With over two million smart meters now installed across Ireland, households are entering a new era of smarter, more flexible electricity use. As time-of-use tariffs become increasingly popular (and dynamic tariffs set to launch in June 2026), Irish homes will soon have more control than ever over their energy bills. But how well are we using these tools, and what more can be done to help households make real savings?

Munster Technological University's InVEST Project, supported by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) under the RD&D 2022 programme, has launched a nationwide survey to understand how homes across Ireland use electricity and how people can take better advantage of their smart meters and inherent household flexibility.

Nationwide Survey on domestic Electricity Use, InVEST Project

The Energy Use in Irish Homes Survey takes about ten minutes to complete, and participants will be entered into a prize draw to win home energy monitors and smart plugs (total prize value €340). The draw will be held on 4 December 2025, and one entry per household is allowed.

Survey link: https://forms.office.com/e/2kLhviBvxp

Understanding Ireland's changing energy landscape

Ireland's residential sector accounts for roughly one-quarter of total electricity demand, and that share is expected to grow with the electrification of heat and transport. Many households are now equipped with smart meters, providing half-hourly consumption data and the potential for smarter energy decisions but access and understanding remain key barriers.

"Across our project, we found that many participants struggled to retrieve or interpret their smart meter data," said Dr. Niamh Power (Project Lead). "This highlights a crucial gap between technology rollout and user empowerment. Access to clear, usable data is what allows people to shift when they use appliances, reduce bills, and cut carbon but without that access, much of the potential is lost."

Academic and policy literature reinforce this finding: households with better data access and understanding of their usage patterns are more likely to adapt behaviour and benefit from new tariffs. Simple actions such as running appliances at off-peak hours or charging electric vehicles overnight can deliver meaningful savings under time-of-use pricing.

A call for participation

The InVEST team has already gathered insights from early adopter homes that invested in solar PV, heat pumps, or electric vehicles and found clear patterns of smart energy use emerging. However, the team wants to hear from all Irish households, regardless of whether they have advanced technologies.

"With upcoming dynamic tariffs and growing interest in flexible electricity use, now is the perfect time for every home to understand their own patterns," the team added. "The more people participate, the better we can identify opportunities for savings and design fairer, more effective policies."

For more information and to take part in the survey, visit

https://forms.office.com/e/2kLhviBvxp or scan the QR code:

Issued by: The InVEST Project Team

Supported by: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)

Grant: 22/RDD/866

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