible for 1.8% of your household energy consumption, you can make a slight difference with the easy measures above. 

Installing a solar oven is the optimal green stove choice for your household.  If you can deal with cooking on a barbeque, the solar oven is quite similar and can bring your cooking costs down to zero. 

References

• Proposed Rules for Energy Conservation Standards for various appliances, including stoves
• http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/residential/pdfs/aham_anopr_111507.pdf
• Greenpeace Canada – In the Kitchen
• http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/take-action/greentips/kitchen