From Vernon Hockley, Great Barrow, Cheshire, UK
On the subject of the 2000-watt energy-saving challenge, we consume energy at the rate of 12,000 kilowatts per year to run our house of five people and charge an electric car(11 February, p 36).
This equates to a rate of energy use of 1400 watts an hour. We have no gas, just a ground source heat pump and solar panels. Two of us are retired and are at home often during the day. The heat pump provides a uniform temperature 24/7. Our energy use leaves scope in the 2000-watt target for energy related to food production.
