What is the electrical energy consumption (kWh) of a suburban home?
(During an average year, for a 1200 sq. ft. – 3000 sq. ft. single family dwelling in the Ottawa Area. An estimate of +/- 50 % would suit my purposes). The answer to your question depends on whether the home is heated with electricity, natural gas or other fuel. The average energy consumption for a home will depend on many factors. You could use an average of 25 kWh/day for energy use throughout the year for a gas-heated suburban home. As a utility estimating the average load for homes in Ottawa, often 3 kW is used as a standard value based on diverse loads. However, should the homeowner turn on the dryer, stove, furnace fan, etc., the load can easily be 10 kW or more, excluding electric heating which can add an additional 15, 20 or 25 kW load. The typical gas heated home now comes with a 100-amp panel, 200 amps for an electrically heated home.
