Natural Gas Bill Skyrocketing? Here’s How to Save

2024 is shaping up to be a challenging year for Italian families, grappling with high bills and the rising price of natural gas. The end of the protected market, the return of the VAT to 22%, and geopolitical instability have contributed to a significant increase in rates, putting a strain on household budgets.

But all is not lost: with a few adjustments and a good dose of awareness, it’s possible to save on your natural gas bill in 2024. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll provide you with practical tips to reduce gas consumption at home, guide you in choosing the most affordable plan on the open market, and explain the bonuses and incentives available to improve your home’s energy efficiency.

Follow our advice and discover how to face high bills with peace of mind, saving money and helping to protect the environment.

Why is it important to save on natural gas in 2024?

2024 is projected to be a difficult year for Italian families due to the staggering increase in the price of natural gas. There are several causes for this price hike: geopolitical instability, growing global energy demand, and the return of the 22% VAT on gas bills.

The consequences of this situation are clear: natural gas bills have become increasingly expensive, putting a severe strain on household budgets. The high cost of bills is having a significant impact on the economy, driving inflation and reducing families’ purchasing power.

In this context, energy saving is no longer just an ecological choice, but a real necessity. Reducing natural gas consumption means not only lightening the bill but also helping to mitigate the ongoing energy crisis and protect the environment.

Practical tips to reduce natural gas consumption in 2024

Reducing natural gas consumption is the first step to tackling high bills. Here are some practical tips you can implement right away:

1. Set your thermostat efficiently
   • Heating is responsible for a large part of a home’s natural gas consumption. By setting the thermostat to an ideal temperature of 19-21°C (66-70°F) during the day and lowering it by a few degrees at night or when you’re away, you can achieve significant gas savings on heating. A programmable thermostat allows you to automate this adjustment, ensuring maximum comfort with minimum consumption.
2. Use appliances intelligently
   • Appliances also contribute to natural gas consumption, especially in the kitchen. Use the washing machine and dishwasher with full loads and choose eco programs, which use less water and energy. For the oven, limit opening it during cooking and turn it off a few minutes before the end, taking advantage of the residual heat. Opt for efficient appliances (Class A or higher) and keep them in good condition with regular maintenance.
3. Insulate your home
   • A well-insulated home is a home that consumes less natural gas for heating. Thermal insulation of walls, roof, windows, and doors reduces heat loss, keeping the internal temperature more stable and reducing the need to turn on the boiler.
4. Maintain your boiler
   • An efficient and well-maintained boiler consumes less natural gas and pollutes less. Perform regular boiler maintenance, as required by law, to ensure its proper operation and energy efficiency.

Natural Gas Rate Comparison: Find the Most Affordable Plan in 2024

The open market for natural gas offers the opportunity to choose the provider and plan that best suits your needs. Comparing the various 2024 natural gas plans is essential to find the most affordable one and save on your gas bill.

But how do you navigate the jungle of rates? Here are some tips:

• Raw gas material price: Check the cost per kWh, which can be fixed or variable. Fixed rates offer stability, while variable rates can be more convenient if the price of gas drops.
• Fixed costs: Pay attention to annual or monthly fixed costs, such as the supply fee or customer service cost.
• Plan type: Choose between single-rate plans (same price for all time slots) or dual-rate plans (different prices for different time slots). Evaluate which one best fits your consumption habits.
• Additional services: Some providers offer extra services, such as dedicated support or discounts on other products. Assess whether they are useful to you and if they justify a potential surcharge.
• Online comparison tools: Use the gas rate comparison tools available online. Enter your consumption data, and the comparator will show you the most convenient offers based on your needs.

Remember that switching providers is simple and free. You can do it online or by contacting the new provider directly.

Best Natural Gas Plans in July 2024

Bonuses and Incentives for Energy Savings in 2024

The Italian government provides several incentives to encourage energy savings and building retrofits. These incentives can help you reduce the costs of interventions and save on your natural gas bill in the long run.

• Ecobonus
  • The Ecobonus is a tax deduction that allows you to recover part of the expenses incurred for energy-efficient upgrades, such as replacing the boiler with a condensing or heat pump model, installing solar thermal or photovoltaic panels, or thermally insulating the building. The deduction can be up to 65% of the expenses incurred, depending on the type of intervention.
• Bonus Casa
  • The Bonus Casa, also known as the building renovation deduction, allows you to deduct 50% of the expenses incurred for renovation work, including energy efficiency measures such as replacing windows or installing solar shading.
• Conto Termico
  • The Conto Termico is an incentive provided by the GSE (Energy Services Manager) for energy efficiency and thermal energy production from renewable sources. The contribution can cover up to 65% of the expenses incurred, depending on the type of intervention and the climate zone.

How to Apply for Bonuses and Incentives

To access these incentives, you must meet certain technical requirements and submit a notification to ENEA (National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development) within 90 days of the work’s completion. It is advisable to consult a qualified professional to verify the requirements and follow the application procedure.

Renewable Sources and Self-Consumption: An Alternative for the Future

In addition to energy-saving strategies, an interesting option to reduce dependence on natural gas and achieve long-term savings is represented by renewable sources and self-consumption.

• Solar thermal panels for domestic hot water
  • Solar thermal panels harness the sun’s energy to produce domestic hot water, significantly reducing natural gas consumption. The installation of a solar thermal system can be incentivized by the Ecobonus and the Conto Termico, allowing the initial investment to be paid off in a few years.
• Heat pumps for heating
  • Heat pumps are highly efficient heating systems that use energy from the air, water, or ground to heat the home and domestic water. By replacing a natural gas boiler with a heat pump, it is possible to drastically reduce gas consumption and CO2 emissions. In this case as well, the Ecobonus and the Conto Termico offer incentives for the installation of heat pumps.
• Photovoltaics and self-consumption
  • Installing a photovoltaic system allows you to produce electricity directly from the sun, reducing dependence on the electrical grid and bill costs. Excess energy produced can be fed into the grid (net metering) or stored in batteries for self-consumption, ensuring further energy savings.

Renewable Energy Communities

Renewable energy communities are groups of citizens, businesses, or local authorities that join together to produce and share energy from renewable sources. By participating in an energy community, you can benefit from preferential rates and further reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Conclusions

Saving on your natural gas bill in 2024 is a challenge we can win together. As we have seen, adopting simple daily habits, such as adjusting the thermostat, using appliances efficiently, and insulating your home, can make a difference.

Comparing rates on the open market and choosing an advantageous offer are fundamental steps to achieving concrete savings. Furthermore, the available bonuses and incentives, such as the Ecobonus and the Conto Termico, offer significant support for energy efficiency projects.

Looking to the future, renewable sources and self-consumption represent a concrete solution to reduce dependence on natural gas and protect against price increases. Investing in solar thermal panels, heat pumps, or photovoltaic systems can lead to significant long-term savings and contribute to the energy transition.

Let’s not forget that saving energy is not just an economic issue, but also a responsible choice for the environment. By reducing our natural gas consumption, we help decrease CO2 emissions and combat climate change.

Together, we can make a difference. Let’s adopt a more sustainable lifestyle and invest in innovative energy solutions for a greener and more economical future.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Customer data: Name, address, customer code, etc.
Supply data: PDR code (Delivery Point), contract type, etc.
Consumption: Amount of gas consumed during the billing period, expressed in standard cubic meters (Smc).
Gas commodity charge: Cost of the gas consumed, calculated based on the price per Smc and consumption.
Transportation and meter management charge: Fixed costs set by the Authority.
System charges: Costs to support activities of general interest for the energy system.
Taxes: VAT and excise duties.
Total amount due: The total amount of the bill.”},{“id”:”faq-question-1721235207453″,”question”:[“Come calcolare i consumi di gas metano?”],”answer”:[“Puoi calcolare i tuoi “,{“type”:”strong”,”props”:{“children”:[“consumi di gas metano”]}},” in due modi:”,{“type”:”br”,”props”:{“children”:[]}},{“type”:”strong”,”props”:{“children”:[“Lettura del contatore:”]}},” Annota i numeri presenti sul contatore all’inizio e alla fine del periodo di fatturazione. La differenza tra le due letture rappresenta il tuo consumo in metri cubi (Smc).”,{“type”:”br”,”props”:{“children”:[]}},{“type”:”strong”,”props”:{“children”:[“Stima dei consumi:”]}},” Molti fornitori offrono strumenti online per stimare i consumi in base alle caratteristiche dell’abitazione e alle abitudini di consumo.”],”jsonQuestion”:”How do I calculate my natural gas consumption?”,”jsonAnswer”:”You can calculate your natural gas consumption in two ways:
Meter reading: Write down the numbers on the meter at the beginning and end of the billing period. The difference between the two readings represents your consumption in standard cubic meters (Smc).
Consumption estimate: Many providers offer online tools to estimate consumption based on your home’s characteristics and consumption habits.”},{“id”:”faq-question-1721235223093″,”question”:[“Come scegliere il fornitore di gas metano più conveniente?”],”answer”:[“Per scegliere il “,{“type”:”strong”,”props”:{“children”:[“fornitore di gas metano”]}},” più conveniente, confronta le offerte del mercato libero utilizzando i comparatori online o consultando i siti web dei fornitori. Valuta attentamente:”,{“type”:”br”,”props”:{“children”:[]}},{“type”:”strong”,”props”:{“children”:[“Prezzo della materia prima gas:”]}},” Confronta il costo al Smc tra le diverse offerte.”,{“type”:”br”,”props”:{“children”:[]}},{“type”:”strong”,”props”:{“children”:[“Costi fissi:”]}},” Verifica l’importo dei costi fissi (canone di fornitura, costo del servizio clienti, ecc.).”,{“type”:”br”,”props”:{“children”:[]}},{“type”:”strong”,”props”:{“children”:[“Tipologia di offerta:”]}},” Scegli tra offerte a prezzo fisso o variabile in base alle tue esigenze.”,{“type”:”br”,”props”:{“children”:[]}},{“type”:”strong”,”props”:{“children”:[“Servizi aggiuntivi:”]}},” Valuta se i servizi extra offerti dal fornitore sono utili per te.”,{“type”:”br”,”props”:{“children”:[]}},{“type”:”strong”,”props”:{“children”:[“Reputazione del fornitore:”]}},” Informati sulla reputazione del fornitore e sulla qualità del servizio clienti.”],”jsonQuestion”:”How do I choose the most affordable natural gas provider?”,”jsonAnswer”:”To choose the most affordable natural gas provider, compare offers on the open market using online comparison tools or by visiting providers’ websites. Carefully evaluate:
Raw gas material price: Compare the cost per Smc among the different offers.
Fixed costs: Check the amount of fixed costs (supply fee, customer service cost, etc.).
Plan type: Choose between fixed-price or variable-price plans based on your needs.
Additional services: Assess whether the extra services offered by the provider are useful to you.
Provider’s reputation: Research the provider’s reputation and the quality of their customer service.”},{“id”:”faq-question-1721235236727″,”question”:[{“type”:”strong”,”props”:{“children”:[“Posso cambiare fornitore di gas metano?”]}}],”answer”:[“Sì, puoi cambiare fornitore in qualsiasi momento, senza costi e senza interruzione della fornitura.”],”jsonQuestion”:”Can I switch natural gas providers?“,”jsonAnswer”:”Yes, you can switch providers at any time, free of charge and without any service interruption.”},{“id”:”faq-question-1721235247911″,”question”:[{“type”:”strong”,”props”:{“children”:[“Come posso risparmiare gas metano in cucina?”]}}],”answer”:[“Utilizza pentole con coperchio, spegni il gas qualche minuto prima del termine della cottura, evita di aprire il forno durante l’utilizzo.”],”jsonQuestion”:”How can I save natural gas in the kitchen?“,”jsonAnswer”:”Use pots with lids, turn off the gas a few minutes before cooking is finished, and avoid opening the oven while it’s in use.”},{“id”:”faq-question-1721235266424″,”question”:[{“type”:”strong”,”props”:{“children”:[“Come posso risparmiare gas metano per il riscaldamento?”]}}],”answer”:[“Regola il termostato a una temperatura ideale (19-21°C), utilizza il termostato programmabile, isola la tua casa.”],”jsonQuestion”:”How can I save natural gas for heating?“,”jsonAnswer”:”Set the thermostat to an ideal temperature (66-70°F), use a programmable thermostat, and insulate your home.”},{“id”:”faq-question-1721235279671″,”question”:[{“type”:”strong”,”props”:{“children”:[“Quali sono i bonus per il risparmio energetico?”]}}],”answer”:[” Ecobonus, Bonus Casa, Conto Termico sono alcune delle agevolazioni disponibili per interventi di efficienza energetica.”],”jsonQuestion”:”What are the bonuses for energy savings?“,”jsonAnswer”:” Ecobonus, Bonus Casa, and Conto Termico are some of the incentives available for energy efficiency projects.”}]} –>