Energy Prices

I’m sure y’all have heard about the energy crisis in Europe. However, it’s often described in vague terms. What does it mean for families.

Well, here are some screenshots of our latest energy bill. Note that it’s doing estimated usage based on the prior tenants, so the amount used is a ballpark estimate. However, it’s the rates that matter.

Euros and dollars are 1:1 right now, so we’re basically paying $0.80 per kWh. In Massachusetts we were paying $0.23 per kWh.

September is a low electricity month, so the bill isn’t too bad, but January could be another matter. In Massachusetts our electricity bill was usually around $250, so I’m expecting close to $1000 here.

Now for gas.

Now, this one is a bit more complicated, since natural gas is sold by the cubic meter in the Netherlands but by the mmbtu in the US. So, some math.

1 mmbtu costs about $8.50. 1 mmbtu is 26.8 cubic meters of natural gas.

So, $8.50 / mmbtu X 1 mmbtu / 26.8 cubic meters converts to about $0.32 per cubic meter.

So, someone in the Netherlands currently pays 12X as much as someone in the US for natural gas, and over 3X as much as someone in the US for electricity.

In Massachusetts it was normal to spend around $2000 on heating oil for the season. Here, a similar heating bill could end up being closer to $20,000. No wonder countries are talking about trying to cap prices and subsidize people.

Wear your socks kids! Put on a sweater! Our thermostat is staying at 10 degrees (50 fahrenheit) for the next few months!