Electronic goods guzzling power

The trust blames the rising number of electronic items in homes

The amount of energy used by consumer electronics and domestic appliances in UK homes will double by 2010, said a report from the Energy Saving Trust.

It said the rise in popularity of computers and games consoles has created a huge extra need for power.

The large volume of sales has wiped out the effect of energy efficiency measures in new devices, it found.

By 2010 digital TV set-top boxes alone will cost up to £780m a year to run, said the trust.

Hungry households

A typical 1970s home contained just 17 energy-using products such as washing machines.

Three decades later juicers and electric toothbrushes have helped to double the number of electricity-hungry items in the average household.

Central heating systems are still the biggest culprits when it comes to guzzling electricity.

However, the trust is concerned that consumer devices will fuel a major rise in domestic energy demand by the end of this decade.

The Energy Savings Trust is a non-profit organisation funded by both the government and the private sector.