Smart meters are the key component in our future energy grid
Smart meters are a core part of a huge upgrade to our outdated energy system, which is happening right now. They will form part of a smarter grid – a digital energy system which will be able to cope better with the energy demands of modern life. Thanks to the data collected by smart meters, electricity distributors will have more accurate figures on Britain’s energy use, and in turn will be able to better match energy supply with demand.
This new digital grid will allow our country to make the most of sustainable energy sources, like wind and solar, to help us meet the tough 80% carbon reduction targets we need to reach if we want to tackle climate change.
We asked the Smart Champions why they back the smart meter rollout… THE ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE EXPERT
WHO: Dr Jeff Hardy, Senior Research Fellow at the Grantham Institute (Climate Change and the Environment) at Imperial College London.
WHY: Dr Hardy started out as a sustainability scientist and was head of sustainable energy futures at Ofgem, the gas and electricity markets regulator. He’s now an academic expert, advising businesses and governments on sustainable energy. “I spent 11 years researching how to replace fossil fuels with renewable, sustainable resources. I’ve spent the last 14 years working out to do the same for sustainable energy, which is key for our future.”
HE SAYS: “Smart meters allow people in homes and businesses to better understand their own energy use. This means they can link what they are doing with the energy that is required to do it.
“The most interesting and useful potential of smart meters is that they provide near real time data on how much and where energy is being used across the whole system.
“As we move towards a low carbon energy system, which will have more variable output, depending on whether the wind is blowing, or the sun is shining, the system will be more efficient if it can match demand to available supply. It is crucial that we find ways to help consumers to adapt their behaviour.
So, for example, smart meter data will show when it is a good (and low carbon) time to charge your electric vehicle – for example at times when the wind is blowing strongly. This also creates an opportunity for innovative businesses to deliver valuable energy services, in tune with their consumers’ needs.” ADVERTISING FEATURE THE DATA EXPERT Dr Carl Chalmers is a senior lecturer at the School of Computer Science at Liverpool John Moores University.
He is at the forefront of developments in how smart meter data could transform the way we care for patients in the NHS. He’s currently researching how information from smart meters could be used to help support people with dementia who are living alone at home.
“My research area focuses on intelligent health care. We work with real dementia patients who are being cared for by the Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust to determine if everyday appliances could be used to help staff and family members monitor patients at home.” “Smart meters give us near real time data, which helps us build an accurate understanding of a person’s routine behaviour. This would allow the Trust to get the right social support for patients, and improve health outcomes for them. We’ve just completed our first clinical trial for Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust with a broader study planned in 2019. “For example, with their permission, smart meter data might show when they would normally cook themselves a meal or when they might have a shower.
“If staff start to see a change in these behaviours, they could take steps to make sure the patient is coping.”