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Electricity prices

  • 29-05-2021 2:48pm
    #1
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,696 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Just wondering where people are getting the best deals. We are with airtricity and the standing charges alone are €300 a year. 23.4 cent day rate and 11.6 night rate. Anyone using flogas, 18.8 and 9.1 night rate is the cheapest we've found online, anything better out there? Maybe the dairy lads are getting better quotes?

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



«13

Comments

  • #2
    Dinzee Conlee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭Dinzee Conlee


    blue5000 wrote: »
    Just wondering where people are getting the best deals. We are with airtricity and the standing charges alone are €300 a year. 23.4 cent day rate and 11.6 night rate. Anyone using flogas, 18.8 and 9.1 night rate is the cheapest we've found online, anything better out there? Maybe the dairy lads are getting better quotes?

    I change every year, with some crowd this year I never heard of before - glowpower I think they called...

    I use bonkers.ie or another one of those comparison sites, input the kw hours I think, gives me a list and away you go...


  • #3
    whelan2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,825 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    Dinzee Conlee wrote: »
    I change every year, with some crowd this year I never heard of before - glowpower I think they called...

    I use bonkers.ie or another one of those comparison sites, input the kw hours I think, gives me a list and away you go...

    I'm with glowpower too. They upped their price after I moved to them. If I go on to bonkers.ie now they're not even featuring the first page of deals for me. I'm paying alot more than last year


  • #4
    Dinzee Conlee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭Dinzee Conlee


    whelan2 wrote: »
    I'm with glowpower too. They upped their price after I moved to them. If I go on to bonkers.ie now they're not even featuring the first page of deals for me. I'm paying alot more than last year

    I find it hard to work out what I’m paying as its not a true direct debit, it’s a set amount every month and then I see to get a rebate or reduction in the monthly charge every now and then...

    I’m locked in for 12 months, so as soon as that’s up, will move again...


  • #5
    whelan2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,825 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    I submit a meter reading each month and get a bill. It's hard to understand the bill. I'm with them since last August


  • #6
    Aravo
    Registered Users Posts: 908 ✭✭✭Aravo


    With energia here. Change every year via bonkers.ie.
    Was with electric Ireland last year. I called them to check my end of contract date. It turned out I was a week or two out of contract so that was fine with me, so I could leave. And I know that when you go out of contract after the 12mths they move you to an unfavourable plan. So I told them on the call that I was leaving and then got the "well we could offer you a better deal". I just said no thanks, nothing from you at the end of my contract. So good luck and good bye. The way things go, I could be back with electric Ireland at the end of the year as a new customer. No energy provider places value on loyalty.


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  • #7
    whelan2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,825 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    The only down side with energia is there's a cap on the amount of units at the reduced price. So if you use alot of electricity you won't be saving much


  • #8
    orm0nd
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,232 ✭✭✭orm0nd


    I'm with flogas. Contract was up and they put on the best deal they had at the time with 80euro cashback.

    Think there's better deals available since. I found the staff friendly and helpful and not too pushy.


  • #9
    J.O. Farmer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,478 ✭✭✭J.O. Farmer


    Aravo wrote: »
    With energia here. Change every year via bonkers.ie.
    Was with electric Ireland last year. I called them to check my end of contract date. It turned out I was a week or two out of contract so that was fine with me, so I could leave. And I know that when you go out of contract after the 12mths they move you to an unfavourable plan. So I told them on the call that I was leaving and then got the "well we could offer you a better deal". I just said no thanks, nothing from you at the end of my contract. So good luck and good bye. The way things go, I could be back with electric Ireland at the end of the year as a new customer. No energy provider places value on loyalty.

    Last year Electric Ireland rang me up and offered to roll over the contract for a year a couple of weeks before it was up. It prompted me to check bonkers.ie and I'm with energia now. I expect I'll be with someone else once my contract is up.


  • #10
    Aravo
    Registered Users Posts: 908 ✭✭✭Aravo


    whelan2 wrote: »
    The only down side with energia is there's a cap on the amount of units at the reduced price. So if you use alot of electricity you won't be saving much

    Tbh on bonkers I just plugged in my average usage which I know over the least few years. So in that regard I should be ok. I also plug in the meter reading every two months so am not getting an estimated bill, which I used to find estimates higher rather than lower. I must admit if bonkers gave me very similar costs for 3 different suppliers I would likely go with the best known and not some crowd I never heard off.


  • #11
    MAULBROOK
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,469 ✭✭✭MAULBROOK


    Anyone with a Solar PV setup avoid electric Ireland, they have a low usage charge.
    Its gauling generating 100% of your power needs from March to October knowing your going to get a bill for not using enough.
    I moved to Iberdrola but will be jumping as soon as.


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  • #12
    Dinzee Conlee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭Dinzee Conlee


    Looked mine up there
    Standing charge seems to be about 130/year
    15.5/unit

    That’s with glowpower...

    Looking at bonkers.ie - they don’t have any better options, which I have never seen before...


  • #13
    Dinzee Conlee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭Dinzee Conlee


    No - there are cheaper options on bonkers, I screwed up the search...

    But, they are all only cheaper due to the cash back, the standing charge and unit rate are all more expensive.

    The cheapest is Electric Ireland, at peak rate of 18.8cent, and a standing charge of 228
    But - they have a cash back of 210, which makes it cheaper...
    But I don’t save over 210, I only save 165... kinda strange...


  • #14
    Good loser
    Registered Users Posts: 3,212 ✭✭✭Good loser


    MAULBROOK wrote: »
    Anyone with a Solar PV setup avoid electric Ireland, they have a low usage charge.
    Its gauling generating 100% of your power needs from March to October knowing your going to get a bill for not using enough.
    I moved to Iberdrola but will be jumping as soon as.

    I get a big low usage charge from Electric Irl at times.

    Do some providers not have this?


  • #15
    Green&Red
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,432 ✭✭✭✭Green&Red


    whelan2 wrote: »
    I'm with glowpower too. They upped their price after I moved to them. If I go on to bonkers.ie now they're not even featuring the first page of deals for me. I'm paying alot more than last year

    Surely they can’t up the price after you’ve signed up for a year?


  • #16
    whelan2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,825 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    Green&Red wrote: »
    Surely they can’t up the price after you’ve signed up for a year?

    Yes they can, afsik the price is only valid when you sign up. Most electricity providers have increased their prices. The discount you're getting is off their main price


  • #17
    MAULBROOK
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,469 ✭✭✭MAULBROOK


    Good loser wrote: »
    I get a big low usage charge from Electric Irl at times.

    Do some providers not have this?

    No only EI


  • #18
    davidk1394
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,173 ✭✭✭davidk1394


    I signed up with panda power for 14.7 cent a unit on day rate.


  • #19
    alps
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,087 ✭✭✭alps


    whelan2 wrote: »
    I'm with glowpower too. They upped their price after I moved to them. If I go on to bonkers.ie now they're not even featuring the first page of deals for me. I'm paying alot more than last year

    It may pay you to break the contract...In some cases it might only cost €50


  • #20
    whelan2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,825 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    alps wrote: »
    It may pay you to break the contract...In some cases it might only cost €50

    I'm paying over 500 a month atm. Was under 400 last year


  • #21
    MAULBROOK
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,469 ✭✭✭MAULBROOK


    whelan2 wrote: »
    I'm paying over 500 a month atm. Was under 400 last year

    Holy fxxk if anyone needs solar PV fitted its you.
    6k a year on power you would have pay back on a decent setup in less than 5 years or less.


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  • #22
    Dinzee Conlee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭Dinzee Conlee


    whelan2 wrote: »
    I'm paying over 500 a month atm. Was under 400 last year

    That’s a fair bill every month...

    I was surprised when I went looking yesterday at how low ours was - last year we spent 780, that’s 65/month...


  • #23
    whelan2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,825 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    Dinzee Conlee wrote: »
    That’s a fair bill every month...

    I was surprised when I went looking yesterday at how low ours was - last year we spent 780, that’s 65/month...

    Mine is house and farm, night rate meter


  • #24
    Dinzee Conlee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭Dinzee Conlee


    whelan2 wrote: »
    Mine is house and farm, night rate meter

    Oh I know. Cooling milk takes a fair whack I imagine?

    Jesus, be a fair home to burn that much power every month on its own... :)


  • #25
    whelan2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,825 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    Dinzee Conlee wrote: »
    Oh I know. Cooling milk takes a fair whack I imagine?

    Jesus, be a fair home to burn that much power every month on its own... :)

    Milk collected each day which adds to cooling costs


  • #26
    Dinzee Conlee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭Dinzee Conlee


    whelan2 wrote: »
    Milk collected each day which adds to cooling costs

    Why is this?
    Is it cos there isn’t cool milk to cool the fresh milk down when it hits the tank?


  • #27
    whelan2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,825 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    Dinzee Conlee wrote: »
    Why is this?
    Is it cos there isn’t cool milk to cool the fresh milk down when it hits the tank?

    Ye.


  • #28
    pummice
    Registered Users Posts: 258 ✭✭pummice


    Green&Red wrote: »
    Surely they can’t up the price after you’ve signed up for a year?


    They can break the contract legally, but the consumer has to pay to get out of the contract. The odds are stacked against the user. Just wait until Smart Meters arrive. It will get even more complicated to know who is offering the best deal


  • #29
    MAULBROOK
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,469 ✭✭✭MAULBROOK


    pummice wrote: »
    They can break the contract legally, but the consumer has to pay to get out of the contract. The odds are stacked against the user. Just wait until Smart Meters arrive. It will get even more complicated to know who is offering the best deal

    I have a bad feeling your right, its going to be like health insurance pricing.


  • #30
    Aravo
    Registered Users Posts: 908 ✭✭✭Aravo


    whelan2 wrote: »
    I'm paying over 500 a month atm. Was under 400 last year

    Have you tried bonkers to see what it is suggesting and compare that with your current tariff. Could be well worth to break contract and go elsewhere. It would be benificial to know what units you use anually to get the best rate.


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  • #31
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,696 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    whelan2 wrote: »
    I'm paying over 500 a month atm. Was under 400 last year

    What percentage are you able to use at night rate? I'm guessing the bulk tank is direct expansion? It's a fair whack of a bill alright. Would a gas heater in the dairy work out better I wonder?

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



  • #32
    alps
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,087 ✭✭✭alps


    MAULBROOK wrote: »
    Holy fxxk if anyone needs solar PV fitted its you.
    6k a year on power you would have pay back on a decent setup in less than 5 years or less.

    6K would be pretty standard for 100 cow herd..


  • #33
    whelan2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,825 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    blue5000 wrote: »
    What percentage are you able to use at night rate? I'm guessing the bulk tank is direct expansion? It's a fair whack of a bill alright. Would a gas heater in the dairy work out better I wonder?

    50 % night rate


  • #34
    K.G.
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,259 Mod ✭✭✭✭K.G.


    Got a whopper of a bill this week so as the morning was so s##t i pulled out the bill and started ringing.bord gais 15.6 day and night 7.75.12 month contract dd and paperless billing.thats well over a 100 e a month saved for us.plus vat at 13.5


  • #35
    whelan2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,825 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    Who were you with previously?


  • #36
    K.G.
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,259 Mod ✭✭✭✭K.G.


    whelan2 wrote: »
    Who were you with previously?

    Ifa (bord gas).ifa doesn't suit larger users.we use 38 000 units a year


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  • #37
    Mooooo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,611 ✭✭✭Mooooo


    Anyone using solar pv, any idea what the ROI would be on a dairy farm?


  • #38
    mahoney_j
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,335 ✭✭✭✭mahoney_j


    I have used utility solutions for over a year ,he dose all the work setting up account checking tariffs and getting a deal .I just submit a reading every month .I’ve tried bonkers etc and none come close to the unit price I’m paying .there’s a small yearly fee involved but we’ll worth it as I’ve saved a significant amount on what I would of been paying if I hadn’t got this guy involved .for reference on my house I’m paying 12.50 per unit snd on farm paying a day rate of 13.70 and night rate of 6.55.if anyone wants a contact number drop me a dm ,most here on Twitter will probably already know


  • #39
    whelan2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,825 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    mahoney_j wrote: »
    I have used utility solutions for over a year ,he dose all the work setting up account checking tariffs and getting a deal .I just submit a reading every month .I’ve tried bonkers etc and none come close to the unit price I’m paying .there’s a small yearly fee involved but we’ll worth it as I’ve saved a significant amount on what I would of been paying if I hadn’t got this guy involved .for reference on my house I’m paying 12.50 per unit snd on farm paying a day rate of 13.70 and night rate of 6.55.if anyone wants a contact number drop me a dm ,most here on Twitter will probably already know

    It's just the same as looking up bonkers.ie and no fee. I said that to him when he rang me


  • #40
    whelan2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,825 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    K.G. wrote: »
    Ifa (bord gas).ifa doesn't suit larger users.we use 38 000 units a year

    It's a bit of a joke really, not really working for the farmer are they?


  • #41
    mahoney_j
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,335 ✭✭✭✭mahoney_j


    whelan2 wrote: »
    It's just the same as looking up bonkers.ie and no fee. I said that to him when he rang me

    I tried bonkers and he was a bit cheaper


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  • #42
    mahoney_j
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,335 ✭✭✭✭mahoney_j


    whelan2 wrote: »
    It's a bit of a joke really, not really working for the farmer are they?

    Tbh I think the ifa should have nothing to do with this and just represent all farmers ,take on the coops ,meat factories ,lobby govt etc


  • #43
    orm0nd
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,232 ✭✭✭orm0nd


    mahoney_j wrote: »
    Tbh I think the ifa should have nothing to do with this and just represent all farmers ,take on the coops ,meat factories ,lobby govt etc

    I have changed broadband/landline/mobile providers a good few times over the years and the most clueless, ignorant & unqualified staff I have ever come across were the crowd at ifa telecom.


  • #44
    whelan2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,825 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    mahoney_j wrote: »
    Tbh I think the ifa should have nothing to do with this and just represent all farmers ,take on the coops ,meat factories ,lobby govt etc

    Wasn't that Pat smith's baby?


  • #45
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Anyone here a customer of Waterpower down in kanturk ?
    How do you find them?

    http://www.waterpower.ie/


  • #46
    KCross
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,136 ✭✭✭✭KCross


    Mooooo wrote: »
    Anyone using solar pv, any idea what the ROI would be on a dairy farm?

    Its a little off-topic but its worth a reply.

    Any farmer, particularly dairy, who has some capital to spend now for a long term gain should take a serious look at Solar PV.

    Dairy farmers, in particular, because the sun is shining most at the time that dairy farms have the ability to utilise it (self-consumption is critically important for ROI), which is ~10:00-19:00 during the summer months..... what with plate coolers, bulk tanks, milking machine, compressors, hot water, water pumps etc. In addition farmers have loads of wide open roof space with no shading which is quite important to maximise the output. Ideally south facing.

    There are several threads in the Renewable forum that you should look at for costs and consider getting some installers out to quote you.
    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=117396876

    As for your ROI question... thats a very difficult one to answer definitively as it depends on what exactly you go for and what your usage profile is like.
    e.g. How many panels, what direction they are facing, how much of the electricity you can use, have you got batteries, have you got 3-phase... lots of variables but the payback should be, for a dairy farmer, somewhere around 5-7yrs. After that its money in the bank and SolarPV has no moving parts or servicing required. It either works or it doesnt. The panels are good for decades (25+ years). The weak link is the inverter which will die eventually (10 year warranty usually) but they are relatively cheap (€hundreds) to replace.

    Alot of farms have their electricity supply connected to their house in which case you'd be able to apply for the domestic SolarPV grant
    https://www.seai.ie/grants/home-energy-grants/solar-electricity-grant/

    Im not sure if you can apply for a grant if the farm supply is separate but you dont need the grant to make it viable and I'm sure you'd be able to claim other tax reliefs since it is a capital expenditure.

    Finally, as a headsup, there is a Feed-In-Traiff coming in the next month or so. A FiT is where you get paid for any generation that you dont use. That energy gets sent to the grid and at the moment Eirgrid get to use it for free!

    There will be a new microgeneration scheme put in place next month which will allow you to get paid for the unused energy... probably around the night rate value. It requires the installation of a smart meter which might be a double edged sword as the rates so far on smart meters are higher than standard day/night tariffs. If that occurs then you just let it go to the grid for free and do your best to use it all by dumping the excess to heat hot water or any other means possible (timing ice generators etc).


    Come on over to the renewable forum for further discussion, there are some farmers over there! ;)


  • #47
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,696 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    The big problem with dairy farms is the demand peaks-troughs. There is a huge demand at milking, the rest of the day it's like a normal house, unless cooling with an ice bank at night rate. I think wind would be a better option on a dairy farm. There's not too many lads still milking at 10am.

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



  • #48
    mahoney_j
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,335 ✭✭✭✭mahoney_j


    blue5000 wrote: »
    The big problem with dairy farms is the demand peaks-troughs. There is a huge demand at milking, the rest of the day it's like a normal house, unless cooling with an ice bank at night rate. I think wind would be a better option on a dairy farm. There's not too many lads still milking at 10am.

    You’d be surprised …..know a few lads who still milk at 10 or later …..and 7/8 maby 9 in evening ….everyone to there own but jaysus …


  • #49
    Say my name
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,767 ✭✭✭✭Say my name


    blue5000 wrote: »
    The big problem with dairy farms is the demand peaks-troughs. There is a huge demand at milking, the rest of the day it's like a normal house, unless cooling with an ice bank at night rate. I think wind would be a better option on a dairy farm. There's not too many lads still milking at 10am.

    A dairy neighbour with solar and wind generation claims to be running the farm totally on on farm generation.
    It would make you think though.
    Especially now with electric cars, motorbikes and quads out. People even using cars now for battery storage to run the house.


  • #50
    cute geoge
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,016 ✭✭✭cute geoge


    How can you use a car for battery storage ,is it just by leaving it parked up and hooked on to it with cables???
    Every year they are becoming more efficent with battery storage so would be reluctant to splash out on renewables just yet ,what you pay dear for this year will be probably reduntant in 3 years time in regard battery storage


  • #51
    KCross
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,136 ✭✭✭✭KCross


    blue5000 wrote: »
    The big problem with dairy farms is the demand peaks-troughs. There is a huge demand at milking, the rest of the day it's like a normal house, unless cooling with an ice bank at night rate. I think wind would be a better option on a dairy farm. There's not too many lads still milking at 10am.

    That peak-trough issue is the gotcha for all electricity usage, not just dairy farmers.

    Wind doesnt really pay that well and is as likely to be producing nothing at 12pm as Solar so that peak-trough issue will still be there for wind turbines.

    Turbines are also significantly more expensive, require alot of ongoing maintenance and they need a suitable site which alot of farms wouldnt have. It isnt just a case of stick it in the middle of a field with nothing around it and it'll be grand.

    You can stick 20 Solar panels on a shed roof and forget about it for the next 20 years!


    I'm not saying every dairy farmer should spend on Solar PV. I am saying they should consider it. A simple €30 energy monitor on their main supply over the course of one summer and you'll quickly learn how much you are using during the 10-19:00 timeframe and whether it will be worth it or not.

    You can dump alot of your excess electricity to hot water. I know that runs on night rate but its still saving you money. The Feed-in-tariff can then also come into play to soak up any excess beyond that but that FiT is a bit of an unknown yet.

    The main thing that farmers have going for them is loads of unobstructed roof space and high energy bills. Its worth looking at.


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