Capacity Tariff in Flanders: Demystified and Solved

Living in Flanders, you might have come across the term 'capacity tariff'. Wondering what it is and how it affects your electricity bill? Let's break it down in easy language and show you how it changes what you pay for electricity. We'll also talk about some handy tools like easyMETER, easyCOLOR, and easyPLUG that can help you control your electricity use better.

What's the Capacity Tariff?

Discover the details of the capacity tariff in this video (NL):

Simply put, the capacity tariff is a new way to figure out your electricity bill in Flanders. It looks at the highest amount of electricity you might use at any one time. Think of it as measuring the biggest burst of electricity you need.

Before, your bill was calculated on how much electricity you used over time (kilowatt-hours, or kWh). But this old way didn't consider those moments when you used a lot of electricity all at once, which can be tough on the electricity network.

How the Capacity Tariff Works:

The capacity tariff is calculated based on the highest amount of electricity you use at once (measured in kiloWatts, or kW). Your digital meter tracks this every 15 minutes, recording the highest peak each month. Annually, you'll pay 48.8€ (40,4€ excl. VAT - as of Dec. 2023) for each kW peak. Let's look at two examples:

In short, your capacity tariff depends on your highest electricity usage at any one time. Keeping an eye on when you use energy-hungry appliances can make a big difference in your tariff costs.

5 Effective Ways to Reduce Your Capacity Tariff

To reduce your capacity tariff and save on your electricity bill, spreading your consumption and avoiding peaks is key. Solar panels, and the tools from easyNRJ, like easyMETER, easyCOLOR, and easyPLUG, can be a great help in this regard. Here's a simplified breakdown of 5 solutions to guide you:

1. Monitor Your Consumption in Real Time: 📊 Avoid using many high-energy appliances at the same time to stay within your electricity limit. easyCOLOR helps by displaying one of six colors representing your current house consumption, making it easier to make smart choices when a peak occurs.
   For instance:
• Temporarily reducing electric cooking from 9 to 7 to avoid a peak.
• Charging the car slower when cooking.
• Best of all: starting the washing machine when easyCOLOR is blue, indicating solar injection for nearly free energy and no peaks! Check out easyCOLOR here.
  
  
2. Control the Max Peak of the Month: 📈 Open the mini-app to quickly see the max peak of the previous and current month. Try not to increase it until the next month. easyMETER gives you all this info and more, like details hidden in your digital meter such as phases, voltage, gas, amperage, etc. Learn more about easyMETER here.
   
   
   
3. Auto-Consumption for Solar Panel Owners: ☀️ The easyPLUG is a smart plug that activates only when your solar panels are overproducing, sending the surplus to the grid. Use easyPLUG to automatically charge things with a battery, reducing your consumption and peaks when the sun isn't shining:
   
   • EV car 🚗
   • Electric bike 🚲
   • Electric scooter 🛴
   • Boiler 🌡️
   • Portable vacuum cleaner 🧹
   • Power tools 🔨
   • Laptops/tablets/phones 📱
   • Anything with a battery inside  🔋
   • ...and more!
   With easyPLUG, you can also easily see how much electricity they use instantly and per day, helping you stay within your limits and save money. Check out easyPLUG here.
   
   
4. Consider Solar Panels: 🌞 Generating your own electricity with solar panels means you rely less on the main electricity network, which will lower your bill.
   
   
5. Add a Domestic Battery: 🔋 While a home battery is more costly and might not offer quick returns, it's beneficial for storing excess solar energy. This stored energy can be used when needed, helping to smooth out energy peaks and capacity tariff, particularly in the summer.

By following these strategies, you're not just reducing your electricity costs, but also contributing to a more eco-friendly energy system in Flanders. The capacity tariff is a new way to calculate electricity costs in Flanders, focusing on the highest amount of electricity you use at once. Using tools like easyMETER, easyCOLOR, and easyPLUG can help you lower your electricity bills and support a greener future.

Unlock all three solutions at an unbeatable price with the easyPACK 3-in-1 and kickstart your savings today: