Auditel Consultant:
Nigel Collins

Smart Metering – Benefits and Pitfalls

04 Jun 2009 | Filed under: Energy

According to the BBC, the government is unveiling plans for every home in Britain to be equipped with smart meters by the end of 2020. Link to article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8043452.stm

The question a lot of businesses are asking is what this means to them? With the advantages smart metering brings of more accurate billing and detailed energy consumption data, should I ask my energy supplier to install smart metering now? I can then start monitoring my energy usage and look at ways of reducing energy consumption. The Carbon Trust, a government-backed organisation that promotes the efficient use of energy, estimates that many businesses could cut energy costs by up to 20 per cent. Obtaining data from smart metering is the first step to being able to benchmark current usage and set targets to increased energy efficiency.

There are however pitfalls to be aware of and these often only come to light when changing energy supplier. For example, the new supplier must be made aware of what arrangements are in place for meter operation and data collection or risk them defaulting to their favoured meter operator. This will become evident when you suddenly find that your consumption data is no longer available.

Auditel are well placed to give advice on smart metering and other energy related issues so why not give me a call?