For several weeks now, you have heard about our new energy-efficient solutions where you as a homeowner can both save on your electricity bill and get support from Enova. But how does this change when the new grid tariffs come? The new solution is, for many, not easy to understand and can feel more complicated than it really is. But the most important thing to remember when the new grid tariff comes is that the goal is not directly to make your electricity more expensive, but the tariff has been introduced to make you think about when you use electricity so that we do not overload the electricity grid. After all, it is the times when many people use electricity that the grid is charged the most, but it is also when electricity is most expensive. So how can you actually reduce your electricity consumption in practice to avoid the highest power peaks and get a lower tariff? We have several tips to help you live a more energy-efficient everyday life.
When you want to be more energy efficient, you have to take into account both the electricity prices that fluctuate throughout the day and the new grid tariff model that came on July 1st 2022. We have seen an increase in electricity prices over the past year, but there is also a large variation in the price during the course of a day, this may be worth thinking about when implementing smart tips. In addition, the new grid tariff means that you would like to spread your consumption throughout the day so that you do not create a higher tariff for yourself. By spreading out the electricity consumption, you use less electricity during a specific hour and avoid a price jump. With a HAN-sensor from Futurehome, you can see the electricity consumption in real time and see historical data, but the sensor also helps you to automate consumption based on the electricity price. You must have a HAN sensor and Smarthub from Futurehome, in addition to the products mentioned in the specific tips, to be able to implement the tips. With these bits of information, you can now start setting up smart solutions for your home that reduce energy consumption and maintain comfort.
One of the products that is most difficult to control the consumption of without a smart home is the water boiler. At the same time, this is actually one of the devices in the home that uses the most electricity. But if you have made your water heater smart, you can cut down a lot on your electricity consumption and your grid tariff.
Both based on historical prices and the new grid tariff model, it will be cheapest to use electricity between 22:00 and 06:00. Therefore, it may be a good idea to have the water heater on during this period. When this is on, it also acts as a legionella protection so you can be absolutely sure that your morning shower is still just as comfortable. Between 06:00 and 22:00 the price can vary greatly, but we have come to the conclusion that if you set up an automation that switches off the boiler when the electricity price is 5% higher than the average, you can save a good deal on the electricity bill without noticing a difference on your comfort. Read about how to set up a spot price automation here: https://support.futurehome.no/hc/no/articles/5067563218205-Spotpris-automasjoner
To save electricity on the water boiler, we recommend that it is left on at night and that it is turned on or off based on the electricity prices during the day. We have come to the conclusion that 5% above the average is a good limit to turn it off.
Since we are in the middle of a hot summer, warming up is not that important, but one thing that is important is preparation. So when we get to colder times where a hot bathroom in the morning is important, you can turn down the heat at night and heat the house before you get up. You can turn down the heat in the house at night and actually save a good amount on the electricity bill without affecting comfort. If you then want 23 degrees in the bathroom in the morning, you can set up an automation that gets the temperature to 25 degrees between 04:00 and 06:00, and then turns it down to 23 degrees from 06:00. The reason why it is wise to heat the house so early and to a higher temperature than you wanted is because then you heat the house when electricity is a little cheaper and when fewer people in the household use electricity for their morning routines. You will avoid the big heating job when the whole house is up.
To save electricity on heating, we recommend lowering at night, early heating and reduction in the last hour before you get up.
The last smart tip targeted at you with an electric vehicle charger or you who are considering getting an electric vehicle charger installed. The electric vehicle charger is also one of the biggest loads in the home. This means that when the charger is first up and running, it uses a lot of power at once. Futurehome supports Defa, Zaptec and Easee, but we currently only have spot price automation available for the Easee charger. By controlling the charger in a smart way, you can avoid spending an unnecessary amount of electricity and money on charging the electric vehicle. With an Easee charger connected to Futurehome, the charger can be started and stopped when you want, while several different modes can be set in the app. You can also get a full overview of the consumption of the charger so that you can make changes to when you charge it and which mode (for example slow mode) you charge the car in. Read more about the Easee integration here: https://support.futurehome. no/hc/no/articles/5461451071645-Easee
To save electricity on electric vehicle charging, we recommend charging as much as possible between 22:00 and 06:00 and controlling the charger at the spot price between 06:00 and 22:00 (applies as of now only to the Easee charger). These recommendations only apply if you have a charging box installed.
Based on StrømKontroll, we have put together 3 of our best tips, but the savings opportunities increase together with your smart house. Contact your nearest electrician to hear more about your smart home options or to get started with StrømKontroll. If you want more information about StrømKontroll, you can read more at stromkontroll.no.
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