Smart Meters Not Smart Enough At The Moment
Utility Exchange has been reporting on the roll out of smart meters which the Government says will not only help provide more accurate energy bills but will also cut electricity bills, however there are concerns that the smart meters being rolled out are not smart enough.
Smart meters will give both domestic and business energy consumers the power to control their energy usage and therefore cut electricity bills. However, there are concerns that smart meters are not smart enough.
If they are going to be any use smart meters need to provide detailed information on energy usage for householders and businesses. But the information smart meters provide needs to be displayed in such a way that users can understand the information being provided.
At the moment smart meters will help energy providers to measure consumption and therefore manage the smart grid better but they don’t help consumers to understand their energy use patterns. However, in the future smart meters will be able to identify which devices use the most electricity and which are the most energy efficient using disaggregation technology.
There are currently trials of disaggregation technology from Navetas being carried out across the UK. This new Navetas smart meter can monitor energy consumption for individual appliances from one place. It means that householders can see which appliances are costing them the most money and immediately they can make changes to lower their energy bills. So far the trials have received positive feedback.
The trials are showing that consumers using the new technology are much more able and willing to reduce their energy bills and save money because they can accurately track energy consumption.
Other companies are also developing more accurate technology and are working with utility providers to work out how to use the technology in the home or work place. All homes and businesses will have a smart meter and it’s important that these work alongside disaggregation technology to ensure consumers and businesses reduce their energy consumption and therefore their carbon footprint.