Electricity time sections What schedules allow us to save electricity?
Electricity rates changed radically last year in Spain with the return of the time slots . With this measure, the billing depends on the time of day in which energy is consumed, so that doing it at 2 in the afternoon does not have the same price as at 4 in the morning. That is, there are more expensive and cheaper moments.
This measure responded to the need for consumption to fall in the peak hours , that is, when more energy is required from the system. Something that, in turn, is due to the capacity of Spanish infrastructure to generate electricity from cheap and clean sources.
In a very summary and broad strokes way, when it has to resort to other more expensive and polluting sources, the price goes up.
Given this scenario, in this article we explain what the hourly sections of the light and how to save with the new bill energy.
Main time sections with the new electricity bill
Since the launch of the time slots, in June 2021, the new electricity bill distinguishes between three different stripes : peak, valley and plain. However, it is a grouping, since The price of energy varies every hour .
Peak Section
The peak section includes the most expensive hours and is located between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. weekday. If one pays attention to these times, one can deduce that these are the times of the day when there is the most energy demand.
Valley Section
On the contrary, the valley section refers to the time periods in which the price of energy is the cheaper . It brings together all the weekends and holidays , in addition to the period between 00:00 and 08:00 weekday.
Flat Section
Lastly, the flat section refers to the period in which electricity prices are intermediates . It is located between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. , 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. and the 10:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m.
In what cases do these time periods of light affect me?
Not all consumers in Spain are subject to these time slots, but they only affect those under the regulated rate , also known as Voluntary Price for Small Consumers (PVPC). This is a modality that sets prices according to energy supply and demand, which causes these variations.
Those clients who opted for a free market rate , on the contrary, have a price per kilowatt-hour set in the contract signed with the company that supplies energy, so are not affected by these stripes hours of light.
At what time should I use appliances to save electricity?
As we have already seen, if your contract is under the regulated rate, it will have different prices at each time of the day. In this way, the valley, peak and flat sections represent an orientation of when it will be more or less expensive to consume energy and the most advisable thing is Concentrate the greatest energy expenditure in the cheapest hours .
For example, if I want to know what time I can put on the washing machine to save electricity, since it is a high-consumption appliance, the best option is to go to the valley section, on weekends, or to the flat section, which brings together intermediate prices. It could also be used from 00:00 to 08:00 on weekdays, but it may not be the most comfortable or neighborhood-friendly option.
However, the price of a kilowatt changes every hour, even in the valley zone, and its amounts can be consulted daily on portals such as that of the Spanish Electric Network. In fact, it is advisable to know this type of information to also avoid what is known as 'cursed hour' , a moment in the section in which the price shoots up.
Tips to save electricity by taking advantage of the time slots
Consequently, with the time slots, the best option to save on the electricity bill is to know daily habits of each home or workspace, especially when and why greater energy consumption occurs.
Knowing these data, we can try to adapt habits to the new light time slots, seeking to concentrate higher consumption, such as those derived from the use of the washing machine, the oven or an electric water heater, in the shorter sections. cheap.
But, beyond what this immediate logic dictates, at Garza we offer you a series of tips so that you can take advantage of the time slots with devices that can adapt to these periods.
One of the most notable is the smart switch , a perfect option for, for example, the water heater, since it is an appliance that usually consumes high energy. Connected to this switch, you can Program routines , such as turning it on only on flat stretches, during the day, or during off-peak hours, that is, throughout the night.
You can also apply other options that, with or without time slots, will help you reduce your consumption. For example, the motion detectors that spaces such as the aisle or the options smart lighting that allow programming.
Beyond the electricity bill, there are also devices that will save on other energy costs such as electricity. gas . It is the case of Smart thermostat , perfect for adjusting the heating.
And, in addition to these tips, at Garza we invite you to delve into how you can achieve savings in your energy consumption in this article with Tricks to lower your electricity bill .