Heat pumps use a lot of electricity. So having one makes your choice of electricity supplier extra important. Here’s what you should know about electricity plans for heat pumps, plus a live ranking electricity plans for heat pumps in Ireland.
⚡️ How heat pumps impact your electricity usage
Most heat pump installers advise keeping your heat pump switched on 24/7. This is because heat pumps generally perform best as a source of gentle, steady heat (not bursts like an oil or gas boiler).
The result is elevated electricity usage at all times of the day and night.
✅ What makes a good electricity tariff for a heat pump?
Given that most heat pumps operate round-the-clock, average unit price is the most important factor to look for. However, a low-cost EV band can also make a big difference when it comes to heating your water cylinder cheaply.
Time-of-use electricity tariffs are usually the best for heat pumps. This is because they tend to have excellent night rates and reasonable day rates. EV tariffs can also work well, especially if you use a lot of hot water for showers.
🏅 Live Rankings of tariffs for heat pumps in Ireland
Note: Results include Urban tariffs for all meter types. Run a custom price comparison.
⚖️ Custom price comparison for heat pump owners
The rankings above are based on an annual consumption of 7,730 kWh. Usage is assumed to be spread near-evenly throughout the day and night, except for a spike each night from 2am for heating the water cylinder.
If you’re serious about saving money, we recommend doing a custom price comparison. This replaces assumptions with real data, giving you more accurate results and bigger savings.
Note: You can use an online calculator if you’d like to estimate the electricity consumption of your heat pump.
💸 More ways to save on electricity with heat pumps
Schedule water heating for an EV band. EV bands typically have the very lowest energy cost (~7c per kWh)
Use a setback temperature during peak hours (5pm-7pm). If your home holds heat well, this could mean your heat pump doesn’t need to run at all while electricity is most expensive
Make sure your heat pump flow temperature is not set too high. Experiment to find the lowest flow temperature that’s still enough to heat your home adequately. A lower flow temperature means lower electricity usage
Beware of closing radiator valves. This can reduce the flow rate from the heat pump, impairing efficiency
📰 Articles in This Series
Best electricity tariffs for heat pumps
Best electricity tariffs for home batteries
Best electricity tariffs for storage heaters
Best electricity tariffs for EVs
Best electricity tariffs for solar panels