Stop Overpaying for Electricity: How to Save Money Using Real-Time Energy Prices

Electricity prices change every 15 minutes all day, every day. Right now, while you're reading this, electricity might cost 22 cents per kWh. In 15 minutes, it might cost 99 cents. Yet most people pay the same rate all the time - or worse, they have no idea when electricity is cheap or expensive.

If you have a P1 smart meter (common in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Scandinavia) you can start taking advantage of these price swings and dramatically reduce your electricity costs.

Here's how.

What Are Spot Prices (and Why Should You Care)?

In most of Europe, electricity is bought and sold on wholesale markets where prices change every hour based on supply and demand. This is called the "spot price" or "day-ahead price."

When electricity is cheap:

• Middle of the night (low demand)

• Sunny, windy days (high renewable production)

• Weekends and holidays (less industrial demand)

• Spring and autumn (moderate heating/cooling needs)

When electricity is expensive:

• Early evening (everyone comes home and turns things on)

• Cold winter mornings (heating demand spikes)

• Hot summer afternoons (air conditioning peaks)

• Cloudy, windless days (low renewable production)

If you're on a dynamic pricing contract (where your electricity rate follows the spot price), you can save significant money by simply using more electricity when it's cheap and less when it's expensive.

Even if you're on a fixed-rate contract, understanding spot prices can help you make smarter decisions about when to use energy-intensive appliances.

The Problem: You Can't See the Prices

Most electricity providers don't make it easy to see hourly prices. You might be able to log into a website and squint at a data table, but that's not helpful when you're standing in your kitchen wondering: "Should I run the dishwasher now or wait until later?"

This is exactly the problem Sourceful Energy solves.

The Solution: Real-Time Price Visibility in Your Pocket

The Sourceful Zap connects to your smart meter (P1 port) and displays real-time electricity prices directly in our free mobile app - giving you the information you need to make smart decisions about when to use electricity.

What You Can See With the Sourceful App:

1. Current Spot Price at a Glance

A simple gauge shows you the current electricity price with color coding: green means cheap, yellow means moderate, red/orange means expensive. One glance tells you if now is a good time to use electricity.

2. Today's Complete Price Chart

See the entire day's spot prices in an easy-to-read graph. You can instantly spot the cheapest and most expensive hours, helping you plan when to run appliances or charge your EV.

3. "Optimize Your Energy Use" Recommendations

The app tells you exactly when the next low price period is coming and how long you have to wait. For example: "Lowest price in 7 hours 36 minutes: 0.59 SEK/kWh (-13% vs today's average)" or "Reduce usage in 5 hours 51 minutes: 0.91 SEK/kWh (+34% vs today's average)".

4. Historical Prices

See your daily average price (Dagens snittpris) and compare high vs. low prices for the day. This helps you understand your local price patterns over time.

Real-World Example: Sweden (SE2)

Let's look at a real day from the Sourceful Energy app (November 17, 2025):

Daily average: 0.68 SEK/kWh

Scenario: You need to charge your EV (60 kWh battery, currently at 20%, need to charge to 80% = 36 kWh needed)

• Charge at 8 AM (peak price): 36 kWh × 0.99 SEK = 35.64 SEK

• Charge at midnight (lowest price): 36 kWh × 0.22 SEK = 7.92 SEK

Savings: 27.72 SEK per charge - that's 77% cheaper for literally doing nothing except waiting.

Do this twice a week and you save over 2,800 SEK per year just on EV charging.

What You Can Shift to Cheaper Hours

Almost every household has "flexible loads" - things that don't need to happen at a specific time:

High Priority (Biggest Savings):

• EV charging - Usually 20-60 kWh per session, massive savings potential

• Heat pump water heaters - Can heat water during cheap hours and store it

• Pool pumps and heaters - Can run anytime, why not when it's cheap?

• Home batteries - Charge when prices are low, use stored power when prices are high

Medium Priority (Easy Wins):

• Dishwasher - Run before bed instead of after dinner

• Washing machine - Start before you leave for work or overnight

• Tumble dryer - Same as washing machine

• Bread makers, slow cookers - Use timers to start during cheap hours

Lower Priority (Still Worth It):

• Phone/laptop charging - Charge overnight when prices bottom out

• Robot vacuum cleaners - Schedule for times when prices are low

• Dehumidifiers - Can run flexibly throughout the day

How Much Can You Actually Save?

This depends heavily on:

• Your country and typical price volatility

• Whether you have an EV (biggest single impact)

• Your household's flexibility

• How actively you shift consumption

Conservative estimate (Netherlands/Belgium):

• Household without EV: €200-400/year

• Household with EV: €800-1,500/year

Aggressive estimate (actively managing everything):

• Household without EV: €400-700/year

• Household with EV: €1,500-2,500/year

Swedish example (based on SE2 prices):

• Household without EV: 2,000-4,000 SEK/year

• Household with EV: 8,000-15,000 SEK/year

Simple Strategy: Check Before You Use

The beauty of the Sourceful app is how simple it makes price-aware decisions:

Before charging your EV: → Open app, check current price and upcoming prices → If current price is high, wait for the next low period → Set a reminder to plug in later

Before running the dishwasher: → Quick glance at the app → If it's in the red/orange zone, wait until later → Run it before bed when prices typically drop

Before doing laundry: → Check if you're in a green (cheap) period → If not, check when the next green period starts → Plan accordingly

You don't need complex automation or smart home systems. Just check the app and make informed decisions.

Works Across Europe

While pricing structures differ by country, the principle is the same everywhere:

• Netherlands - Day-ahead EPEX prices, highly dynamic

• Belgium - Similar to Netherlands, Belpex market

• Sweden - Nord Pool spot prices (SE1, SE2, SE3, SE4 zones)

• Denmark - Nord Pool spot prices (DK1, DK2 zones)

• Finland - Nord Pool spot prices

• Luxembourg - EPEX prices

• And more - See country list below

If your country has:

• ✅ Smart meters with accessible data (P1 port)

• ✅ Dynamic pricing contracts available

• ✅ 15-minute spot price markets

...then you can benefit from the Sourceful system.

Getting Started

Step 1: Check Your Meter

Do you have a P1 smart meter? Look for a small 6-pin connector (RJ12) on your meter - it looks like an old telephone jack. Check your meter or ask your grid operator.

Step 2: Check Your Contract

Are you on a dynamic pricing contract? If not, can you switch to one? Many providers now offer spot-price-linked contracts (sometimes called "dynamic" or "variable" tariffs).

Step 3: Get the Sourceful Zap

• Zap device: 399 kr / €39 (one-time purchase)

• Sourceful Energy app: Free (iOS and Android)

• Delivery: Free

• Risk: Zero (30-day money-back guarantee)

Step 4: Connect and Save

1. Plug the Zap into your P1 port (takes 2 minutes)

2. Download the app and connect via WiFi

3. Start seeing real-time prices and your consumption

4. Begin shifting flexible loads to cheaper hours

The Bottom Line

Electricity prices fluctuate wildly throughout the day - sometimes by 300-400% or more. Without visibility into these prices, you're essentially paying premium rates for electricity you could get for pennies.

The Sourceful Zap gives you that visibility. The app makes price-aware decisions effortless. And the savings? They start immediately and grow over time as you learn your home's patterns.

For less than the cost of a tank of fuel, you get a device that can save you hundreds or thousands per year, every year, forever.

Ready to stop overpaying for electricity?

Get Your Zap Now - €39 with Free Delivery →

Works with P1 smart meters across Europe. Check compatibility for your country below.

Country-Specific Notes

Zap is currently compatible with P1 smart meters (RJ12 ports) in the following countries:

🇦🇹 Austria* - Work in progress to support encrypted data
🇧🇪 Belgium - P1 ports standard on digital meters. Dynamic tariffs available from providers like Bolt, Eneco, Luminus.
🇩🇰 Denmark - P1 ports common on modern meters. Nord Pool spot prices (DK1, DK2 zones).
🇫🇮 Finland - P1 ports on newer smart meters. Nord Pool spot prices, dynamic contracts available.
🇭🇺 Hungary - P1 connectivity available on compatible smart meters.
🇮🇪 Ireland - Smart meters with P1 ports supported.
🇱🇹 Lithuania - Compatible P1 smart meters supported.
🇱🇺 Luxembourg - P1 smart meters supported, similar market structure to Belgium.
🇳🇱 Netherlands - Most homes with meters installed after 2012 have P1 ports. Dynamic contracts widely available from providers like ANWB Energie, Tibber, Zonneplan.
🇵🇹 Portugal - Smart meters with P1 ports supported.
🇸🇪 Sweden - P1 ports on most modern meters. Nord Pool spot prices (SE1, SE2, SE3, SE4 zones). Dynamic contracts widely available.

Important: Zap connects to P1 ports (RJ12 - small 6-pin connector) only. Not compatible with HAN ports (RJ45 - larger 8-pin ethernet-style connector). Check your meter before ordering or contact support if you're unsure.

Not listed? If your country isn't listed but you have a smart meter with an RJ12 or RJ45 port, please contact us at support@sourceful.energy - we're actively expanding to new markets.

*Austria support for encrypted data is in progress