Smart meters are only smart in the right hands

While the UK’s rollout of smart energy meters continues, reports have emerged from Canada that smart meters are failing to deliver the savings that people were hoping for.

The story, as featured on Energy Live News, claims that energy use dropped by a maximum of 2.6 per cent across a sample user size of 20,000 households in Ontario. The cost of the smart meter rollout there was $1bn.

Smart meters are a great tool for today’s switched-on businesses and consumers – they allow you to monitor data about energy use and, if they’ve been installed in the right way and linked to the correct software, they can help you to understand where savings and efficiencies can be made.

However, there’s a problem: smart meters really aren’t that smart. Simply installing a smart meter will not, in itself, radically reduce your energy bills.

It requires analysis, an understanding of the results, and behavioural/system change to achieve proper savings. Simply hooking your meter up to your smart phone is not going to make a huge difference, as people are discovering.

In addition, the findings that 2.6% of savings were achieved do not tally with Northern Gas and Power’s belief that, in some cases, up to 40% of energy is wasted, especially in businesses.

What’s needed is specialist knowledge of energy management. Unless you are equipped with the knowledge, or in touch with someone who is (such as Northern Gas and Power) then the effectiveness of any smart meter is likely to be limited.

Talk to NGP today to find out how we can help you to get the most out of your smart meter.