How Brits are switching to a greener future
Making a difference – our smart reporters look at the key role smart meters will play in protecting the environment
While we may have enjoyed the recent heatwave, extreme weather conditions such as soaring temperatures, floods and severe winter storms are a stark reminder of the potential problems global warming may bring.
A century and a half of industrialisation driven by burning fossil fuels – such as coal, oil and natural gas – has been linked to climate change.
Yet while new renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power are on the rise, according to Energy UK 0ver 50 per cent of the electricity we use still comes from fossil fuels.
Not surprisingly, many of us are looking for ways we can change, from cutting down on household waste to monitoring our fuel bills, more and more of us are trying to do our bit to help the planet. Now we can all keep on top of our energy usage by getting a smart meter; they track how much energy we have used in near real-time, allowing us to reduce wastage and save money.
Smart meters will also benefit the national energy infrastructure. The devices send up to date information to suppliers, allowing them to be more efficient at matching energy demand and supply, resulting in less wastage across the grid and fewer power outages.
The new meters will also play a vital role as the energy landscape shifts from harmful fossil fuels towards a more flexible ‘smart grid’ which makes use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power.
Smart meter technology is key to encouraging uptake of greener electric vehicles. Thomas Newby, managing director at solar equipment installer Phoenix Works, said: “After you purchase an electric car, on average greater than 80 per cent of your charging will take place at home. This leads to an interest in how to make the energy source as cheap and clean as possible.”
Millions of electric cars on the road will create more pressure on the grid, therefore an upgrade is essential to ensuring that it will be able to cope with future demand.
It all adds up to a win for the environment. It’s estimated that smart meters will help save 29.8m tonnes of harmful CO2 by 2030, while electric vehicles emit around 60 per cent less greenhouse gas than diesel cars – making the air we breathe much cleaner.
The future is already looking clean – and smart.