I asked Alexa for energy tips ministers say will save £100… here’s what happened

The government says you can save £100 on your annual energy bill by seeking advice from ‘virtual assistant’ Alexa.

The Wi-Fi-enabled helper typically manages tasks such as playing music and helping with shopping lists.

The user gives voice commands to a hand-sized box that responds to your questions and can store information.

I spoke to Alexa via a £90 Echo Show device made by online retailer Amazon. She is one of many virtual assistants on the market, including Apple’s Siri and Google Assistant.

However, Alexa is the first to sign up for the state-sponsored energy saving tips.

Until now, I had resisted the temptation to let a Big Brother monitor into my house, but I gave in because Alexa is now also offering to save me money.

Installation is simple, but does require an online Amazon account. The newly created Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is behind the Alexa collaboration.

It says: ‘Anyone who asks Alexa how they can reduce their energy bills will now get the latest government advice on preparing their home for winter and using less energy in the long term – which could cost at least £100 a year to spare.’

It’s now up to me to ask Alexa how…

She warms me up with a dance

“Alexa. Can you take a few quid off my heating bill?’ She thinks about this request for a moment. “Sorry, I’m not sure.” Maybe I should rephrase it. “Alexa, how can I save money on my energy bill?”

Response: ‘Hmm. I have a few skills that can help. Do you mean Energy 106?’ I have no idea what she’s talking about, but let’s give it a try. ‘Yes.’

Then the music starts blaring as someone sings racy lyrics: “Girl, I feel your body rocking.” The Echo display says, “You’re listening to Energy 106. Your favorite dance radio station.” The song is Beauty And A Beat by Justin Bieber.

Maybe the government believes that dancing keeps me warm. It sounds like a good idea, but it’s way too much for my ears, so I ask Alexa to “turn off Bieber.”

Annoying ‘yes’ to EVERY tip

Let’s ask for help in a different way. “Alexa, please give me energy saving tips.”

She finally seems to understand what I want and delivers a thirty-second monologue: “Install a programmable thermostat, air dry dishes, turn off appliances and lights… according to the U.S. Department of Energy.”

The usual obvious advice – but why should the Americans tell me and not my own government?

I’m calling the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to see if I can get better advice from Alexa.

The person on the ‘Find ways to save energy in your home’ hotline (0800 098 7950) tells me to use specific wording to understand her words of wisdom.

I have to say to Alexa word by word: ‘Give me some energy saving tips’, ‘How can I lower my energy bill?’, ‘Give me tips to prepare for winter’ or ‘Give me tips to save energy’ .

It doesn’t matter which of these four sentences is used; the answer is exactly the same: ‘Hello and welcome to the energy saving tips of ‘It will all be fine’.

‘There are lots of things you can do at home to reduce the amount of energy you use and save money using gov.uk/save energy. If you want to hear the tips, just say ‘Get ready for winter’ or ‘Save energy.’

I say “Get ready for winter,” but Alexa remains silent and the Echo screen shows just the It All Adds Up logo. It appears to be a computer error. A few minutes later I start again and Alexa suddenly wakes up.

With the command ‘Get ready for winter’, Alexa drones on for three and a half minutes with a total of eight tips.

But I have to listen to each one in its entirety before moving on to the next one, and obediently say “Yes” to continue. “Would you like to hear a tip?” “Yes,” I say.

‘Draft proofing is one of the cheapest and most effective actions you can take to stop or prevent heat from escaping and reduce your energy bills.’

Now that I’ve learned that windows are one of the biggest culprits, Alexa suggests I buy window film from a hardware store and install it myself or hire a “professional” to save $50 a year.

“Any other tips?” ‘Yes.’

‘Bleeding radiators makes your house warmer.’ Again, there’s no real practical advice from Alexa on how to do this.

“Any other tips?” ‘Yes.’

‘If you have a combination boiler, efficiency can be improved by lowering the supply temperature to 60 degrees.’

“Any other tips?” ‘Yes.’

‘Annual maintenance ensures that your boiler continues to run safely.’

I’m starting to get irritated by what seems like fairly obvious tips.

Alexa goes on to tell me that a smart meter gives me near real-time information about how much energy I’m using.

And if I have a heating system with a separate hot water boiler, I can turn the temperature down, while smart thermostats and heating controls connected to the internet provide more functionality.

If you have a hot water tank, you can invest in a hot water cylinder jacket.

Real? Is that the best the government can offer for this new initiative? I learned nothing and the only saving mentioned is £50 by insulating – but no details on how!

When I did my own research, I discovered that a window film kit can cost $12. The foil is cut to size and applied tightly using a hair dryer.

Maybe I’ll have more success if I ask about ‘energy savings’. This time, Alexa gives me six tips – although I have to hear each one before agreeing to the next in another three-and-a-half-minute monologue.

I learn that I can shorten my shower to four minutes to save $40, that I shouldn’t overload or overload a clothes dryer for $50, that I can install an energy-efficient shower head that reduces the amount of water for $40, and that I can unplug it when I’m on standby for £50, reduce the washing machine temperature from 40 to 30 degrees for £20 and finally install new energy efficient LED bulbs to save myself £40 a year.

Strangely, these savings amount to £240, rather than £100, although the costs of installation and necessary new gadgets are not included.

Did IT help?

Alexa was a revelation, playing music while I prepared dinner, helping solve tricky crossword puzzles, and providing an accurate weather forecast.

But as an expert in the field of heating cost savings? She made me suck eggs. Would I know how to improve the efficiency of my boiler by lowering the supply temperature and thus save money? No. Has Alexa told me more about how to approach this? Unfortunately not.

But if it gets me and others to go out and explore energy saving options themselves, then it can still be considered a success. If nothing else, we are reminded to swap baths for showers, draw curtains to keep out the cold at dusk, and close the doors of rooms we don’t use.

I appreciate Alexa’s advice, but when it comes to hands-on hands-on help, there’s no substitute for real people – and investing in personal support instead of technology would be a better use of taxpayer money.

For more details about the It All Adds Up campaign, including how vulnerable people can claim a £150 Warm Home discount, visit: help forhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/energy-saving-advice.