The average Australian household electricity consumption is about 50% higher than the average UK household electricity consumption. This is based on data sourced from UK and Australian sources.
However, the cost of Electricity may be a different matter, depending on exactly where you live.
Looking at the website www.whatprice.co.uk, I saw that the average UK detached house with 4 bedrooms has an annual Electricity bill of £978 per year. I compared that to mine, which is about $2,000 per year, but mine covers all heating and cooking, as our area does not have gas.
Not having gas is reasonably common in many areas of Queensland, therefore many of us are all electric only.
If the average UK gas bill is added, with data taken from www.whatprice.co.uk, then the £782 average Gas cost for a 4 bed detached house, added to the electricity gives a total of £1,760 per year, compared to my $2,000 (or about £1,000 at FX rate in August 2009).
However, other parts of Australia may be very different, and I have heard that South Australia is more reliant on Gas than it is for Electricity, for cooking and heating.
Average Electricity Consumption:
UK:
- Average household electricity use in the UK is about 4,500 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year
Australia:
- In 2009 an average Australian household’s electricity use is comparatively high, at about eighteen kilowatt hours of electricity per day (6,570kWh per year) – and growing. Average electricity consumption differs across states; Queensland is higher than the national average, for example.
A BBC report in July 2008 quoted:
Centrica said the average dual fuel bill for a British Gas customer would go up by 25% – putting the average household bill at about £1,240.
Unit cost of Electricity
UK – Southern Electric
- Standard rate per kWh 11.78 pence (April 2010)
Aus – QLD
- Standard rate per kWh 21.351 cents (July 2010) Â – up from 18.84 cents last year.
My own actual Annual Electricity Costs in Australia
| Year | Cost $ | Usage kWh | ave $/kWh | annual overall $/kWh unit price increase |
| 2004 | $1,162.47 | 9,947 | $0.11687 | 2.77% |
| 2005 | $1,246.05 | 10,360 | $0.12028 | 2.92% |
| 2006 | $1,434.89 | 11,483 | $0.12496 | 3.89% |
| 2007 | $1,658.66 | 12,535 | $0.13232 | 5.89% |
| 2008 | $1,946.50 | 13,410 | $0.14516 | 9.70% |
| 2009 | $1,505.72 | 9,431 | $0.15966 | 9.99% |
| 2010 | $1,927.93 | 10,984 | $0.17552 | 9.94% |
Note: The above should be compared to a ‘combined’ UK Gas and Electric costing to get a true comparison, as we do not have gas.
I live in tasmania and our electricity bill per 3 months is on average 1200 dollars in the cooler months so from march to late october. 700 every 3 months in the warmer months :-/
What is the exact source of your 6,570kWh per year for Australian average household power consumption in 2009? I’d like to reference this in a study I am writing.
Cheers,
Demian
The original source is referenced in the original post, but it appears that the original choice.com.au article is no longer on their site.
However, I located another quote for the ACT, at http://www.actewagl.com.au
Canberra experiences colder winters so I would expect their average to be higher than the entire countries average, which agrees with the 8,000 kWh that they show.
Another source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1995.
The average Australian household uses about 16 kWh per day. This equates about 5,840 kWh per year in 1995.
Be aware that Electricity costs vary, depending on the supplier.
I just checked my own actual usage, against the Choice website http://www.choiceswitch.com.au and found the following annual costs would apply to my actual usage.
There are 33 individual plans calculated:
$1,571.90 Origin One Months FREE electricity only
$1,600.85 AGL AGL Advantage 5
$1,613.45 TRUenergy Go for More
$1,619.56 Origin One Months FREE electricity only with 25% GreenPower
$1,629.06 Integral INhome Smart Saver QLD
$1,633.41 Origin Daily Saver Electricity
$1,663.35 TRUenergy Go Easy
$1,663.35 TRUenergy Go Green
$1,684.89 AGL Advantage 5 GreenChoice
$1,685.41 Origin Daily Saver Electricity + 25% GreenPower
$1,714.80 TRUenergy TRUenergy Home Supply
$1,714.80 Origin Magazine Choice electricity
$1,714.80 Origin Home Supply Electricity
$1,714.80 AGL AGL Freedom 0
$1,714.80 Integral INgreen Living 10
$1,714.80 Ergon Ergon Energy Default rate
$1,714.80 Origin *Standard rate – Origin
$1,718.89 TRUenergy Go Easy Planet Starter
$1,766.28 AGL Green Living
$1,766.80 Origin Magazine Choice electricity with 25% GreenPower
$1,774.42 TRUenergy Go Easy Planet
$1,831.15 Origin One Months FREE electricity only with 50% GreenPower
$1,916.22 Origin Daily Saver Electricity + 50% GreenPower
$1,938.97 TRUenergy Go Easy Planet Plus
$1,941.05 Integral INgreen Living 20
$1,997.61 Origin Magazine Choice electricity with 50% GreenPower
$2,090.40 Origin One Months FREE electricity only with 100% Wind GreenPower
$2,167.30 Integral INgreen Living 50
$2,199.04 Origin Daily Saver Electricity + 100% GreenPower
$2,215.61 TRUenergy Go Easy Planet Wind
$2,280.43 Origin Magazine Choice electricity with 100% Wind GreenPower
$2,280.43 AGL Green Energy
$2,619.81 Integral INgreen Pure
As of February 2010 the rate in WA is 16c per KWh and most homes in the Perth area are gas connected. My average bi-monthly electricity bill is approx $120 ($720 per annum). My gas bill averages $90 per quarter ($360 per annum). I have gas hot water and gas benchtop. My annual total utilities energy bill is $1,080. Speculation in WA is that energy prices are due to rise in the next State budget in May 2010