More people are making wiser decisions on their electricity to save money. Before being able to make an informed decision on electric suppliers or the plans they offer, it’s vital to understand the fundamentals of energy and how the electricity rates generate.

You can then develop a schedule based around peak hours only performing energy-draining tasks when the rates are at their lowest. It would require paying close attention to your current consumption habits and deciding on a new behavior pattern.

Find out when electricity rates are low at https://www.ecowatch.com/electricity/when-are-electricity-rates-the-lowest.

The electricity rates are affected by many variables. Still, power consumption and demand tend to influence the market rate considerably. To a lesser degree, “the location, fuel type, power plant operation costs, distribution, and the regulations.”

When you become familiar with what causes electricity prices to rise and fall, when the prices are at their lowest and when they are high, and how to work with those peaks and valleys, it will then be easier to pick a supplier and among the plans each provider has available.

How Are Electricity Prices Affected by the Time of Year

When the electricity demand is high, the price rises. The electricity demand is at its lowest in the fall and spring, meaning the energy price will be more affordable.

There’s a significantly higher demand for electricity in the winter and summer making the cost soar in those months. It wouldn’t be a good time to change suppliers at those times. These are the months people are using their furnaces and air conditioning, pools, holiday decorations,

Summer vs winter

Summer usually demands higher electricity usage than winter making rates higher in the warm months compared to the frigid cold time of the year. Trying to discern the peak from the off-peak will depend on your location and that area’s weather patterns.

You have some control depending on your heating and cooling appliances. These should be optimally energy efficient and equally efficient ceiling fans should be incorporated to assist with circulating the air. When you find reasonable rates with a supplier, it’s wise to lock in with a fixed rate.

This will be the price that stays with you through the entire contract regardless of market rates which often fluctuate as the seasons change, with different times during the day, and many other variables. You’ll be able to establish a predictable budget.

The objective is to sign on when the prices are at their lowest, usually in the fall or spring, the off-peak times of the year. It’s wise to analyze your specific area to see what the market trends are. If there’s a prediction for rates to fall at a particular time and sign on with a provider with fixed rates during that period.

How The Time of Day Affects the Electricity Prices

Weather and changing seasons are the only factors that play into the rise and fall of rates. The time of day can also affect når er strøm billigst or when is electricity cheapest. Because of this, some electric suppliers provide “time-of-use” plans.

As the consumer, you will pay varying rates at different points during the day. If the demand is high, the rate will go up but when the demand is low, you could pay less or even receive energy free.

The Customer Type Will Play a Part in Electricity Costs

Each customer will pay individual rates for electricity. In some cases, the type of consumer you are will actually result in the greatest effect on your price point.

As an industrial user who tends to consume large volumes of energy, you could pay lower rates than a residential user. Still, in addition to the standard rates, there will likely be added demand charges for which the residential audience is not responsible.

Fuel Time and Effects on the Electricity Rates

The fuel used to generate power can also affect the electricity price at any given time. The common fuels used in this country specifically are coal and natural gas. The demand for fuel will rise and fall like all commodities and as the demand increases so does the price point.

When electricity is generated from that in-demand fuel, that means the electricity price will also go up. In addition, transporting the fuel from point A to the ultimate power generation plant will increase the cost.

Alternative power sources are preferable globally for the environmental advantages, but these resources can be costly. In an attempt to meet the challenges, the power generation companies are “trying to diversify resources and fuel types for greater flexibility and to leverage the costs.”

Geographic location Will Affect Rates

 

Learning when the rates are lowest is essential but where does that apply? Prices will vary from one location to the next and even within your local region. If you live close to a power plant, it will cost less to supply you with power.

Some power plants are situated near budget-friendly fuel sources allowing price cuts for the surrounding neighborhoods. When looking at the United States as an example state varies from as low as “7.71 cents per kilowatt-hour in Louisiana to as much as 29.18 cents per kilowatt-hour in Hawaii.”

Final Thought

With a little more familiarity with how electricity rates work, what makes them rise and fall, when these are at their lowest, you have greater control to manage how you use your energy and the price.

Using electricity when it’s at its lowest price takes considerable planning but the effort is worth it. Click here for guidance on when energy is the cheapest.

When you get used to recognizing the time of year that has the lowest rates, and then the daytime hours where it is lowest in your geographic location, you can then look for the supplier with plans that can best meet your needs and lock in at the ideal fixed rate that will last for the duration of your contract.