SLASH YOUR HOUSEHOLD BILLS WITH A SMART METER
Forget estimated readings and overpayments – by 2020 every UK household will have the technology to reduce heating bills and control energy use
HOUSEHOLD gas and electricity meters haven’t really changed much since they were introduced more than a century ago. They’re often tucked away in cupboards, under stairs or in sheds.
As for making sense of them once you’ve battled your way past the old tins of paint, suitcases and discarded furniture – well, that’s a job many of us feel is better left to an expert.
However, all that is changing. A revolution is under way which will monitor the amount of power we are using every day and how we pay for it.
By 2020 every household in Britain will be offered a smart meter which allows us to see precisely how much gas and electricity we’re expending. What’s more, the new meters will eliminate the nasty shock often caused by relying on estimated bills.
A scheme by all the power companies to roll out smart meters has begun and one million B ritish homes already have them.
The ambitious project involves replacing old analogue meters, which first appeared in UK homes in the 1880s, with more than 50 million digital models. They are wirelessly linked to hand- held gadgets which enable householders to stay on top of gas and electricity consumption. Unlike the old models you don’t need a maths degree and an understanding of kilowatts and cubic feet to do the sums. They display power use in pounds and pence and send data straight to suppliers, so there’s no need for readings.
It should be much easier to keep an eye on the amount of power you’re using and make savings – perhaps by turning the heating down a notch, switching off electrical devices rather than leaving them on stand- by or ditching costly halogen lights.
You’ll be able to get information about which household appliances use most power and see how costs break down across cooking, lighting and heating.
Official estimates say household bills could be cut by up to three per cent, though supporters claim savings could be up to eight per cent in homes that make big changes. The devices will also provide accurate bills and help householders select the best energy tariffs.
Everyone currently pays for their old meters and the cost is built into bills. There is no extra cost for replacing a traditional meter with a smart version.
Sacha Deshmukh, chief executive of Smart Energy GB, the not- for- profit organisation which is encouraging the use of smart meters, says: “They will transform the way we manage the gas and electricity that powers our homes. By replacing the dusty analogue meters… smart meters will bring an outdated system up to speed.
“This is a vital technological upgrade that will also put an end to estimated bills.”
One of his tasks is to overcome widespread mistrust of the power companies, which have been under fire for rising prices and baffling tariffs. One study suggests half of us don’t trust any energy supplier, while a third worry about inaccurate and confusing bills.
Smart meters are not compulsory and one problem will be overcoming suspicion. Consumer group Which? has voiced concerns about the costs of rolling out the system but Deshmukh insists: “There’s genuinely no catch. The system will create newly empowered customers.”
A host of countries around the world, including Canada, Australia, China and Japan already operate similar systems.
Here, the new meters are already proving popular. Anthony Wise, 60, had a smart meter fitted at his semi- detached home in north- west London a year ago.
The father of four says: “It’s easy for me to see when someone is using an appliance that is consuming a lot of energy. In the past, I would have had no idea.
“I realised that my son was putting on the electric heater in his bedroom when the heating was already on in the house.
“Everything is much easier now. I don’t have to do meter readings and I like being able to see what we’re using.”
Another key feature of the smart meters, which are being backed by the Government, is traffic light- style warnings about excessive power consumption. That could alert you to a cooker or iron that has inadvertently been left on.
The portable monitor also has an option to set a daily budget, which is popular with Jen Hughes, 31, from Stockport, who received a smart meter last summer: “If we’re close to our target budget it’s a reminder to switch off unused lights. We’ve become much more energy conscious.”
eVERYONE with a smart meter will also be able to check past usage and how bills are going over time. The roll- out will gather pace this autumn and your provider can tell you if they are available early in your area. Leeds, parts of the North- east and the East Midlands are leading the way.
The scheme will cost £ 11billion but it’s claimed smart meters will result in savings of £ 17billion by 2030 by making the industry more efficient, also helping the UK meet EU energy targets. It’s also claimed that savings will be passed back to consumers.
Apart from everything else, it’s the end of scrabbling on your hands and knees or fumbling for a torch to read the meter.