The Zerofy Blog

Tips and tools for the electrified household.

Latest articles

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Können Wärmepumpen im Winter funktionieren?

Es wird kälter auf der Nordhalbkugel, und der Winter ist schneller da, als man denkt. Mit fallenden Temperaturen tauchen wir in ein Thema ein, das etwas komplex sein kann: Wie funktionieren Wärmepumpen, wenn es draußen kalt ist?

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12 Ways to Reduce Your Household Carbon Footprint

You may have heard the term carbon footprint used before to describe the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from the consumption of fossil fuels by an individual. So, what about the household carbon footprint? This is the CO2 emissions produced by everyone living in a single household, and importantly, it encompasses shared resources that can often be left out by the individual carbon footprint calculation.

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Zerofy’s favourite climate newsletters for staying informed

In the midst of the climate challenge, one thing that gives us great optimism is that there are so many intelligent and committed people working on solutions and providing resources on what we can do. Sharing of insights, innovations, news, and recommendations for individual climate action are all important for tackling the defining challenge of our time.

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Driving Electric Vehicles in Winter: Fact vs Fiction

Are you considering purchasing an EV, but unsure if your cold winters make it a practical choice? It is a valid question to ask, especially if you are unfamiliar with EVs and know the effect cold weather can have on electronics that operate on batteries. Zerofy has highlighted some of the main considerations, plus misconceptions, about driving an EV in winter so you can make the best decision based on your climate.

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New Smart WiFi Plug Integration with Shelly & myStrom

We have just released a new feature in the Zerofy app that allows users to connect their Shelly and myStrom Smart WiFi plugs. This means that users can measure energy usage and associated carbon dioxide emissions for their various household devices via these plugs. By connecting these Smart WiFi plugs, you will have real-time and automated insights into how much electricity your household devices are using, and the effect this is having on your overall household carbon footprint.

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Efficiency for the Win: Tesla's Model Y is our EV of the Month

We’ve already covered some pioneering EVs in Zerofy’s EV of the Month series, including the Nissan Leaf and the BMW i3. But the elephant in the room when it comes to market-defining EVs are of course Tesla’s Model S, Model 3, and the Tesla Model Y, our pick for EV of the month in October. While you may think this is not the most creative choice, hear us out: there are good reasons why the Model Y has been such a sustained and dominant choice.

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What is COP27? Key issues, what to expect, and why it matters

What is COP27? The acronym COP stands for Conference of the Parties. COP is where major decisions are made by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Once a year, signatory governments gather to discuss and negotiate how they are going to work together to combat climate change. Each UN member state is a signatory, plus Palestine, the Cook Islands, and Niue. This year will be the 27th time signatories have gathered for this conference, hence the moniker COP27.

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Heat pumps 101: How they work and emissions reductions capabilities

The heating of homes makes up a high share of energy use in countries that have variable and cold climates. In the European Union in 2020, home heating was the main use of energy by households at 62.8% of final energy consumption in the residential sector [1]. Additionally, 15% was used for water heating. At the same time, oil and gas are still the main fuels burned by most local boilers [2].

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What is a smart plug? How they save energy & reduce emissions.

A smart plug is a device that fits in between the power socket in your wall and an appliance. They are similar in appearance to power adapters you may have used when traveling. The reason they get the ‘smart’ moniker is because these plugs allow you to control the appliance they’re plugged into remotely, enabling them to function in more environmentally efficient and useful ways.

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Always know when your electricity is greenest: new Zerofy app feature

In the transition to a zero carbon lifestyle, we’re all trying to make the smartest decisions possible. Access to accurate information and data is a key part of determining how and when we use energy. We’re excited to announce a new feature in the Zerofy app that empowers you to easily see when electricity is greenest, so you can determine the best time for higher energy household activities.

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Reservestrom für Netzausfälle! Der Ford F150 Lightning ist unser Elektroauto des Monats September 2022

Für die Wahl des EV des Monats gibt es zwei Gründe. Erstens: Angesichts der Energiekrise in Europa ist die Netzstabilität in aller Munde. Hier können Elektrofahrzeuge mit Notstromfunktion (V2G, vehicle to grid, oder V2H, vehicle to home) eine wichtige Rolle bei der Stabilisierung des Netzes spielen. Zweitens: Wir haben zwar über E-Fahrzeuge aller Größen und Formen berichtet, aber einen Pickup-Truck hatten wir noch nicht als unser E-Fahrzeug des Monats. Daher stellen wir Ihnen den Ford F150 Lightning vor: ein Pickup-Truck mit großartiger V2H-Unterstützung.

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Zero carbon living: what would it cost today?

In order to avoid the most significant impacts from climate change, warming has to be limited to 1.5°-2° Celsius. This could be achieved by decarbonising all human activities, including transport, energy, and food. It requires widespread cooperation to reach zero emissions globally, including the public sector, businesses, but also households. In fact, households are indirectly responsible for about 70% of global emissions.

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How green is your electricity? An introduction to carbon intensity

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past few months, you’ve certainly heard about the expected critical gas and electricity supply situation in Europe towards the winter. Driven by Russia’s reduction of gas deliveries to Europe, the French Nuclear plants struggling with planned and unplanned maintenance, and particularly hot and dry summer, energy prices across Europe have been skyrocketing. These recent developments come on top of an already ongoing transition of our electricity and energy systems to achieve lower CO2 emissions.

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Wie viel Strom produziert ein Solarmodul? Eine Zusammenfassung der wichtigsten Fakten zur Solarenergie

Mit Solarzellen erzeugter Strom ist ein wesentlicher Bestandteil der Dekarbonisierung unseres Strom- und Energiesystems. Im Gegensatz zur herkömmlichen Stromversorgung, bei der der Strom zentral erzeugt wird und die Haushalte ihn lediglich verbrauchen, können sie nun durch die Installation von Solarzellen zu Energieproduzenten werden. Auf diese Weise können sich die Haushalte autark machen, sich vor hohen Strompreisen schützen und zur Dekarbonisierung unseres Stromsystems beitragen.

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Does electric car sharing work? A real-life test.

Shared mobility concepts promise that they reduce the number of vehicles on the road, which is expected to have a positive impact both on the emissions from the production of vehicles, and also less space required for parking lots. While scooters and bikes are hoped to reduce the kilometers driven by cars overall, car sharing would mainly lead to more efficient usage of a smaller fleet of vehicles. If the fleet is electric, emissions from driving would also be reduced significantly.

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kWh vs. kW: what's the difference?

With an energy crisis in Europe simultaneous to the transition to a green energy system, energy is truly the topic of the hour. States and consumers alike, are hence urgently looking to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. When looking into the solutions (electric vehicles, solar, heating with a heat pump, or energy saving), you will sooner or later encounter the units kWh (kilowatt-hour) and kW (kilowatt). However, often these units are confused. Let’s clarify!

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The BMW i3, i4, and iX are our EVs of the month in July

For July we have not just a single EV of the month, not even a duo, but a trio of cars! The BMW i3, the BMW i4, and the BMW iX. BMW is an interesting case when it comes to the transition from combustion engines to electric drivetrains. As we’ll show below, BMW in 2013 was a pioneer with the introduction of the i3, but then fell behind and kept lobbying for the combustion engine instead of embracing change.

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Ist Videostreaming schlecht für das Klima?

Sie haben vielleicht die Schlagzeilen gelesen: Videostreaming ist schlecht für die Umwelt, Videostreaming hat einen hohen Kohlenstoff-Fußabdruck, Binge Watching zerstört den Planeten! Aber wie schlimm ist es wirklich?

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Our EV of the month in June: Kia EV6

Last month’s EV of the month, the Nissan Leaf, was European car of the year back in 2011. This month we will have a closer look at the electric car that won the title this year, more than a decade later: the European car of the year 2022 is the Kia EV6. Reason enough to make it our EV of the month.

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Mercedes EQS is our EV of the month for April 2022

Last month our EV of the month was a modern, electric van for Hippies or families. This month we’re addressing a whole other segment: luxury limousines. The idea for this post came about while reading that the Dutch parliament postponed electrification of their fleet, at least partially due to “lack of comfort” when it comes to available EV options.

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Typische CO2-Emissionen von Haushalten und ihre Aufschlüsselung nach Ausgabenkategorien

Wahrscheinlich hast Du schon einmal auf einen der unzähligen CO2-Fußabdruck-Rechner genutzt: Vielleicht ist Dir auch aufgefallen, dass diese in der Regel den CO2-Fußabdruck auf der Basis einer Person (oder “pro Kopf”) berechnen. Und viele Statistiken weisen auch Pro-Kopf-Kennzahlen aus. Die meisten Menschen leben jedoch in einem Haushalt mit zwei oder mehr Personen, in dem einige Ressourcen wie Wohnung (einschließlich Strom, Heizung usw.), Auto (und oft sogar Mahlzeiten) gemeinsam genutzt werden. Das bedeutet, dass für viele von uns der “Haushalt” die relevante Einheit ist, wenn es um das Verständnis von CO2-Emissionen geht.

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Three great commuter ebikes for 2022

Commuting by bike allows for combining some exercise and fresh air with the daily necessity of the commute. E-bikes can be particularly useful compared to regular bikes, as they enable commuters to travel further distances, travel faster and help avoid arriving at work exhausted and sweaty. Recent research has also shown that e-bike ownership correlates with a reduction of car usage and public transport usage (albeit no effect on car ownership could be measured). Reducing (ICE) car usage has a direct benefit of burning less oil and with that reducing CO2 emissions.

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Ist es umweltfreundlicher, weiterhin einen alten Diesel zu fahren oder ein neues Elektroauto zu kaufen?

Was ist umweltfreundlicher: ein altes Auto mit Diesel-/Benzinantrieb weiterfahren oder ein neues Elektroauto kaufen? Ein neues Elektroauto verbraucht Ressourcen und stößt bei seiner Herstellung CO2 aus, hat aber einen viel geringeren CO2-Ausstoß während der Fahrt. Ein alter Diesel hat seine Produktionsenergie und seine Emissionen bereits “amortisiert”, aber er verbrennt weiterhin fossile Brennstoffe und stößt Treibhausgase aus.

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Opportunities in zero-emissions transportation

With about 11% of the total, transportation is one of the key contributors to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In some regions, the share of the total is even larger. For example in the Euro area it is around 15% (see chart below), and in Switzerland transportation is responsible for even more than 30% of the total GHG emissions.

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An amazing future - climate action as an opportunity

As we enter the new decade, looking back climate change is probably the dominating topic of 2019. And rightfully so: a sense of urgency and swift action are needed! However, when it comes to the discussion around efforts to decrease the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, my concern is, that too much emphasis is put on the challenges. Instead, we should focus on the opportunities!