Let’s be honest, most people think about their energy tariff about as often as they think about the expiry date on their spice rack, but if you’ve heard whispers about “time of use” tariffs and wondered if they’ll save you money, you’re in the right place.
What Is a Time of Use Tariff?
Imagine if your local chippy charged less for fish and chips at 3pm than at 7pm. You’d be queuing up with the pensioners, wouldn’t you? That’s the gist of a time of use (ToU) tariff - the price you pay for electricity changes depending on when you use it. Anyone remember Economy 7?..
- Off-peak hours (usually overnight or mid-day): Electricity is cheaper.
- Peak hours (typically early morning and evening): It’s pricier-because everyone’s boiling the kettle and cooking tea at the same time.
If you can shift a decent proportion of your energy use to the cheaper times (think running the dishwasher, charging your car, etc.), you can seriously cut your bills.
Why Do These Tariffs Exist?
The grid gets stressed when everyone’s using power at the same time. ToU tariffs are like a polite nudge from your energy supplier: “Could you maybe run the dishwasher after EastEnders?” By spreading out demand, the whole system runs smoother, greener, and cheaper, since we don't have to fire up gas or diesel peaking plants which are dirty and expensive.
Are Time of Use Tariffs Here to Stay?
Short answer: Yes, and they’re only getting more popular. Here’s why:
- Smart meters are everywhere now, so suppliers can track when you use power and bill you accordingly.
- Renewable energy (like solar and wind) is a bit unpredictable. ToU tariffs help match demand with when the sun’s shining or the wind’s blowing.
- Home batteries (like ours) make it easy to store cheap, off-peak energy and use it whenever you fancy.
Unless we all decide to go back to candles and washboards, ToU tariffs are sticking around. In fact, they’re likely to get smarter and more flexible as tech improves.
Is a Time of Use Tariff Right for You?
If you can shift your energy use to off-peak times, you could save a tidy sum. If not, you might not see as much benefit. But with energy prices on everyone’s mind, a ToU tariff is a no-brainer for anyone who likes their bills low if you can make the shift. Clearly there's electricity consumption you cannot delay, like making a brew, and that's where Vimma comes in. Move what you can, and a Vimma battery shifts the rest.