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Best Electricity Plan for new EV Owners

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    #1472
    necstandards
    Registered Users Posts: 190 ✭✭necstandards


    So i had a smart meter recently installed (not yet activated). Currently out of contract with Airtricity. Have an EV so need a decent plan. Energia seem to be the best at the moment, but how do i get a DN meter installed. Do i need to get Airt to request this or can i change to Energia and they would do it? This is such a head melt...



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    #1473
    Liam2021
    Registered Users Posts: 332 ✭✭Liam2021


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119829514#Comment_119829514

    OK been there done that. Contact airtricity and tell them you want to change the meter to D/N. They will try to encourage you to go with a smart plan but don't let them sell you that. Tell them you want a meter change to D/N. Once they agree they will book the change with the ESB. Once your meter is changed it take 3-5 days for the system to update so Energia can see you have a D/N meter. It is a head wrecker to get sorted but well worth it. We currently running the house and 2 EV on 30% day and 70% night rate. You can't sign up to energia deal until you have a d/n.

    Good luck



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    #1474
    CoBo55
    Registered Users Posts: 8,993 ✭✭✭CoBo55


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119829573#Comment_119829573

    I just couldn't get BG to make the request for me, I tried energia to see would they change the meter for me if I signed up to their 24hr plan first but the dumb Dora I spoke to couldn't give me an answer...



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    #1475
    Liam2021
    Registered Users Posts: 332 ✭✭Liam2021


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119829912#Comment_119829912

    There is no reason why they can't do the request. You are allowed to change the meter once for free. Contact them again and keep pushing until they change it.



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    #1476
    Dayor Knight
    Registered Users Posts: 745 ✭✭✭Dayor Knight


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119828966#Comment_119828966

    43.46c for the other 6 days if dual fuel; a little higher if Electricity only. It's on the Electric Ireland web site under Smart plans. You have to have a smart meter of course.



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    #1477
    Dayor Knight
    Registered Users Posts: 745 ✭✭✭Dayor Knight


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119827452#Comment_119827452

    Fair enough if it doesn't work for you. It all depends on your own charging profile and so on. If you're usually around the house on Saturday (or Sunday) and have an E.V. it may work for you. It will work for some, won't work for others. Worth considering though.



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    #1478
    Dayor Knight
    Registered Users Posts: 745 ✭✭✭Dayor Knight


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119829129#Comment_119829129

    Still available from Electric Ireland. Looks like BG cancelled theirs (even while still advertising it on T.V.!)



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    #1479
    Dayor Knight
    Registered Users Posts: 745 ✭✭✭Dayor Knight


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119829181#Comment_119829181

    If you're charging at night rates and need to charge during the week then probably, but zero rate on Saturday with 44/45 during the week (no night rate) looks attractive if you can normally manage with charging once a week.



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    #1480
    TitianGerm
    Registered Users Posts: 28,005 ✭✭✭✭TitianGerm


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119830034#Comment_119830034

    But all your cooking, washing, drying and showering will cost 7-11 more 6 days a week.

    Will you use enough electricity on that Saturday to counteract the higher rates the other days.



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    #1481
    Ha Long Bay
    Registered Users Posts: 15,070 ✭✭✭✭Ha Long Bay


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119830007#Comment_119830007

    They are still available the site is a mess. You need to click filters and select yes to do you have a smart meter.


    2.jpg


    1.jpg




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    #1482
    spose
    Registered Users Posts: 299 ✭✭spose


    got my bord gais bill today. It had a very kind offer saying even though I’m still in contract on 24hr rate I can swap to a smart plan now where the night rate is more expensive than the all day rate I currently pay. Is there any flexibility on the advertised plans. What I mean is before the advertised price plans used to have 20 or 30% discounts advertised but when you actually went to leave they had room to increase that to 40%. Is it now just a case that what you can see is definitely all that’s available



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    #1483
    Dayor Knight
    Registered Users Posts: 745 ✭✭✭Dayor Knight


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119830090#Comment_119830090

    Yes, because of the EV.



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    #1484
    Padraig Mor
    Registered Users Posts: 9,554 ✭✭✭Padraig Mor


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119830500#Comment_119830500

    So you won't leave home on Saturdays?



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    #1485
    KildareP
    Registered Users Posts: 1,476 ✭✭✭KildareP


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119830500#Comment_119830500

    Just be careful - while BGE specifically state there's a hard cap of 200kWh of "free" energy in a two month billing cycle, after which you will be charged normal daytime rates, Electric Ireland are far more vague and say if they feel you are using too much free electricity they may cancel the plan on you.



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    #1486
    ELM327
    Registered Users Posts: 21,895 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119830034#Comment_119830034

    Charging the EV is only a part of your electricity usage.

    We use 15-20kWh a day that's not EV related. That's fine if you're willing to tie yourself to the house on saturdays but what about the other 6 days. I pay 7c per kWh for the shortfall between solar and demand right now (planning many more panels to remove this shortfall). On your plan, one day is free but the other 6 days I'm paying 50c+ instead of 7



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    #1487
    cruizer101
    Registered Users Posts: 3,205 ✭✭✭cruizer101


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119831802#Comment_119831802

    EV may only be part but can be a very significant amount.

    Nearly 50% of my electricity usage is charging the ev.

    While I'm not so sure about the free Saturday smart plans with cheap ev rates can make a lot of sense.



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    #1488
    ELM327
    Registered Users Posts: 21,895 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119831953#Comment_119831953

    they can, but often you only get 3 or 4 hours on them. Night meters are better. 9 hours at 7c/kWh.



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    #1489
    Dayor Knight
    Registered Users Posts: 745 ✭✭✭Dayor Knight


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119831802#Comment_119831802

    Yes, you have a really good deal there that seems to work for you. Everyone's situation is different and everyone needs to do their own calculations.

    I've estimated my annual (home charging) EV units at 2000 kw and the rest based on past usage at 3000 kw. Approx of course. So the EV is 40% of total usage.

    So getting all or most of those 2000 units for zero cost gives a lot of leeway with the rest. Then the normal Saturday usage is also free, so that's worth one seventh (14% ish) of the regular cost in effect. For the remaining 6 days, some of that can be moved to Saturday (e.g. dishwasher, washing machine - not all but maybe 50%). We're not big electricity users anyway, and have never opted for a night meter as we're not mad about running machines at night.

    You've got to run your own calculations. For people buying or thinking of buying an EV now, they can only work with the deals now available. If you have a smart meter installed, you may as well consider every option available to you. If you think one charge a week may be enough for your mileage, then the weekender could be attractive.

    It all depends on your individual situation. It's definitely not a case of one size fits all....



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    #1490
    ELM327
    Registered Users Posts: 21,895 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    Just to note, the free saturday is not 1/7th, its merely 9 hours of free. 8am to 5pm. You come then off the free rate onto the abusive 57c peak rate from 5-7pm. And you're tied to the house on Saturday. Saturday for me is driving the kids, doing DIY house or garden , working on my cars, watching sports etc. Not being tied to the house to do four loads of washing in a row.

    Smart plans can work, if you have a large battery bank that has say a 200A+ charge /discharge rate, and you pick a tariff with the 4 hour EV window. But even so, most EV boost rates are around 10-12c and night rates available now are around that 12-14c rate but for 2X the time.

    Instead of free saturday or sunday, why not do a real EV boost tariff and give 4 hours free overnight instead. That way you're actually encouraging use at low demand time instead of encouraging daytime use at the weekend. If there was a tariff with say 4 hours free 0200-0600 and 1E/kWh at all other times I'd consider it. Especially when I could then charge the battery to full every night and then get paid for FIT during the day.



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    #1491
    ECO_Mental
    Registered Users Posts: 2,491 ✭✭✭ECO_Mental


    Electric Irelands smart rates are the same as the day/night meter but you get a 2 hour boost every night that's a lot cheaper. Also if you have PV you will get the full export amount, (unless you export less than the estimated calcs.)

    Here is their Smart tariff

    image.png

    Here is their Day/Night meter rates...practically no difference standing charges are the same also. (actually smart are marginally cheaper..)

    You can set the car to charge for the 2 hours every night, I find that it would cover most of your needs get about 20% into my battery every night.

    image.png


    6.1kWp south facing, South of Cork City



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    #1492
    CoBo55
    Registered Users Posts: 8,993 ✭✭✭CoBo55


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119832454#Comment_119832454

    Scary figures.. is there any discount on those prices?



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    #1493
    ELM327
    Registered Users Posts: 21,895 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    Those are awful awful prices on both.



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    #1494
    cruizer101
    Registered Users Posts: 3,205 ✭✭✭cruizer101


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119832392#Comment_119832392

    But even so, most EV boost rates are around 10-12c and night rates available now are around that 12-14c rate but for 2X the time.

    Energia has a night rate of 13.75 which I think is the best available but the day rate is 47.77.

    Bord gais ev plan has 3 hours at 10c and day rate is 38c, 3 hours is plenty to charge up car enough for daily mileage, heat immersion, do a wash, dishwasher. There isn't a huge advantage to it being cheaper for longer you can only move so much usage to nighttime and you end up paying more of a day rate on stuff you can't move around.

    Having a large battery might be the exception but even at that over 3 hours you could get a fair bit of charge into it, and from research I've done it will take a long time to get your money back on a battery, particularly now with fit of ~18c available for your excess solar.

    I do agree the ev rates should be even cheaper there very little demand at 2 in morning.



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    #1495
    ELM327
    Registered Users Posts: 21,895 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    I'll be taking that Energia plan when my current 28c day 7c night deal ends next year. We use little to no day units so the day rate is immaterial.

    I have to charge for 7-9 hours for an EV(s) so 4 hours frankly isnt enough. Same for batteries, we're limited to 2.5-3kW into the batteries by the inverter and we currentyly have 20kWh with the intention to have 100+ down the line. Four hours isnt enough.

    Like I said, give me the current night rate hours for free and 1-1.5euro a kWh during teh day and I'll bite your hand off.



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    #1496
    Dayor Knight
    Registered Users Posts: 745 ✭✭✭Dayor Knight


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119831588#Comment_119831588

    I certainly will if I like! The zero rate applies 8 am to 11 pm. I would normally be at home for most of that, but still plenty of time for charging if I'm out for a few hours. It comes down to your normal scenario - Sunday might suit some better, neither might work if you are normally away from form home most of the weekend.



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    #1497
    Dayor Knight
    Registered Users Posts: 745 ✭✭✭Dayor Knight


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119832392#Comment_119832392

    The Electric Ireland Weekender is 8 am through to 11 pm!. That's 15 hours free. And the rate is 43.46 c, not 57c.

    Let's at least stick to the facts and let people make up their own minds. I keep saying everyone's situation is different. I will not be tied to the house on Saturdays for one or two washes, or a run of the dishwasher. It happens that I tend to be around the house for most of Saturdays anyway so charging is not an issue. (Mind you, most of the things you mention presumably do involve being at home - DIY house or garden, working on your cars, watching sports ? 🤔) . But don't jump on that, you have the deal you want ! 🤲.



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    #1498
    Dayor Knight
    Registered Users Posts: 745 ✭✭✭Dayor Knight


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119831658#Comment_119831658

    Yes, that's a good point. I will be keeping an eye on that! I don't think my usage will trigger any issues, but let's see. I think it would have to be an unreasonable level of usage to invoke that.... (bitcoin mining???)

    Lots of food for thought lads.....



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    #1499
    ELM327
    Registered Users Posts: 21,895 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119833056#Comment_119833056

    Fact Check time

    • Free Time (9am to 5pm on Saturday or Sunday)

    from here (Bord Gáis Energy: Gas & Electricity Supplier Ireland (bordgaisenergy.ie))

    The rates are : Discounted electricity unit rates (c/kWh) Day 43.30 Peak 52.89 Night 31.82 from the same location Compare our plans | Bord Gáis Energy (bordgaisenergy.ie)


    So if you're at home on Saturday and the free time ends at 5pm as shown above, you're pushed onto the abusive peak rate for two hours (53 not 57c my apologies, but still over 50c so you get my point). The free time is 9am to 5pm, then peak rate from 5pm to 7pm. If you're using it 8am to 11pm you're actually paying day rates and peak rates for 7 hours!! It's on;y free for 9 hours. not 15!

    (Ignoring the rest of your comments for the rest of the post above as it's clear you were just trying to be petulant)



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    #1500
    John arse
    Registered Users Posts: 1,899 ✭✭✭John arse


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119833306#Comment_119833306

    He's not with bord gais though?



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    #1501
    ELM327
    Registered Users Posts: 21,895 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119833328#Comment_119833328

    Sorry, someone above mentioned BGE.

    Looking at the EI plans I can see it is indeed 0800-2300 which is much better, but that plan has no day/night rates. Just a standard 44c all day and night. Useless unless you use literally no electricity the rest of the week. Maybe invest in 250kWh of battery storage and top up on saturday?

    Switch electricity price plans today | Electric Ireland



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