The myth of "Typical Usage" - the Green penalty

yoddom

As the “average family 2.4 kids” does not really exist, nor does the “typical household energy useage”

They are averages, not medians. They are as unrealistic as having 2.4 children.

 So when we are given government statistics of £2500 typical energy bills , for a mid-terrace home, this can be wildly inaccurate.

 

We, the country, the world, are encouraged not to use gas energy, as it is more harmful to the environment.

Leading to the banning of gas boilers in new homes by 2025.

 

So in our home we do not have gas, and use electricity only for energy source.

 

As the current price cap seems to be aimed at gas prices, the “typical energy bill” of £2500pa comes nowhere close!

 

We live in a “typical” mid-terrace 3 bedroom house.

5 people –

It is very well insulated

All our heating, hot water, clothes washing, dishwashing etc. is carried out at night, using cheap rate economy 7

We have a new efficient heating system

The heating isn’t allowed on until November at least.

As an electrical and electronics engineer, I very much understand what devices, cost what to use

We are very much a “ put another layer on “ to keep warm.

 

We are on the Standard variable tariff – E7  £0.47/unit day  £0.12/unit night.

We are told in the news, that the energy bill for our home should be about £2,500.

Our estimated yearly bill, under the current cap is £4,200

 

It feels we are being penalised heavily for not using “destructive” gas

 

Please, please, please, make your viewers and readers aware that these “typical household energy bills” quoted are as realistic as

Kwase Kwateng’s mini-budget

Chrysalis

Well you using a lot of "something".

P1Fanatic

Chrysalis said:

Well you using a lot of "something".

Indeed. OP how much of your usage is at each of the rates as your post suggests the majority is used at night. Are you charging EV's?

yoddom

Although gas is not green, it is a cheaper way to heat your home.
The energy price cap is geared up on the misguided assumption that all households have gas heating.

Our unit cost of electricity has gone from 16.5p in Feb,  to a "capped" 47p.

When gas heating is not allowed in new homes in 2025, there will be a very rude awakening when these occupants get their first electricity only energy bills!

[Deleted User]

yoddom said:

They are averages, not medians. They are as unrealistic as having 2.4 children.

The 'typical' energy consumption is a median.

You have appeared to decide that you personally are the typical - and therefore should be at the cap.  You are five people in a three bedroom house - using only electricity - you are not anywhere near the median and therefore you are not typical.

As an electrical and electronics engineer I would expect that you understand basic mathematics and simple comparisons.

EssexHebridean

yoddom said:

As the “average family 2.4 kids” does not really exist, nor does the “typical household energy useage”

They are averages, not medians. They are as unrealistic as having 2.4 children.

 So when we are given government statistics of £2500 typical energy bills , for a mid-terrace home, this can be wildly inaccurate.

 

We, the country, the world, are encouraged not to use gas energy, as it is more harmful to the environment.

Leading to the banning of gas boilers in new homes by 2025.

 

So in our home we do not have gas, and use electricity only for energy source.

 

As the current price cap seems to be aimed at gas prices, the “typical energy bill” of £2500pa comes nowhere close!

 

We live in a “typical” mid-terrace 3 bedroom house.

5 people –

It is very well insulated

All our heating, hot water, clothes washing, dishwashing etc. is carried out at night, using cheap rate economy 7

We have a new efficient heating system

The heating isn’t allowed on until November at least.

As an electrical and electronics engineer, I very much understand what devices, cost what to use

We are very much a “ put another layer on “ to keep warm.

 

We are on the Standard variable tariff – E7  £0.47/unit day  £0.12/unit night.

We are told in the news, that the energy bill for our home should be about £2,500.

Our estimated yearly bill, under the current cap is £4,200

 

It feels we are being penalised heavily for not using “destructive” gas

 

Please, please, please, make your viewers and readers aware that these “typical household energy bills” quoted are as realistic as

Kwase Kwateng’s mini-budget

You aren't told in the news that "your" energy bill should be about £2500 - you're told that the energy bill for a "typical household" should be no more than that. 

I'm an almost entirely electric household also on E7 - we use gas only for cooking. Our total energy bill for the year will be in the region of £1500 - it's lower because in spite of not having a  "new efficient heating system" (we use storage heaters) we use less energy than you. The thing we have in common is that we aren't a "typical household" either. We also use the large proportion of our energy overnight - we're on a 75%/25% split at the moment, with ongoing efforts to drive that higher.

Martin has been saying pretty much non-stop for literally months that the energy cap is NOT a cap on the cost of your electricity and gas - it is a cap on the unit rates for that energy. 

yoddom

no, am not charging EV's
90mins of 2.6KW immersion heating water in a triple lagged tank. (showers only)
The majority usage is 3-4 hrs 12KW electric storage heating at night, for use during the following day.
(this is the min we can get away with)

Like i said , gas energy is a lot cheaper for heating.

Astria

yoddom said:

When gas heating is not allowed in new homes in 2025, there will be a very rude awakening when these occupants get their first electricity only energy bills!

Why do you think that? Modern electric heating is capable of being very efficient, you can get the equivalent of 3 kW of heat from 1 kW of electric, meaning it's very close to the cost of gas. If you use old technology such as an electric radiator or fan heater than yes it can be 3 times the price as these are not efficient.

ariarnia

isn't part of the problem that gas is used to make a lot (40%?) of electricity. so electric is always going to cost more than gas until that changes. 

if your heating is charged at night rate at 12p and gas heating would be 10p then that doesn't explain why your bill is so much higher than the average. 

the only things that would explain such a large bill is that you are using more electric at the day rate than you think. or you are using more heating than the 'average' so even on gas your bill would be higher than 2500. or the readings are wrong (estimates maybe?)
 
probably the best option would be if you could give us your annual usage (two meter readings about 12 months apart for each rate) then the clever people on here can do a proper comparison of you vs a 'typical' household. 

yoddom

EssexHebridean said:

You aren't told in the news that "your" energy bill should be about £2500 - you're told that the energy bill for a "typical household" should be no more than that. 
I'm an almost entirely electric household also on E7 - we use gas only for cooking. Our total energy bill for the year will be in the region of £1500 - it's lower because in spite of not having a  "new efficient heating system" (we use storage heaters) we use less energy than you. The thing we have in common is that we aren't a "typical household" either. We also use the large proportion of our energy overnight - we're on a 75%/25% split at the moment, with ongoing efforts to drive that higher.

Martin has been saying pretty much non-stop for literally months that the energy cap is NOT a cap on the cost of your electricity and gas - it is a cap on the unit rates for that energy. 

Please re-read, 
I very much DO understand this is not a total bill cap.
My point is the about figures and spectrum used to create this "typical energy bill"
and definition of a "typical household" .
The unit price cap appears to be focusing on gas supply

We are not unique, we live on a London estate of 1,000+ 1960s housing , originally only supplied electricity, still 75% have electricity only.
These having  air blown storage heating.

We do not have the luxury of gas for cooking like yourself, and there is little scope for increasing our night usage ratio
BUT,  it seems responders here are taking our energy usage as extravagant,
so please, tell us where to to improve?

ariarnia

yoddom said:

BUT,  it seems responders here are taking our energy usage as extravagant,
so please, tell us where to to improve?

before anyone can say if you use is extravigent or make any suggestions where you might be able to change or cut then you would need to share the information asked for. 

two actual (not estimated) readings about 12 months appart for both your day and night meters.