Is My Electric Energy Usage Way Too High?

Qyburn

Dandytf said:

I want to add my example though constantly home 99%
Electric only DQ Storage +2 Panel Heaters.

Latest median TDCV is 4,100 kWh for all-electric. 

Scot_39

Median TDCV was dropped to 2700kWh in late 2023 for duel fuel homes.

2700/12 = 225 kWh per month on average.

Ofgem guestimate that as 2-3 in a 2-3 bed home in terms of household size - but it's only a median of recorded use and only a guesstimate to household size etc.

And will probably by lagely based on those with gas central heating, gas het hot water and maybe even most with gas cookers / hobs etc. 

If you instead say have an electric shower - that could by 1-2kWh per shower.  And it really adds up over a year.

And although large things are sometimes the culprit - lots of little inefficient things - like say old halogen type downlighters / spots - should be replaced with LED if not already done.

You only recorded less than the median in Jul Aug time, so your obviously either a little larger house / household - or simply using more electricity.

The reality is there is no "too high" or "too low" - only what you want or need - a row of outwardly looking identical homes in the same street - is unlikely to have a consistent consumption.  

And usage is only really "too high" if affordability is the real problem.

Your energy use is maybe 100-150kWh more in winter months - I suspect possibly your home office panel heating or maybe a little of that - 10-15Kwh say a tumble dryer etc being used 2-3 times per week - when cannot air outside.

If WFH - a modest office desktop / laptop / monitor type set up for 8 hours would also add maybe 1-2kWh per day - 25-50 kWh per month etc.

My min power draw I see with "nothing active" - on IHD is c20W - thats home wiring, a couple of timer switches, FF on standby and mains smoke / home alarms etc - my max with electric storage heating (NSH and hot water immersion) charging - 10kW - or for maybe 10 mins per day electric shower - add another 10kW. 

My typical with TV and/or computer etc in use - more like 100-150W - combined 250W if both on.  FF compressor kicks in add another 80W etc.

If you'd like to drop the levels - and have a smart meter - look at how your consumption varies from min to max on a typical day - summer and winter - and try to identify the main items.

Check your suppliers portal - or get an app to access.

If you don't just walk around each room and have a look at what is plugged in - older kit can take 10-15W on standby - what is on but not really being used (switch a TV off if not actually watching it - my old LCD pulled 150W+ - my new larger LED - sub 100W etc) - and think about large power hungry items (heaters, dryers etc) - and even multiple small (think halogen spots not yet swapped out to LED etc).

If you have kids - do they have computers / game consoles etc - those can be fairly power hungry (250-300W etc) - adds up over several hours etc.

Scot_39

Qyburn said:

Dandytf said:

I want to add my example though constantly home 99%
Electric only DQ Storage +2 Panel Heaters.

Latest median TDCV is 4,100 kWh for all-electric. 

Didn't that drop to 3900 kWh in late (Oct?) 2023 cap period ?

It got a little confusing when it actually kicked in in some media reports at the time.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2023-05/TDCV 2023 Decision Letter.pdf

Has it been increased again. And I missed it ?

Dandytf

Qyburn said:

Dandytf said:

I want to add my example though constantly home 99%
Electric only DQ Storage +2 Panel Heaters.

Latest median TDCV is 4,100 kWh for all-electric. 

Is 4100 kWh per month, my current average is 644kwh per month
1933 kwh.
1 bedroom flat Jan Feb March,

thanks 

QrizB

Dandytf said:

Qyburn said:

Dandytf said:

I want to add my example though constantly home 99%
Electric only DQ Storage +2 Panel Heaters.

Latest median TDCV is 4,100 kWh for all-electric. 

Is 4100 kWh per month

4100kWh per year.

Dandytf said:

, my current average is 644kwh per month
1933 kwh.
1 bedroom flat Jan Feb March,

If you are "average" you'll be switching off your storage heaters for six months of the year. With the heaters off, you'll drop back to maybe 200kWh a month?
Two quarters at 1900/quarter and two quarters at 600/quarter makes 4800kWh.

Qyburn

Scot_39 said:

Latest median TDCV is 4,100 kWh for all-electric. 

Didn't that drop to 3900 kWh in late (Oct?) 2023 cap period ?

Yes it did, that's me reading the "Current" rather than "Revised" figure.

Qyburn

Dandytf said:

Is 4100 kWh per month, my current average is 644kwh per month
1933 kwh.
1 bedroom flat Jan Feb March, 

Annual, but it's 3,900. I read the wrong figure. Current figures are 2,200, 3,900 and 6,700. 25% of all electric households are estimated to use 2,200 or less, 50% 3900 or less, 75% 6,700 or less.

Do you have your figures for the past 12 months?

Robin9

Heat Pump installations are negligible in the overall picture at the moment. but as we move from Gas Boilers to Heat Pumps it is likely that the average Electric usage will start to rise.

Scot_39

Edit

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3e4nlxlq08o

40,000 Heat pumps - in c24m gas connected homes.  Bit if accelerates like EV's have - it might start to shift the balance quicker than the last few years at any rate.

Yes - but remember their are two sets of TDCVs for electric produced by Ofgem  - the 3900 is for profile class 2 meters - RTS / E7 etc - in an attempt to reflect those with conventional electric heating (but it's based purely on meter class - so homes could have upgraded heating - or have alternatives like wood burners)

The lower 2700 kWh TDCV - for those on duel fuel - profile class 1 meters.

The matching median gas TDCV of 11500 kWh - that gross energy need will go down a little for better electric efficiency - say to around 9000-10000 kWh.  At a good ASHP COP for space heating (say 4+) and allowing for cooking etc with no COP advantage - say averaging out at 3 - that will be say around 3000-3500 kWh electric - more than doubling the current profile class 1 TDCV of 2700kWh

And when add in conventional electric TDCV of 2700 kWh+3000+ kWh gas replacement - 5700+ - say c6000 kWh total.

Many with Heat pumps will I guess stay flat rate - or dynamic TOU like Cosy / Tomato 3 rate type deals - which I am not sure - but perhaps someone with better knowldege can clarify - might well I guess count as profile class 1.

If Ofgem continue to make the distinction.

Dandytf

Qyburn said:

Dandytf said:

Is 4100 kWh per month, my current average is 644kwh per month
1933 kwh.
1 bedroom flat Jan Feb March, 

Annual, but it's 3,900. I read the wrong figure. Current figures are 2,200, 3,900 and 6,700. 25% of all electric households are estimated to use 2,200 or less, 50% 3900 or less, 75% 6,700 or less.

Do you have your figures for the past 12 months?

No 12mths digits as yet.
I did try switching off DQ from 1st April to allow cool down for Core de install/re install.
E.g. 7-12kwh daily inc’ all Non DQ’s 2xpanel heaters minor summer use and Combi boiler.
I estimated id’e save 1 month from 12 DD’s if keeping DQ off a few months.
Not My preferred option, checking 17c costs from yesterday over next few weeks.
Thanks mser’s +39 credit balance from todays readings,