VANCOUVER: As Super Bowl preparations ramp up, a new survey reveals that a significant number of British Columbians will be opting to watch the game on their own this year, potentially increasing overall electricity use.
"About one-quarter of British Columbians watching the game this weekend plan to do it solo," said Susie Rieder, BC Hydro spokesperson. "This trend away from group gatherings will likely result in higher electricity consumption due to more screens in use and more appliances working to prepare Super Bowl snacks, particularly high-energy consuming appliances like ovens."
Men are twice as likely than women to prefer watching the game alone – and age also plays a role. British Columbians aged 55 and older are four times more likely to stay home and watch the game without distractions than younger British Columbians (ages 18 to 34).
While more than 1.5 million British Columbians plan to tune into the Super Bowl this weekend, BC Hydro data shows electricity use during the game follows a consistent pattern each year. Energy consumption tends to spike between 1 and 3 p.m. when most cooking activities are in full swing. This increase can be attributed to the use of high-energy-consuming appliances like ovens, which use about five times more energy than air fryers or crock pots.
Approximately 50 per cent of British Columbians prefer using the oven for small gatherings or parties. While smaller appliances like air fryers (13 per cent), Instant Pots and slow cookers (4 per cent), toaster ovens (2 per cent) and microwaves (1 per cent), tend to be less popular despite being more energy efficient.
Whether cooking alone or for a group gathering, using smaller appliances can help British Columbians save money – and even make clean up quicker too. BC Hydro recommends:
- Opting for an air fryer: Whenever possible, use a smaller appliance such as an air fryer – smaller appliances can consume up to 75 per cent less electricity than an electric oven. For a quick game day batch of chicken wings toss raw wings with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, and salt and pepper, then place in the air fryer for 17 minutes and voila – a tasty low energy consumption meal.
- Set it in the slow cooker: Slow cookers are great for a set it and forget it meal that is very low in electricity consumption – add one 750 ml can of diced tomatoes, one pound of ground turkey or beef, a can of kidney beans, a can of cannellini beans, a diced onion and three diced bell peppers with two tablespoons of chili powder – cook on high in the slow cooker for 4-6 hours for a low effort game day chili.
- Lowering the thermostat: Cooking and a crowded home while hosting can increase a household's temperature significantly, so lower the thermostat to a recommended 18 degrees Celsius.
- Tracking electricity use: Use MyHydro to see how game day activities impact a household's electricity use.
For more information on how to save energy and money, visit powersmart.ca.
Contact:
BC Hydro Media Relations
Email: media@bchydro.com
Phone: 604 928 6468