Cost & Energy
Energy Cost Reference
EU electricity price context, currency formatting conventions, typical device power draws and solar feed-in netting. Use alongside the Energy Cost Calculator.
Last updated: July 2026
The Cost Calculation
kWh/year = kW × hours/day × days/week × 52
Import cost = kWh × your rate — in your own currency, with no conversion applied.
Net cost = import cost − feed-in credit (feed-in credit = exported kWh × your feed-in rate)
There is no default rate and no exchange-rate feed. You enter your own tariff exactly as billed, and your own currency purely for display.
EU Electricity Price Context (orientation only)
Typical all-in household/business rates, for orientation — always use your own bill, not these figures, in the calculator.
| Segment | Typical rate | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Germany (household) | ~0.36 €/kWh | Includes taxes, levies and grid fees |
| EU average (household) | ~0.29 €/kWh | Wide spread between member states |
| EU average (business/non-household) | ~0.19 €/kWh | Excludes VAT in most reporting |
Source: Eurostat electricity price statistics, used here as orientation only — see References below.
Currency Formatting (display only — no conversion)
| Currency | Format example | Decimals | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR | 0,36 € | 2 | Symbol after, comma decimal |
| RON | 1,20 lei | 2 | "lei" suffix |
| HUF | 45 Ft | 0 | No decimal subunit |
| PLN | 0,80 zł | 2 | Symbol after, comma decimal |
| CZK | 2,80 Kč | 2 | Symbol after, comma decimal |
| BGN | 0,36 лв | 2 | Cyrillic symbol |
| SEK / DKK / NOK | 0,36 kr | 2 | Shared "kr" symbol |
| GBP | £0.30 | 2 | Symbol before, period decimal |
The number you type is the number shown — only the symbol, placement and decimal style change per currency.
Typical Device Power Draw (planning values)
| Device | Typical power | Typical usage |
|---|---|---|
| Home server / NAS (always on) | 30 – 80 W | 24/7 |
| Small office switch/router | 10 – 40 W | 24/7 |
| 1U rack server | 150 – 400 W | 24/7 |
| Desktop PC (active use) | 80 – 250 W | Working hours |
| Fridge / freezer | 100 – 200 W (cycling) | 24/7, ~30–40% duty cycle |
| Air conditioning unit | 800 – 2500 W | Seasonal, hours/day |
| EV wallbox (charging) | 3.7 – 22 kW | Hours/week — see EV Charging Calculator |
Always verify actual draw from the nameplate or a plug-in meter — the calculator uses whatever value you enter per row.
Solar Feed-in Netting
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Import cost | What you pay for grid electricity consumed by your devices |
| Feed-in credit | What you're paid for kWh exported to the grid (your own export volume × your own feed-in rate) |
| Net cost | Import cost − feed-in credit. Can be negative — shown as a credit, meaning you earned more than you spent |
Feed-in schemes are national and contract-specific (e.g. Germany's EEG Einspeisevergütung) — enter your own rate and export volume; nothing is assumed or looked up automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which rate do I enter?
Your all-in rate including taxes and grid fees — the number on your electricity bill, not the wholesale/spot market price.
I have solar — how does feed-in work?
You're typically paid a separate, usually lower, feed-in rate for exported kWh. Net cost is import cost minus feed-in earnings — enter your own export volume and feed-in rate.
Why no automatic currency conversion?
Because you enter your real local rate, results are exact in your own currency immediately — there's no exchange rate to fetch, maintain or get wrong.