This hidden electricity drain can have a massive impact

AP ^ | 9/3/2025 | AYA DIAB

[antidemoncrat]

The lights are off, the house is quiet and nothing seems to be running. But electricity is silently flowing through the plugs in your home. This hidden drain is known as phantom energy. Also called vampire energy, the wasted electricity comes from leaving devices plugged in when they’re not in use.

[antidemoncrat]

I remember when they first started putting LEDs in appliances they were called energy vampires. Now almost every appliance has at least one in it.

[Red Badger]

And everything has a computer in it and wifi...................

[ClearCase_guy]

The government should do us a favor and just stop the transmission of electricity to our houses between the hours of 9PM and 6AM. That way the Data Farms will have enough electricity to run AI and control society. [/s]

[Sicon]

Phantom energy contributes to climate change because power drawn by unused devices can increase demand for electricity from sources that release planet-warming emissions.

[1Old Pro]

Phantom energy contributes to climate change because power drawn by unused devices can increase demand for electricity from sources that release planet-warming emissions. Aidan Charron, associate director of Global Earth Day, said that while the amount may seem small when a person looks at their individual utility bill, the environmental toll of phantom energy is significant when multiplied over homes across the country.

So this is a climate change fear mongering article.

[larrytown]

Sounds like more ‘slippery slope’ arguments to reach that magical 500 million count.

[Bikkuri]

[George from New England]

Just one solar panel will more than offset this so called daily waste

[Sirius Lee]

Phantom Energy's gonna get ya!

[Sicon]

Your post was: 9/4/2025, 9:27:52 AM · 7 of 9

7 of 9?!

[TexasFreeper2009]

9 of 9 in my opinion ;)

[Leaning Right]

> Also called vampire energy… <

They’re not kidding. I don’t go down to my basement much anymore. But went down one day last month, and this guy was running a high-end computer and a microwave.

[ScottHammett]

If only it were so easy. Solar panels cannot be directly connected to a home’s electrical service. Other, expensive components are required, as is a licensed electrician. By the time your done, the payback period will exceed the life of the panel.

[ansel12]

I have a few items that I was annoyed to find they draw about 6 watts apiece when not in use, an over the stove microwave that I use as a countertop and audioengine speakers I have attached to my kitchen laptop for music, and a couple of other things, I use plug switches for them.

[George from New England]

If he was running a miner, youd be broke. Bitcoin

[chiller]

Oh Aya Aya Aya...

“sustainable” blah blah...”450 tons of carbon dioxide” blah blah blah...

Stuff it all.

[George from New England]

One panel, one micro inverter and no permit

[poinq]

So anything with bluetooth or wireless wifi or cameras or motion detectors. All these things use electricity continuously. Even if they are doing nothing other than survailing.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

This wasted electricity accounts for about 5% to 10% of home energy use, depending on factors like the age of the equipment, according to Alexis Abramson, dean of the Columbia Climate School.

The anatomy of how a useless story came into being - Alexis Abramson wanted publicity for her useless school so she invents a catchy scare-phrase like "vampire energy" and gets a fellow-traveler reporter to write a story to get low information people scared that they have to unplug everything in their house unless they are using it.

[smokingfrog]

If you have a newer house, your breaker box will be full of AFCI & GFCI breakers that use power all the time, even if nothing on the circuit might be in use. I guess you should turn off all your breakers for the circuits you’re not using at the moment too.