At So Energy we're all about empowering our customers to understand their usage. 

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Why is it important to know our energy usage?

Understanding your energy usage patterns can be vital in helping you save energy and money and reduce your carbon footprint.

The best way to get familiar with your energy usage is to get a smart meter and turn on half hourly meter readings (you can do that here). Once you’ve done this, you’ll have access to the energy usage graph where you can visually view your usage day by day and hour by hour.


Benefits of Viewing the Energy Usage Graph:

  • Stay on Top of Your Usage: Monitor your energy consumption in near real-time.
  • Avoid Bill Surprises: Understand your energy usage patterns and anticipate your bill charges.  
  • Save Money: Identify areas where you can change your habits to reduce your energy consumption.
  • Compare Your Usage: Easily compare your energy usage day by day, hour by hour.  


How to View the Energy Usage Graph:

To access the Energy Usage Graph, you'll need:

  • A smart meter installed at your property - Don’t have a smart meter? Book your free installation now!
  • Your consent for us to receive half-hourly meter readings - Upgrade your smart meter read frequency consent here.
  • Your smart meter to be sending us regular readings - If you’re wondering what to do if your smart meter isn’t sending readings you can learn more here.


Understanding the Relationship Between kWh and £:

It's important to understand how your energy usage (kWh) relates to your usage charges (£). Your electricity is measured in kWh (kilo-Watt hours) and your gas is measured in either m3 or ft3 (you’ll be able to see this unit of measure on the meter itself, and on your bill).

A kilowatt-hour (kWh) measures the amount of electricity consumed when a 1,000-watt device runs continuously for one hour. Think of it like a measurement of work done by electrical appliances over time.

One cubic meter (1 m3) represents the volume of gas that would fill a cube measuring 1 meter on each side. One cubic foot (1 ft3) represents the volume of gas that would fill a cube measuring 1 foot on each side.

Now let’s see how this measurement relates to cost!

  • Electricity:Your electricity cost (£) is calculated by multiplying your energy consumption (kWh) by your unit rate.
    • Electricity £ = kWh * Unit Rate
  • Gas: Gas consumption is measured in m3 or ft3so there is an extra step in the calculation. Your gas cost (£) is calculated by multiplying your gas consumption by a conversion factor (to kWh) and then by your unit rate.
    • Gas £ = (Consumption in m3 or ft3) * (Conversion to kWh) * Unit Rate

Please note the conversion factor is an industry figure that can change over the year and the figure used in the energy graph is an average, so your gas consumption charge in the graph may differ by just a few pence to your bill.


Why is My Bill More Than My Usage Cost?

The Energy Usage Graph displays your energy consumption costs. However, it does not include the standing charge. Your standing charge is a daily fixed cost that contributes to your overall bill. You can find your standing charge details on your "My Tariff" page within your online account.

If you have an export meter, your account credit for exported energy will not be included in the usage graph.


Why Can’t I See the Graph?

There are a few reasons why you might not be able to see your energy usage graph:

  • Incorrect Read Frequency: Your smart meter might not be sending us readings at the required frequency. You can check and adjust your read frequency here.
  • Missing Readings: Sometimes, smart meters can lose connection, resulting in missing readings. We may be missing some readings for the period you are trying to view. If your meter is not sending us readings for a significant time, our meter team will try to fix the meter remotely and may contact you in the cases where an engineer needs to visit the site to fix the meter.
  • No Smart Meter: You need a smart meter to use the graph, book a free smart meter installation here.

As well as the energy usage graph, you’ll be shown you estimated annual usage. This is our best estimate of your energy usage for the next 12 months. It's based on your past readings and industry forecast data. If you have a smart meter, or submit regular meter readings, this estimate will more accurately reflect your energy usage.


What’s Coming Soon?

If you visited your account on a web browser you may be missing out!

We’d love to get your feedback. Let us know if there is anything more you’d like to see on your energy usage graph, on our quick survey.

We hope this helps you understand and utilise the new Energy Usage Graph. If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact our customer support team.