Best Electricity Tariffs for Heat Pumps in Ireland 2026
A heat pump roughly doubles a typical home’s electricity use and moves most of that extra demand into winter. That changes which tariff is cheapest: the standing charge matters less, the unit rate matters more, and a night window is only worth paying for if you can actually push some heating load into it.
Electric Ireland currently has the cheapest night rate at 10.88c/kWh (2am–4am), and SSE Airtricity is the cheapest flat 24-hour plan for an 8,000 kWh home at about €2,800 a year. Night rates were verified on 28 October 2026 and flat plans on 28 Oct 2026.
Last updated November 2026
Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy
Quick Answer
The best electricity tariff for a heat pump in Ireland is a night-rate smart plan if you can run the hot water cylinder and a buffer tank inside the cheap window: Electric Ireland is cheapest at 10.88c/kWh from 2am–4am, followed by Yuno Energy at 12.11c/kWh. If the heat pump must run whenever the house calls for heat, the cheapest flat 24-hour plan is SSE Airtricity at 31.50 c/kWh, about €2,800 a year for a heat pump home using 8,000 kWh. All night-rate plans need a smart meter.
Why a heat pump changes the tariff maths
3,000 to 5,000 kWh more a year
A typical home uses about 4,200 kWh a year. A retrofit air-to-water heat pump adds roughly 3,000 to 5,000 kWh on top, so the unit rate is now doing most of the work on your bill and a €50 difference in standing charge is a rounding error.
Mostly in winter
Space heating is concentrated between November and March, when days are short and solar output is at its lowest. That is why a heat pump home should choose its import tariff first and treat solar export rates as secondary.
The evening peak matters
Smart plans with a cheap night window usually charge a higher rate in the 5pm to 7pm peak, exactly when a heat pump is working hardest to hold the house at temperature. If you cannot shift load out of the peak, the night discount can be eaten by the peak premium.
Night-charge the cylinder and buffer
The trick that makes a night rate pay is storage. Heat the hot water cylinder and, if you have one, a buffer tank inside the cheap window and let the house coast through the morning. A well-insulated home with underfloor heating can shift a large share of its heat pump kWh this way.
Not sure which heat pump suits your house? Start with our heat pump guide for Ireland or find SEAI-registered heat pump installers in your county.
Night-rate smart plans ranked for heat pumps
These are the smart-meter night windows on sale in Ireland, ranked by the night unit rate. Most are marketed as EV plans, but the night window works exactly the same for a heat pump timer. We do not track a separate day rate for each smart plan, so the day column shows the same supplier’s flat 24-hour new-customer rate as a guide; the smart plan’s own day and peak rates are usually higher.
| Supplier | Plan | Night Rate | Night Window | Day Rate (24h plan) | Standing Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Ireland | Home Electric+ Night Boost | 10.88c/kWh | 2am–4am (2h) | 31.95 c/kWh | €328.58 |
| Pinergy | EV Night Time (closed to new customers) | 10.89c/kWh | 2am–5am (3h) | 41.22 c/kWh | Varies by plan |
| Yuno Energy | EV Variable | 12.11c/kWh | 2am–6am (4h) | 39.10 c/kWh | €334.19 |
| Energia | EV Smart Drive | 12.25c/kWh | 2am–6am (4h) | 32.19 c/kWh | €339.22 |
| Bord Gáis Energy | Smart EV Plus (15% new-customer discount) | 13.66c/kWh | 2am–5am (3h) | 32.67 c/kWh | €390.85 |
| SSE Airtricity | Smart EV Max | 14.56c/kWh | 11pm–5am (6h) | 31.50 c/kWh | €379.09 |
Night rates include VAT and were verified against supplier pricing pages on 28 October 2026. Plans marked closed are no longer sold to new customers and are shown for existing customers comparing their options. Suppliers change prices several times a year, so confirm the current rate before switching.
Flat 24-hour plans costed at 8,000 kWh
If your heat pump has to run whenever the house calls for heat, a flat plan avoids the peak premium altogether. Every supplier’s current new-customer 24-hour plan is ranked here by the estimated annual cost for a heat pump home using 8,000 kWh a year (unit rate multiplied by 8,000 kWh, plus the standing charge). Estimates exclude welcome credits and the PSO levy.
| # | Supplier | Plan | Unit Rate | Standing Charge | Est. Annual Cost (8,000 kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SSE Airtricity | Electricity Top Discount 24h (30% off) | 31.50 c/kWh | €279.99/year | €2,800 |
| 2 | Electric Ireland | EnergySaver 24h Discount (16% off) | 31.95 c/kWh | €250.77/year | €2,807 |
| 3 | Energia | Electricity 24 Hour Discount (26% off) | 32.19 c/kWh | €278.27/year | €2,853 |
| 4 | Bord Gáis Energy | New Customer Electricity Discount (28% off) | 32.67 c/kWh | €262.38/year | €2,876 |
| 5 | PrePayPower | Classic Pay Standard 24h (€100 welcome credit) | 37.62 c/kWh | €342.69/year | €3,352 |
| 6 | Yuno Energy | Variable Discount Plan 24h (€50 welcome bonus) | 39.10 c/kWh | €264.73/year | €3,393 |
| 7 | Community Power | Standard Variable Rate 24h | 39.96 c/kWh | €302.01/year | €3,499 |
| 8 | Pinergy | Autumn PAYG Plan 24h (10% discount, €110 credit) | 41.22 c/kWh | €283.47/year | €3,581 |
| 9 | EcoPower | 24 Hour Meter Domestic (no discount currently offered) | 42.20 c/kWh | €302.37/year | €3,678 |
| 10 | Flogas | Standard Variable Electricity 24h (no new-customer discount listed) | 44.00 c/kWh | €305.68/year | €3,826 |
Estimate only. Rates include VAT, apply to an urban 24-hour meter, and were verified on 28 Oct 2026. Where a supplier has announced a price change that has not yet taken effect, the new rate is shown underneath. The full 4,200 kWh ranking is on our cheapest electricity in Ireland page.
Worked example: a 4,200 kWh home adds a heat pump
Take a three-bed semi using 4,200 kWh a year that installs an air-to-water heat pump adding 3,800 kWh, for a total of 8,000 kWh. The table compares what the heat pump’s own 3,800 kWh costs on each supplier if it all runs at the flat 24-hour rate, versus moving 35% of it (hot water cylinder, buffer tank and a pre-heat before the window closes) onto that supplier’s night rate.
| Supplier | Night Rate | Heat Pump kWh, All at 24h Rate | With 35% at Night Rate | Estimated Saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Ireland | 10.88c/kWh (2am–4am) | €1,214 | €934 | €280 |
| Yuno Energy | 12.11c/kWh (2am–6am) | €1,486 | €1,127 | €359 |
| Energia | 12.25c/kWh (2am–6am) | €1,223 | €958 | €265 |
| Bord Gáis Energy | 13.66c/kWh (2am–5am) | €1,241 | €989 | €253 |
| SSE Airtricity | 14.56c/kWh (11pm–5am) | €1,197 | €972 | €225 |
What this means
Shifting 35% of the heat pump load into the night window saves roughly €359 a year on Yuno Energy. The remaining 65% still runs at the day rate, and on a real smart plan that day rate is normally higher than the flat 24-hour rate used here, so treat the saving as an upper bound. If you cannot shift load at all, a flat plan on the cheapest supplier above is the safer choice.
Estimate only. Uses each supplier’s flat 24-hour new-customer rate as the day rate because we do not track separate smart-plan day and peak rates. The base 4,200 kWh of household use and the standing charge are the same in both columns and are left out.
Adding solar to a heat pump home
Solar and heat pumps are often sold together, and they do complement each other, but not in the way the brochures suggest. A heat pump’s biggest demand is in winter, when a typical Irish array produces a small fraction of its summer output. So winter self-consumption is low: most of the heat pump’s electricity still comes from the grid, and the import tariff, especially the night rate, matters far more than the export rate.
Where solar does help is summer hot water and daytime household use, and the surplus earns a Clean Export Guarantee payment. The current CEG rates from the suppliers with night-rate plans are below; for a heat pump home the difference between them is worth far less than the difference in night rates above.
| Supplier | Night Rate | CEG Export Rate | Export Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Ireland | 10.88c/kWh | 19.50 c/kWh | Per billing cycle |
| Yuno Energy | 12.11c/kWh | 17.16 c/kWh | Twice yearly |
| Energia | 12.25c/kWh | 18.50 c/kWh | Bi-monthly bill credit |
| Bord Gáis Energy | 13.66c/kWh | 18.50 c/kWh | Quarterly bill credit (after 3-month wait) |
| SSE Airtricity | 14.56c/kWh | 19.50 c/kWh | Quarterly bill credit |
A home battery changes this again, because it lets you buy cheap night electricity and use it in the evening peak whether or not the sun shines. See our best tariffs for home batteries and the full Clean Export Guarantee comparison.
Irish Electricity Price Changes 2026
Every announced change we have verified on the supplier's own site, newest first, with the date it takes effect. The rates on this page were last verified on 28 Oct 2026 and show the current price until each change lands.
- Yuno Energy
New-customer Variable Discount Plan repriced. The 24-hour urban rate went from 34.85c to 39.10c/kWh and the urban standing charge from €219.22 to €264.73; Variable Smart became 41.39c day, 26.08c night, 47.65c peak. Yuno's EV Standard Smart plan closed to new customers on 16 October, and Yuno's pricing page says a winter price freeze on electricity and gas runs from 13 October 2026 to 1 March 2027. source
- Energia
Electricity unit rates rose 4.73% and gas 9.38%. The standard 24-hour rate went to 43.50c/kWh and the urban standing charge from €265.01 to €278.27. With the combined new-customer discount now 26% (it was 30%), the 24-hour rate we track went from 29.85c to 32.19c/kWh. The EV Smart Drive charge-time rate rose to 12.25c/kWh after the 10% discount. source
- Bord Gáis Energy
Electricity unit rates up 9.1% and standing charges up 7.2% (typical bill +8.8%). Standard 24-hour rate 41.59c to 45.38c/kWh; urban standing charge €244.76 to €262.38. The new-customer discount is now 28% (it was 26%), so the 24-hour rate we track went from 30.78c to 32.67c/kWh. source
- SSE Airtricity
Electricity rose around 9%: the standard 24-hour rate went from 41.13c to 45.00c/kWh. Top Discount 24-hour rate 28.79c to 31.50c/kWh; urban standing charge €263.86 to €279.99. source
- All suppliers
CRU-approved 2026/27 network charges added about €41.25 a year (€3.44 a month) to a typical domestic electricity bill after the regulator trimmed network revenue allowances by €138 million. Every supplier passes these charges through. source
- All suppliers
PSO levy cut by 66% for the 2026/27 levy year, to €0.51 a month for domestic customers (€6.12 a year ex-VAT, €6.67 inc VAT, down from €19.10). It is charged by every supplier, so it lowered every bill by the same amount. source
- Pinergy
Pinergy said a typical bill would rise 7.6%. The 24-hour standard rate went from 41.77c to 45.80c/kWh (up 9.6% on the unit rate) with the standing charge unchanged. The pay-as-you-go plan we track is priced at 10% off that standard rate. source
- Pinergy
Clean Export Guarantee cut from 25c to 18.5c/kWh, and the EV night rate rose from 5.99c to 10.89c/kWh. source
- Flogas
Electricity and gas rates increased. The standard 24-hour rate is now 44.00c/kWh and Flogas lists no new-customer discount plan; the 28% loyalty discount is for existing customers only. source
- Electric Ireland
Residential electricity up 8% and gas up 7.7%, the first Electric Ireland rise since October 2022, affecting about 1.1 million electricity customers. The EnergySaver 24-hour new-customer rate we track is 31.95c/kWh after the change. source
Full details of each rise, with before-and-after rates, are on the electricity price increases page. The underlying market is tracked daily on the wholesale electricity prices page. Budget 2027 on 6 October contained no universal energy credit: see what support exists instead.
Tariff leaderboards
The same supplier data, ranked for a different question. Pick the one that matches how your home uses electricity.
Cheapest Electricity in Ireland
Every supplier's 24-hour new-customer plan ranked by annual bill.
Best Suppliers for Solar
Clean Export Guarantee rates ranked, with payment cadence and terms.
Best EV Tariffs
Night-rate EV plans ranked by unit rate, window and cost per 100 km.
Best Tariffs for Heat Pumps
Night-rate and flat plans costed at 8,000 kWh a year.
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Best Tariffs for Home Batteries
Day-to-night spread ranked, plus what a 5 or 10 kWh battery earns.
Heat pump electricity tariff FAQ
What is the best electricity tariff for a heat pump in Ireland?
It depends on how much of the heat pump's running you can push into the night window. If you have a hot water cylinder or buffer tank on a timer, a night-rate smart plan wins: Electric Ireland has the cheapest night rate we track at 10.88c/kWh from 2am–4am. If the heat pump has to run whenever the house calls for heat, a cheap flat 24-hour plan such as SSE Airtricity at 31.50 c/kWh is simpler and usually close on total cost.
How much electricity does a heat pump use per year in Ireland?
A typical retrofit air-to-water heat pump in a three-bed semi adds roughly 3,000 to 5,000 kWh a year on top of normal household use, depending on insulation, house size and how warm you keep it. That takes a 4,200 kWh home to somewhere around 7,000 to 9,000 kWh, which is why the standing charge matters less and the unit rate matters more once you have a heat pump.
Do I need a smart meter for a heat pump tariff?
You need a smart meter for any night-rate or time-of-use plan, because the supplier bills the cheap window separately using half-hourly readings. ESB Networks installs smart meters free of charge. A flat 24-hour plan works on any meter.
Should I run my heat pump at night to use the cheap rate?
Partly. Heat pumps are most efficient running steadily at a low flow temperature, so switching them off all day to chase a night rate usually costs more than it saves. The practical approach is to heat the hot water cylinder and, if you have one, a buffer tank inside the night window, and to pre-warm the house in the last hour of the window. In our worked example that shifts about 35% of the heat pump's electricity to the night rate.
Is a heat pump cheaper to run than gas or oil in Ireland?
Usually yes once the tariff is right. A heat pump delivers around three to four units of heat per unit of electricity, so at a 30c flat rate the effective cost is roughly 8 to 10c per kWh of heat, and lower again for the share run on a night rate. Whether it beats gas or oil in your house depends on your tariff, your heat pump's seasonal efficiency and current fuel prices, so run the numbers for your own home rather than relying on a national average.
Does solar reduce a heat pump's running cost?
Less than most people expect. Solar generates most in summer when the heat pump is doing little beyond hot water, and least in winter when the heat pump is working hardest. Solar does cover the summer hot water load and daytime household use, and any surplus earns a Clean Export Guarantee payment, but for a heat pump home the night rate on your import tariff matters more than the export rate.
Sources
- Electric Ireland: Home Electric+ Night Boost
- Pinergy: EV Night Time (closed to new customers)
- Yuno Energy: EV Variable
- Energia: EV Smart Drive
- Bord Gáis Energy: Smart EV Plus (15% new-customer discount)
- SSE Airtricity: Smart EV Max
- Pinergy: Autumn PAYG Plan 24h (10% discount, €110 credit)
- SSE Airtricity: Electricity Top Discount 24h (30% off)
- Electric Ireland: EnergySaver 24h Discount (16% off)
- Bord Gáis Energy: New Customer Electricity Discount (28% off)
- Energia: Electricity 24 Hour Discount (26% off)
- Flogas: Standard Variable Electricity 24h (no new-customer discount listed)
- Yuno Energy: Variable Discount Plan 24h (€50 welcome bonus)
- PrePayPower: Classic Pay Standard 24h (€100 welcome credit)
- EcoPower: 24 Hour Meter Domestic (no discount currently offered)
- Community Power: Standard Variable Rate 24h
Night rates verified 28 October 2026; flat plans and export rates verified 28 Oct 2026. All rates include VAT.
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John Rooney is the editor of Solar Info and has been covering the Irish solar energy market since 2023. He fact-checks all content against official SEAI data and maintains relationships with SEAI-registered installers across Ireland.
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