Demand-Side Flexibility for Household Electricity Bill Reduction in Ireland for Cooking, Dishwashing, Tumble-drying and Electric Ovens

Abstract Demand-side flexibility (DSF) is increasingly promoted as a means of reducing peak electricity demand and household electricity bills. This study examines the potential financial benefits of household appliance load shifting for Irish consumers using Time-of-Use (ToU) electricity tariffs. Data from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's Behavioural Energy and Travel Tracker (BETT) survey were combined with current supplier tariff rates and appliance energy consumption data to model a series of load-shifting scenarios. Four household appliances were analysed: electric ovens, dishwashers, washing machines, and tumble dryers. Results indicate that shifting peak-time appliance usage to off-peak periods once a week could yield annual savings of €5 to €44 per household in an ideal scenario and €0.63 to €5.43 in a representative scenario, suggesting that current Time-of-Use electricity tariffs provide limited financial motivation for behavioural change. While strong participation could reduce national peak demand by 0.5% to 2.0%, the overall impact remains modest relative to an annual electricity bill of approximately €1,600 and Ireland's electricity system requirements. The findings suggest that stronger incentives, enabling technologies, or alternative flexibility mechanisms may be required to increase household participation in DSF programmes.