When it comes to the weather forecast, October has given Belgians little to complain about (climate concerns aside). After a chilly September had many firing up the heating, things brightened up this month hitting a high over the weekend.
Brussels was full of people out in t-shirts and temperatures rose to 25°c in the sun. And though you don't need me to tell you that conditions are set to become cooler and wetter in November, an energy forecast could be an indispensable tool for keeping warm throughout winter.
The initiative launched in the Netherlands will provide a weekly report of when would be best to use appliances in order to reduce costs. It will combine information from grid operators and standard weather forecasts to provide advice on how best to regulate household energy use.
This might mean waiting to do a weekly wash until a more windy point in the week when the grid will be supplied with more renewable energy. It could also advise people to open curtains at sunny times so that rooms require less heating. Importantly, the new forecast will help the public understand not only how to use energy more affordably but also how to be more sustainable.
Whilst the savings one can expect to make will depend largely on individual energy contracts, encouraging people to take up more eco-conscious habits is key to preventing surges in power use that push up prices.
Would you like to see a similar forecast in Belgium? Let @Orlando_tbt know.
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