Electricity use depends not only on an appliance’s power rating but also on how long and how often it runs. A Spanish household study cited by La Nación estimated that refrigerators account for about 29% of home electricity use.
Because a refrigerator runs around the clock, it can contribute more to a bill than a high-powered appliance used only briefly. La Nación cited Spain’s SPAHOUSEC project, which estimated that refrigerators accounted for about 29% of electricity use in an average household.
Electrician Juan Sorengo said televisions and washing machines each represented more than 11%. Appliances left on standby could add about 9%, the article said. Other high-use devices include electric water heaters, irons, air conditioners, ovens and tumble dryers.
Savings can come from setting a refrigerator to an appropriate temperature, switching off devices when they are not needed and running efficient wash cycles with full loads. An appliance’s power rating alone does not determine its total consumption. How many hours and how often it runs also matter. The figures cited are based on Spanish households and may differ depending on a home and its usage.