Anatomy of Your Electricity Bill
Most people pay their energy bill without fully understanding its structure. Understanding your bill is the first step to real savings.
Bill Components
| Component | Share of bill | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Active energy | 40-50% | Price of electricity itself (kWh) |
| Fixed distribution | 10-15% | Connection maintenance fee |
| Variable distribution | 15-20% | Energy transmission fee (proportional to usage) |
| Capacity fee | 8-12% | System readiness fee |
| RES fee | 2-3% | Renewable energy development financing |
| Cogeneration fee | 1-2% | High-efficiency cogeneration support |
| Excise duty | 3-5% | Excise tax |
| VAT (23%) | — | Tax on everything |
Key observation: Even if you produce 100% of needed energy from PV, you'll still pay fixed charges. Bills can decrease by 75-90%, but never reach zero.
Energy Tariffs — Which Is Best?
Choosing the right tariff can save 10-20% even without renewables. Single-zone tariffs work best with solar; dual-zone tariffs benefit night-heavy users (heat pumps, EV chargers).
How Much Energy Does a Typical Home Use?
| Appliance | Annual consumption | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 300 – 500 kWh | €60 – €100 |
| Washing machine | 150 – 250 kWh | €30 – €50 |
| Dishwasher | 250 – 350 kWh | €50 – €70 |
| Air conditioning | 500 – 1,500 kWh | €100 – €300 |
| Heat pump | 3,000 – 6,000 kWh | €600 – €1,200 |
| EV charger | 2,000 – 4,000 kWh | €400 – €800 |
Total typical home: 4,000 – 8,000 kWh/year (without heat pump), 7,000 – 14,000 kWh/year (with heat pump and EV).
How Solar Affects Your Bill
Under the net-billing system, prosumers sell surplus energy at market price and buy from the grid at retail price. Maximizing self-consumption is key.
Ways to increase self-consumption:
Savings Simulation
Example: 4-person home with heat pump and 1 EV:
| Scenario | Annual energy cost | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| No renewables | €2,800 | — |
| 8 kWp PV | €980 | €1,820 (65%) |
| 8 kWp PV + 10 kWh storage | €560 | €2,240 (80%) |
| 10 kWp PV + storage + heat pump | €350 | €2,450 (87%) |
Contact FNC Poland for a free installation quote and subsidy check.
