By Natasha Lomas, 6 August 2007 12:46
NEWS
The UK government is relying on smart metering to play a key role in cutting the UK's carbon emissions, according to the energy minister.
Smart meters enable the real-time transmission of energy readings to utilities companies so an individual customer's usage can be accurately monitored without the need for manual meter readings.
The technology also enables data to be sent from the utility to the customer, meaning tariffs can be changed dynamically, for instance during periods of peak usage, in order to encourage reduced consumption.
The government has launched a three-month consultation of energy metering and billing, following the publication of its Energy White Paper, back in May.
The consultation is seeking expert views on energy-saving proposals set out in the White Paper and how they can best be implemented, including plans for all but the smallest businesses to have smart meters installed over the next five years.
Energy minister Malcolm Wicks said in a statement: "It is vital that we make best use of this emerging technology that will not only help cut our energy use but reduce our bills too."
Other proposals being consulted on include plans for electricity suppliers to provide real-time visual display units - which enable customers to monitor their own energy use - on any new meters fitted from next year and to all households that request them between 2008 and 2010, and to put more detailed information about power consumption on bills to help people reduce usage.
A report by analyst Datamonitor recently predicted massive growth in smart metering over the next five years in Europe and the US, as energy companies overhaul their infrastructure in line with energy-saving political priorities.
SAP CEO Henning Kagermann has also been talking up the benefits of smart metering. Speaking to silicon.com at a recent press briefing last month, he said: "We have a big debate about climate change these days and big demand for energy efficiency. The smart direction is to come to an efficient energy market. We can get an efficient energy market by making the meter smart... so that we can on an hourly or on a per-second basis match supply and demand."
The government recently announced energy-saving trials that will run for two years involving 40,000 households - 15,000 of which will trial smart meters.
Comments
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1. Guy Reynolds
This sounds like another brilliant Government idea like road charging.
Just as they assume we all use our cars at peak times through choice, this assumes that we use energy at peak times through choice.
We already have elderly people dying from the cold becuase they are scared to not being able to afford the bills, having dynamic billing were you pay more because everybody else is using energy at the same time is going to kill even more.
Mind you fewer people does mean lower carbon emissions: 'Kill a Granny and Save the World'
2. Simon
What a hairbrained idea !
Would someone please explain why using electricity at one time of the day produces less CO2 emmissions than using it an hour later or an hour earlier ?
Unless you get to a situation where all coal & gas stations are shut down (or in standby) AND nuclear and renewables are also being cut back due to excess of supply over demand, then each incremental unit of power will come from coal or gas. Moving part of the demand will not change the total, just change what time of day it gets burned.
3. Karen Challinor
badly thought out, knee jerk reaction policies that do nothing to attack the problem but make it look as if the government is doing something and is dynamic and on the ball
rather than long term, well planned, debated measures which might actually have some effect but which may take a week or two to be announced
and Mr Brown is touting himself as the PM who changes things
not off to a good start are we Mr Brown
4. Mark Hosey
Lip service to a technical problem that is misunderstood by political as well as industrial leaders. They really do need to brush up on their technical knowledge! If only to realise when a particular group (in this case the metering industry) is hyping their products and pulling some wool over their eyes to create a demand for some thing that, though useful in some respects, will contribute very little to a solution to the problem of carbon emissions.
Burn renewables and leave the carbon in the ground. Bury excess carbon (Paper and platic waste). Grow trees. sugar producing and oil producing crops (on set aside!). Ensure that workforces are close to the industries. Use smaller cars...