What is an electricity load profile?

A load profile shows how your site’s electricity demand changes over time. Half-hourly meter data helps identify when demand rises, rather than only how much energy you use overall [S1]. Request 30-minute consumption records with units and timestamps so an installer can assess chargers, solar or storage against your existing use. Checked October 2026.

Last checked 16 October 2026

What does a load profile mean for your site?

A load profile is the pattern of electricity demand over time. It lets you see when your business is busy electrically, rather than only the total on a bill. Network research uses half-hourly data to understand non-domestic consumption patterns and maximum demand [S1].

For your project, ask for a graph of your own premises. Label its units clearly. Kilowatts (kW) measure power; kilowatt-hours (kWh) measure energy used over a period. A meter record in kWh needs conversion before it can be compared with equipment power.

How do you read a load profile graph?

An illustration, not a quote: assume your meter records 20 kWh during a 30-minute interval. Average power during that interval is 20 ÷ 0.5 hours = 40 kW. That is an average; it does not establish the highest instantaneous load.

Half-hourly metering records use across the day [S2]. Ask your installer to identify gaps, estimated readings and whether timestamps change with the clocks. Keep import and export records separate, and annotate closures or unusual production periods.

Does historical data reflect your future use?

Give the installer details of planned equipment and charging schedules alongside the records. An old usage pattern cannot represent new machinery or an expanded fleet without adjustments.

For solar, ask how proposed generation overlaps demand. For batteries, ask which peaks the proposed system targets. For chargers, ask how charging fits around existing loads. Require those assumptions to be visible in the design.

Read half-hourly metering, dynamic load management and battery sizing before comparing proposals. Request a site survey and a capacity check rather than treating the profile as permission to add equipment.

Next steps

Read how referrals work, then get matched with an installer that covers your area.

Piggy Pineapple Ltd operates this referral service. We refer enquiries to installer partners and may be paid a fee. Our owner holds shares in at least one partner. Before sharing your details, we name the partner and disclose any shareholding our owner holds in it.