I’m looking into ways to reduce my home energy bill.
One of the recommendations I find is to run large appliances during off-peak times.
However, I’m confused by this. The gas and electricity meters on my home measure only usage, so if the utility company only reads these meters monthly, there is no way they can correlate my usage to a time-of-day-based pricing package, unless pricing is based on regional grid usage.
Put another way, I do not currently believe that off-peak energy pricing can work unless a singificant percentage of consumers on the grid run large appliances during off-peak times.
Can someone disillusion my thinking, or clarify how it is that I, as an individual, and irrespective of the energy usage patterns of other consumers, can possibly achieve lower energy bills by using electricity at off-peak times?
I am confused by what you are asking. Your title is "How do electric companies justify off-peak energy pricing" but the body of your message seems to ask technically how one meter can measure off peak electrical usage.
I have time of day electrical pricing and when I got on this plan, they did swap out my electrical meter to one that also records time. Meter technology is quite advanced today. Additionally, since that was done, they have once again swapped out the meter and now the meter is read remotely and I can read it remotely and get all sorts of usage information from the internet. My point is, if this is what you are asking, if is very easy technically for them to do and there are multiple ways they have to select from.
Now, if your question is really intended to ask how can companies justify off-peak pricing, again, no problem. Peak pricing is clearly going to be higher, after all, the electrical company may have to start up another plant in the afternoons to cover peak demand. Off peak pricing is lower because conversely, they can turn off the more expensive generating plants over night when demand is lower.
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
#1 by carsandhandbags at November 29th, 2009
…..
off peak use should lower demand onpeak so we do not have to buy electricity from others or produce it at full steam so operating costs should fall and so should our bills…
/?????
if they pass the savings on to us is an other matter
References :
#2 by fishlakeguy at November 29th, 2009
You have a separate meter for your off peak usage, and your heat/hot water is hooked to it, while your lights and outlets are left hooked up to the regular meter. The Second meter is radio controlled to turn off a certain number of hours every day, and you are compensated with this inconvenience with a much lower KWH charge. Generally, only heat, hot water, x-mas lighting, is hooked into the off peak meters. They can be de- energized for 2-12 hours a day, depending on time of year.
References :
have Off Peak Heating/cooling
#3 by spike at November 29th, 2009
A word of warning: don’t use Electricity to heat your home.
The bill will ‘Shock’ you !!
References :
#4 by Stephen M at November 29th, 2009
I am confused by what you are asking. Your title is "How do electric companies justify off-peak energy pricing" but the body of your message seems to ask technically how one meter can measure off peak electrical usage.
I have time of day electrical pricing and when I got on this plan, they did swap out my electrical meter to one that also records time. Meter technology is quite advanced today. Additionally, since that was done, they have once again swapped out the meter and now the meter is read remotely and I can read it remotely and get all sorts of usage information from the internet. My point is, if this is what you are asking, if is very easy technically for them to do and there are multiple ways they have to select from.
Now, if your question is really intended to ask how can companies justify off-peak pricing, again, no problem. Peak pricing is clearly going to be higher, after all, the electrical company may have to start up another plant in the afternoons to cover peak demand. Off peak pricing is lower because conversely, they can turn off the more expensive generating plants over night when demand is lower.
References :