August 17, 2008
The Price of Electricity in Beijing
Electricity currently costs 7.1 US cents per kilowatt in Beijing (fx rate @ 6.8695). On a purchasing power parity basis, that seems like a lot of money to me; I think electricity in the US averages around 10 US cents per kWh. What do you pay for electricity where you live?
Cat: | Time: 10:26 pm (utc+8)
August 18th, 2008 at 1:40 am
It varies a bit, but about 8 cents per kWh (if 1 USD = 5,4 NOK )
August 18th, 2008 at 2:05 am
in London it’s around 10P or 20 cents per Kwh
in Cairo\Egypt it’s around 0.23P or 1.3 cent per Kwh
August 18th, 2008 at 2:18 am
In Pennsylvania where I live, it averages about 15 cents per KWh depending on usage
The off-peak charges are 10.41 cents/KWh.
The peak charges are 17.72 cents/KWh
August 18th, 2008 at 3:45 am
In southern Michigan, I’m paying around 7-9 cents per kilowatt I believe. My electric bills aren’t too bad. In the Fall and Spring, my electric bills are puny (no A/C), and Summer time A/C bills aren’t too bad since I sleep in my nice cool basement.
It’s the natural gas bills in the winter that can be a killer. Woof. Those are nasty.
August 18th, 2008 at 5:24 am
11.7 cents per kwh on my most recent bill, in Palo Alto, California.
August 18th, 2008 at 8:41 am
According to this website I pay (in Tennessee) 7.82 cents per kwh.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html
August 18th, 2008 at 9:10 am
We pay 12.9 Australian cents here in Canberra (US $0.112). The fixed charge is 47 AU cents per day.
August 18th, 2008 at 9:22 am
I pay $0.08 per KWH for residential service in the Winston-Salem, North Carolina area from Duke Energy.
August 18th, 2008 at 9:28 am
In Israel we are paying about 16 cents per kwh.
August 18th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Vancouver BC - 6.55 cents CDN per kWh.
August 18th, 2008 at 11:08 am
arlington, va - (dominion)
june - sep 7.26 cents
oct-may 5.93 cents
annual average 6.43 cents
August 18th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I don’t have my bill handy, but In think we pay about 7c in Winter/Fall, and 9c in the Spring/Summer.
(Richmond, VA)
August 19th, 2008 at 12:05 am
9.3 cents in summer- that is with the special time of use plan here in phoenix.
Bill was $312 for 2900 square feet with a pool.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:22 am
.099 per KWH in the great State of Maine
August 19th, 2008 at 2:38 am
.01916 kWh
August 19th, 2008 at 3:29 am
bmw says 16 cents a kWh in Israel. Maybe it is an effect of the strengthening of the shekel, but I am paying more.
August 19th, 2008 at 3:48 am
Here in the Big smoke (Toronto Canada)
5 cents per KWH plus delivery plus + about 10 cents
August 20th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I paid slightly less than 12 cents per kWh in Florida
for the period 15 Jul 08 to 13 Aug 08.
August 23rd, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Thanks to everyone who contributed his/her electricity price. Even after this global survey, 7.1 cents seems like a lot to pay (on a PPP basis) in Beijing.
August 28th, 2008 at 12:36 am
Took a while to work this out (I can’t read a single word in the bill) but it appears that I’m paying 10.3 cents per kwh here in Bangkok. A typical monthly bill is about $60. Which on a purchasing power parity basis also seems very expensive. According to the CIA factbook Thailand’s GDP per capita is just $7,900.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:51 am
eyal: Thanks for checking in from Thailand. During my nighttime bike rides through the alleyways here in Beijing, I see that most people have only a single 40 watt bulb burning… the poor are aware of the high cost of electricity here for sure.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Conventional bulbs? What a waste…..!!
In environmentally conscious Thailand - from food stalls to people’s living rooms - flourescent tubes* - ensure low bills and a cosy atmosphere always and everywhere :-)
So please check
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminous_efficacy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescent_lamp
and throw a way your old bulbs you squanderers and clima-terrorists! ;-)
*of course all oft them are min. 6000K/Cool Daylight for enhanced cosieness….
(eyal, please correct me, if this has changed in the meantime)
August 29th, 2008 at 5:24 am
fluorescent light bulbs dont match the spectrum very well at all. they also produce strobe effect, and cant be used with dimmers. who would use such crap is beyond me, unless you make $500/mnth.
I pay 5c/kWh.
August 29th, 2008 at 5:55 am
Raphael, pls check:
http://www.drmediaserver.com/CFLGuide/index.html
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls
…make your choice …and help saving our planet! :) ;)
“In the United States, a CFL can save over US$30 in electricity costs over the lamp’s lifetime compared to an incandescent lamp and save 2000 times its own weight in greenhouse gases.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_fluorescent_lamp
August 29th, 2008 at 7:03 am
I’m with Raphael on this one because I hate fluorescent lights, cost savings be damned.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:02 am
….o.k., think I have to clarify this; this was not meant as seriously as you and Raphael took it; these comments were meant to be (partly) tongue in cheek…
I hate these dazzingly bright fluorescent tube,too, but particularly in Southeast Asia they seem to be everywhere, obvoiusly not for environmental but for cost reasons. (Thats why I wondered about the 40W bulbs Beijing) The atmosphere created, is of course, the opposite of “cosy”.
On the other hand, the modern flourescent bulbs which are available in US and Europe now (see the first link in comment 24.) are quite o.k., although, I too, still prefer conventional bulbs in the living room and bedroom.
Here in Germany, I have the impression, that people use these not so much for cost reason, but because they want to save the planet single-handedly by using the “right” bulbs.
Have a nice day!…. with the bulbs of your choice :-)
August 29th, 2008 at 10:26 am
J: Yes, sorry I missed the sarcasm (easy to do in text) … I too am not a fan of phony environmentalism.
September 13th, 2008 at 4:28 am
in germany i pay 35cent/KWh