Helping rural communities to work smart and live smart.

Many rural communities draw the short straw when it comes to energy options, with homes that can be less energy efficient and dependent on more expensive heating fuels. Obvious solutions would be to harness wind, solar or hydro sources, but rural communities often face barriers linked to limitations with the local distribution infrastructure. So, in the past, local renewables have been under-utilised and local community energy generation projects deemed too expensive.

However, a solution is at hand in the form of smart technology, which has the potential to help rural communities harness renewables and benefit from energy that is cheaper, more efficient and more secure. It can also encourage higher awareness which results in small changes around the home leading to reduced energy consumption.

Smart meters, being rolled out across Great Britain, are a stepping stone for the greater integration of renewables into our energy supply.