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My Smart Meter
I recently wrote how Northern Ireland Electricity are carrying out a pilot scheme to install smart meters into customers homes in an effort to allow householders greater access to information which could reduce their energy consumption. Having now had my smart meter installed at the end of January I first accessed my account today, having allowed two weeks of energy use without the realisation of being watched, at least not by my family anyway.
The device installed automatically records the information on energy use and sends this daily via phone link to NIE each morning (ie Sunday's usage would be sent Monday at 03:00am). This information is then immediately available via a special website where you can view or export this information. You can view graphical charts, with monthly, daily or half hour readings, which can be viewed in kWh, kW, £ or CO2 emissions.
Other benefits include accurate bills taken from your bank account via direct debit each month on the specific energy used rather than estimated amounts. It allows you to see your attempts to reduced energy immediately rather than from your next quarterly bill; and of course paperless billing.
Canadian research over two-years suggests the overall reduction in consumption was 10%. Other studies have resulted in more conservative reductions of 7%. It will be interesting to see if we can achieve results on a similar scale, and if this will be increased through higher energy costs and economic uncertainty.
Other energy suppliers are also trialling smart meters and if you are interested in getting one installed you should contact your supplier to see if this is available, you can also purchase energy monitors with computer packages that can show you energy consumption real time such as the Wattson Energy Monitor.
Related Articles
NIE Testing Smart Meters
How Much are You Paying for Electricity or Gas?
Gordon Brown Outlines Climate Plans
"Smart Meter?"
The device installed automatically records the information on energy use and sends this daily via phone link to NIE each morning (ie Sunday's usage would be sent Monday at 03:00am). This information is then immediately available via a special website where you can view or export this information. You can view graphical charts, with monthly, daily or half hour readings, which can be viewed in kWh, kW, £ or CO2 emissions.
Other benefits include accurate bills taken from your bank account via direct debit each month on the specific energy used rather than estimated amounts. It allows you to see your attempts to reduced energy immediately rather than from your next quarterly bill; and of course paperless billing.
Canadian research over two-years suggests the overall reduction in consumption was 10%. Other studies have resulted in more conservative reductions of 7%. It will be interesting to see if we can achieve results on a similar scale, and if this will be increased through higher energy costs and economic uncertainty.
Other energy suppliers are also trialling smart meters and if you are interested in getting one installed you should contact your supplier to see if this is available, you can also purchase energy monitors with computer packages that can show you energy consumption real time such as the Wattson Energy Monitor.
Related Articles
NIE Testing Smart Meters
How Much are You Paying for Electricity or Gas?
Gordon Brown Outlines Climate Plans
"Smart Meter?"
1 comment:
Smart Meters are great tool to help save energy. But remember that is all they are, just simple devices to tell what is happening with total consumption.
The key to driving down energy saving is behaviour and understanding of what you are actually using. There is so much hidden waste in houses and businesses that we neither see nor realise is costing us. A good example is modern digital radios that still convert energy when not operational. If it’s not off at the plug it's probably still on.
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