Shifting usage to off-peak times with lower rates can help you save big on electricity. So here are 5 convenient but effective ways to use cheaper off-peak electricity.
🔋 1. Load shift using batteries
If you have a home battery, charge it using off-peak electricity. This electricity will then be available for you to use all day.
How much can you save with a home battery? Let’s take the Pinergy EV tariff for example.
You could fully charge a 5kWh battery on the 5.45c EV rate for only 35c each night. You could then use the stored electricity each day, instead of importing expensive (37c) daytime units. The result? Savings up to €511 per year.
⌛ 2. Use an immersion timer switch
Five people taking 12-minute showers daily adds up to around 2,920 kWh per annum. Here’s what that costs:
| Water Heating Method | Raw Energy Cost Per kWh | Cost Adjusted for Wastage | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Immersion heater – daytime electricity | 32c | 36c | €1051 |
| Instant electric shower – daytime electricity | 32c | 32c | €934 |
| Oil Boiler | 11c | 16c | €467 |
| Instant electric shower – nighttime electricity (before 8am) | 15c | 15c | €438 |
| Immersion heater – EV rate electricity | 7c | 8c | €234 |
A simple immersion timer switch costs only €30. And as you can see from the table, it could pay for itself very quickly.
♨️ 3. Load shift with electric heaters
EV band electricity (~7c) is cheaper than heating water using oil or gas (~16c per unit delivered).
However, using EV band electricity for home heating can be tricky. You’ll need at least one of the following:
- A home that retains heat well
- Electric storage heaters
- Use EV rate electricity as a secondary heat source only
On the other hand, the potential savings are substantial. Here are the numbers for a typical Irish home (10,000kWh of heating yearly):
| Heating Source | Cost Per kWh Delivered | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Standard rate electricity | 30c | €3,000 |
| Oil or gas boiler | 16c | €1,600 |
| 50% oil + 50% EV rate electricity | 11.5c (average) | €1,150 |
| EV rate electricity | 7c | €700 |
Unfortunately, it’s difficult in practice to heat an Irish home using only EV rate electricity. This is because you’d need to import a lot of energy within the small (~3-hour) EV window to provide all-day warmth. And most ESB connections are limited to 12 or 16 kW max power. So you’ll struggle to import enough energy under the EV band to provide the necessary heat on cold days. Storage is also an issue.
A more realistic approach would be to use EV band electricity as a low-cost supplement to another heating system. This would put a less dramatic, but still worthwhile, dent in your energy bills.
🫧 4. Load shift household appliances
Washing machines, dishwashers, and tumble dryers.
All use a significant amount of electricity. And all can be set to run at an off-peak time.
This can save you a lot of money. But always remember to consider fire safety.
🚗 5. Charge electric vehicles off-peak
It’s possible to drive 100km on as little as €1 worth of electricity using an EV tariff.
So if you have an electric car, you should definitely charge it at home if at all possible, and make sure to use an off-peak tariff. This can save you €100s or even €1000s per year depending on how much you drive.
It’s easy to schedule charging to happen during the EV band, either using a modern charger or the car’s own software.
⭐ Bonus: Best electricity plans for load shifting
To maximise the savings on your electricity bill, make sure that you’re on the best electricity tariff for your needs. In most cases, this will be an EV tariff because EV plans have the very lowest off-peak rates.
But the best tariff is different for everybody. To find out which tariff will be cheapest for you, you need to run a comparison using real smart meter data. The Kilowatt.ie price comparison tool lets you do just that.
Better still, the tool has an option to add extra off-peak usage into the calculation. Use it for more accurate price comparisons and save €100s extra per year.