The Kilowatt-hour (kWh) is a unit used by energy suppliers to work out how much you pay for gas and electricity. Here’s all you need to know about kWhs and saving money on your energy bill.
A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the standard unit of measurement used by energy suppliers for both electricity and gas. It’s the amount of energy you’d use if you kept a 1,000 watt appliance running for an hour.
For example, to use 1kWh of energy you’d need to use:
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) says the average dual fuel customer uses 4,200 kW/h and 11,000 kW/h per year.
It only takes a few minutes to find a cheaper deal and start saving
A kilowatt (kW) is a measurement of power equal to 1,000 watts. A kilowatt describes how much energy an appliance is using, while a kilowatt-hour describes how much energy is used over a one hour period.
For example:
How much you pay per kWh will depend on the energy tariff you’re on and, if you have a day and night meter, what time of the day you use the energy.
The unit rate you see on your energy bills is the cost you pay per kWh. 1 kWh typically works out between €0.20 and 0.24 depending on the tariff you choose.
Here’s the amount of energy used by some of the most common household appliances:
Appliance | kWh | Time | |
---|---|---|---|
Washing machine | 1 kWh | per cycle | |
Dishwasher | 1.25 kWh | per cycle | |
Tumble Dryer | 2.5 kWh | per hour | |
Oven | 2 kWh | per hour | |
Fridge-freezer | 1 kWh | per day | |
Kettle | 0.25 kWh | per boil | |
Plasma TV | 1 kWh | per 3 hours | |
Laptop | 0.5 kWh | per day |
If you’d like to know about how to become more energy efficient around the home and cut the cost of your energy bill, visit our guide top energy saving tips.
Your gas meter measures your gas usage in either cubic metres or cubic feet, depending on the meter.
To convert this measurement into kWh, energy suppliers use a ‘conversion factor’, which is published on your bill.
Yes, you can and you will get a much better idea of the savings you could make.
If you’re checking energy prices with a comparison site, you will get much more accurate results by entering your kWh use. You’ll find the figure on your bills or annual statement.
Make sure you enter the right time period. If you enter 2,500 kWh a month when you actually use 2,500 kWh a year, you might be surprised or misled by the prices you’re quoted.
One of the easiest ways you can cut the cost of your energy bill is to use our free gas and electricity comparison service to compare unit rates and switch to a new deal. Here’s an example of the money you could save:
If you haven’t changed your tariff in over a year, compare electricity deals and make a switch to a discounted energy deal.
It only takes a few minutes to find a cheaper deal and start saving