We’re much more energy efficient Smart meters help us take control of energy
Scotland is leading the way to a cleaner country and greener planet, with record numbers of households recycling, switching to electric vehicles and cutting back on single-use plastics.
Across Scotland, a quiet revolution has been taking place as people embrace more sustainable ways of living.
Having a smart meter installed is a small, easy step everyone can take towards a more sustainable world.
More than 21.5million smart meters have already been installed across Britain and many homeowners believe that upgrading to a smart meter has made them more environmentally aware.
A smart meter gives automatic and accurate meter readings so you know how much energy you are using – and the cost – and they can also unlock tariffs that reward consumers who use energy at off-peak times.
Mum-of-two Elspeth, from Glasgow, is one of many people in Scotland to get a smart meter as much for convenience as saving money.
She says: “We’ve always had prepayment meters – they’re really useful in managing energy costs and mean that you don’t get any unexpected bills.
“However, we’ve found reading them and topping them up to be a pain.
“Our electricity meter is buried in a cupboard under mountains of things, with tables, chairs and an ironing board stored in front of it.
“Topping it up meant having to move everything out of the way, and then put it all back again – not what you need when you’re working fulltime and often in a hurry.
“Now that we have a smart meter, I can easily see how much energy we’re using in pounds and pence on the in-home display, which sits next to the sofa. And I can also top up the credit online, so we never have to access the actual meters any more.
“The display has been particularly useful in encouraging my daughters to be more conscious of the energy we use.
“They know they can’t put the heating on if the temperature is 22C or above and I’ve shortened the length of their showers after seeing how much energy they use.”
As a key part of an updated and smarter energy system, smart metering will facilitate better integration of renewable power and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, through efficiently managing energy supply and demand by using near-real time energy data.
Without smart meters, reducing our carbon emissions and meeting the UK’S climate change targets will be higher cost, less supportive of renewable generation and less well co-ordinated.