Electricity - flexible demand and peak load
Get the best electricity rates in return for load flexibility and minimising consumption during peak demand.
What is flexible demand and peak load?
Our homes use 27% of all electricity in Ireland. As we transition to a cleaner, greener energy system, we must reconsider how we use energy at home to exploit our vast renewable energy resources..
Ireland's electricity demand varies over the time of day, week and year. Here is the typical system demand on a weekday, you can see the demand;
• increases rapidly between 6 and 10am,
• remains relatively stable during working hours,
• the main peak occurs between 5pm and 7pm, and
• drops significantly during the night.
Electricity generation needs to meet the fluctuating demand across the grid.
When the wind blows and sun shines, electricity is cheap to generate. Intermittent renewable energy can cause a mismatch between supply and demand. When wind and solar are not available, additional demand is met by electricity generated from fossil fuels. This is expensive in both economic and environmental terms.
The overall cost of generating electricity varies with the weather. Ireland is a world leader in wind energy.
In December 2023, wind energy provided a record 50% of Irelands electricity. On the windiest day the price was €75.94/MWh, on the least windy day the price was €148.63/MWh. The average price per megawatt hour of wholesale electricity was €88.97 for that month. In addition to cost, increasing the amount of renewable energy brings many advantages, including reduced emissions that cause global warming, and independence from imported fossil fuels.
As our energy system changes, so too will the price of electricity for domestic consumers. Before the roll out of smart meters, we were accustomed to a fixed price for electricity all day.
Smart meters can help
Smart Time-of Use tariffs have a different price per unit of electricity at certain times of the day.
- Peak demand 5-7pm, is generally satisfied by electricity generated from expensive imported fossil fuels. Units consumed during peak demand are therefore the most expensive.
- Suppliers have a surplus of electricity at night, when the wind is blowing and most people are asleep. They offer a reduced unit rates at times of low demand to encourage people to be energy smart about shifting their demand.
The Climate Action Plan (CAP) aims to increase the amount of renewable electricity on the grid to 80% by 2030. Reducing our peak demand will help achieve this target.
To achieve the CAP targets, changes in behaviour towards when we use energy is needed. By being energy smart, we can shift at least some of our load away from peak times. Every home can contribute by reducing their consumption between 5-7pm.
Start by understanding your bill & data to figure out your energy patterns and habits.
If your house is a flurry of cooking and laundry activity from 5-7pm, take a closer look at the appliances you are using and how much energy they consume. Generally, if they heat up fast, they’re heavy energy users. Examples include oven, electric shower, tumble drier or dishwasher.
Reducing your use and shifting some of your demand away from peak times will reduce your electricity bills. It will also reduce emissions and help management of efficient grid operation.
1. Reduce you use at peak time, most of us are making dinner at peak time. There are less energy intensive options worth considering. Maybe using an air fryer instead of an oven. Or prepare dinner in a slow cooker in the morning and come home to dinner waiting for you. Both these consume significantly less energy than an oven. Another option is to batch cook different meals at the same time in the oven.
Boil only as much water in your kettle as you need. Always run washing machine and dishwashers on full loads and use eco cycles to save energy. Air dry clothes instead of using the tumble dryer.
2. Shift your demand. It’s not practical for most people to avoid using energy at peak times. Demand flexibility means some of your use can be shifted to a time of lower demand. Some appliances have timers that are very convenient and can help shift your electricity use. Timers on a washing machine or dishwasher can be set to finish the cycle first thing in the morning. It’s worth checking the manual of your appliances to see if they have this feature.
If you are on a time of use tariff, there are potential cost savings on your bill by shifting some of your demand.
Try some of our tips to save energy throughout the day. Check your supplier’s website for more advice to help you understand and manage your electricity use.
Smart technology has come a long way in the last 10 years. Imagine how much further it can come with smart meters? A home where you no longer need to think about when to run the washing machine or dishwasher. Your smart meter will talk to the grid and choose a time of the cheapest and cleanest energy.
It’s a win-win for your pocket, the grid and the environment!
Take action
When you have a smart meter, register for an ESB Networks account to view your smart meter readings or receive insights from your electricity supplier if you are on a smart tariff.
