In large industrial installations, you are supposed to switch-in banks of Capacitors in the plant room to keep the Power Factor within limits set by the electric company if it is distorted by large amounts of (inductive load) machinery. If you don't, you are liable to fines and/or surcharges by the electric company on your energy usage. If you know how, and throw your current and voltage sufficiently out of phase, you can actually run your entire house for 'free'. If you are really clever, by the correct phase difference, you can not only slow-down your electricity meter, you can stop it completely - and with some older mechanical types have the meter go BACKWARDS, so the electric company ends up paying you for the electricity you use. You may find the 'small print' on your electricity supply contract threatens you with dire consequences if you extend your experiments in self-sufficiency in this direction.