Environment Minister Marc Bean has presented the winning prize for the Energy Limbo contest to Shirley Ann Smith and her family, who won a $600 travel voucher from C-Travel.The presentation was made at the Cathedral Hall recently, and the search is now on for contestants for the contest next year.‘Energy Limbo: How Low Can You Go?’ is an energy cutback competition where participants compete for the biggest reduction in their electricity use over the course of almost a year.The contest followed the energy usage of 18 participants using “real-time energy monitoring devices” called ‘The Energy Detective (TED) 5000s’.Mrs Smith and her family saved more than 38 percent on their energy bills from last year by using the TED meter. They turned off lights and appliances and unplugged those things that were not in use.The Minister noted that the energy conservation methods demonstrated by the winner “is the least expensive way to reduce energy consumption”.“Energy conservation is one of the key elements to reducing the pace of climate change, and during these current economic times, it is more important than ever to reduce everyday household expenditures,” he said.The overall savings of the contestants was just over 11 percent on average.The Department of Energy is now seeking contestants for the 2013 contest which will start on January 1, 2013 and run through to November 1, next year.Anyone can enter the competition as long as they have lived in their home since January 2012. Participants don’t need to own the home in which they reside, but they do need to have their own meter and tenants will need to seek their landlord’s permission to participate.The Department of Energy will also need access to participants’ online Belco accounts to gauge the kilowatt hours used, in addition to the length and dates of the billing cycle.All information will be kept confidential and once the contest is over the account information will be destroyed. The contestants can then “simply change their access codes if they wish”.Director of Energy, Jeane Nikolai explained that “its no different than giving paper copies of their bill, but it cuts out the step of having the contestants report, which caused delays in getting the interim results”.“We have to stress that no information will be shared with any other party, not even other contestants,” she added.To enter ‘Energy Limbo’ e-mail the Department of Energy at energy@gov.bm and entry forms with requirements will be forwarded. The dealing for entries is December 21.