When it comes to searching out a new energy deal it can sometimes be helpful to understand how much your bills are compared to average energy bills in Ireland.
All homes are different and will use different amounts of energy – simply down to size, number of occupants, lifestyle, appliances and the energy efficiency of the home.
However, the energy regulator, CRU.ie, publishes an official ‘average’ figure for gas and electricity which best represents average energy use in homes across Ireland. For electricity this is 4,200kWh per year, and 11,000kWh per year for gas.
Average costs and estimated annual bills
These average usage figures are a useful indication of how much energy a typical home uses over the course of a year. And as all suppliers use these figures (4,200kWh and 11,000kWh) to calculate their Estimated Annual Bill (EAB), it can be a helpful indicator of costs and any potential savings.
So, for example, based on these figures that annual bill for an electricity customer on a standard tariff would be €1,098, whilst a gas customer on a standard tariff would pay around €775.
Saving by switching
Standard deals are usually the most expensive rate offered by an energy supplier. So, based on the same average energy consumption of 4,200kWh and 11,000kWh we can see how much can be saved by switching to a better deal.
An electricity customer who switches to the cheapest deal in the market would pay around €815 per year, whilst a gas customer switching to the best deal would pay €601.
So without even changing the amount of energy consumed we can see huge savings by simply switching supplier – a combined saving of up to €475 if you switch from a standard tariff to the cheapest electricity and gas deal in the market.
Compare and save on energy bills
The average consumption figures are a useful indicator of how much an energy tariff will cost over the course of a year. However, as it’s an average figure it will be unlikely to match your actual energy consumption and costs.
The best way to get an accurate comparison is by using your actual annual energy consumption which you can find on your energy bills, and compare deals using Power to Switch.
