The Minister for Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey, has launched a new campaign to encourage people to conserve energy.
The 'Power of One' campaign plans to inform consumers of energy-saving tips, which can also save them money.
Mr Dempsey said individual efforts can make a real difference by breaking the wasteful habits built up over years when energy was cheap.
The cost of the campaign is between €7 and 8 million and it will run for two years.
Among the tips are unplugging phone chargers when not in use, as equipment on stand-by uses up to 20% of the energy consumed on full power, and turning down central heating thermostats.
The campaign claims a one degree reduction in temperature can knock 10% off heating bills.