Electricity bill
An electricity bill, in the context of buildings and their owners and/or occupants, is effectively an invoice detailing money that is owed for electrical energy that has been used.
In its simplest form, electrical energy will have been metered, usually in terms of the quantity of kilowatt hours that have a been used in a given time period.
A kilowatt hour or ‘Kwh’ is the quantity of energy that a load of 1Kw uses in 1 hour.
So:
1Kw running for 1 hour = 1Kwh
Equally:
0.5 Kw (500w) running for 2 hours = 1Kwh
And
2kW running for 30 minutes also = 1Kwh
1Kwh is also known as ‘1 unit of electricity’
The company supplying the energy will have set the price for the unit of electricity. This and other details that make up the bill will be detailed in the supplier’s terms and conditions. Such terms and conditions are known as tariffs.
Tariffs will vary widely between suppliers. As well as detailing the cost per unit of electricity, these will also cover other costs that make up the total amount owed.
In its most simple form, the bill will set out payment terms, such as payment due date, VAT rate if applicable and methods by which payment may be made.
On larger installations, it is common to see much more detailed tariffs, which may often encourage electricity saving at peak times and variable unit rates for different times of day.
With more complex tariffs, electricity usage will be charged while taking into account other factors such as:
- Time of day.
- Maximum demand at any given point in time.
- Seasonal variations.
- Power factor that electricity has been taken at.
- System usage charges.
- Payment methods.
The electricity bill must clearly set out all this information so that it is easy to establish how the total amount charged has been calculated.
NB Making Mission Possible - Delivering A Net-Zero Economy, published by the Energy Transitions Commission (ETC) in September 2020, suggests that the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) is: ‘A measure of the average net present cost of electricity generation for a generating plant over its lifetime. The LCOE is calculated as the ratio between all the discounted costs over the lifetime of an electricity-generating plant divided by a discounted sum of the actual energy amounts delivered.’
--ECA
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Articles about electricity.
- Consumer electronics.
- Consumer unit.
- ECA calls on Government to reform and rebalance energy levies and avoid cost of living crisis.
- Electrical appliance.
- Electrical consumption.
- Electrical energy.
- Electrical equipment.
- Electrical installation.
- Electrical power.
- Electrical safety.
- Energy cost.
- Energy price crisis: ECA calls for energy levy reform.
- Energy tariffs.
Featured articles and news
Global BACS Market: analytics and optimisation
A BSRIA glance at building automation and control systems.
What it is and how to use it.
Investors in People: CIOB achieves gold
Reflecting a commitment to employees and members.
Scratching beneath the surface; a guide to selection.
ECA 2024 Apprentice of the Year Award
Entries open for submission until May 31.
UK gov apprenticeship funding from April 2024
Brief summary the policy paper updated in March.
For the World Autism Awareness Month of April.
70+ experts appointed to public sector fire safety framework
The Fire Safety (FS2) Framework from LHC Procurement.
Project and programme management codes of practice
CIOB publications for built environment professionals.
The ECA Industry Awards 2024 now open !
Recognising the best in the electrotechnical industry.
Sustainable development concepts decade by decade.
The regenerative structural engineer
A call for design that will repair the natural world.
Buildings that mimic the restorative aspects found in nature.
CIAT publishes Principal Designer Competency Framework
For those considering applying for registration as a PD.
Introducing or next Guest Editor Arun Baybars
Practising architect and design panel review member.