Yes support it! Few users deliberately and needlessly increase their energy bills but they can't do anything about something they don't know about; streaming the info onto a screen is bound to result in less energy usage. Even if the effects are much smaller than estimated it is still a good thing and, who knows, it could be used as an enabler for other initiatives.

Installing smart meters is a cost that will be borne by consumers through their bills. Will the benefit be worthwhile?

For most of us who read this forum, no, because we have already invested in energy monitoring and/or are waste conscious already.

For those in fuel poverty? No - because they probably use less energy than is good for their health.

For everyone else? Probably not – they can afford their bills and they don't have sufficient interest or motivation to seek energy savings.

Rob, yes, we are up against apathy big time and the elephant in the room of energy poverty, smart meters as you point out don't help indeed they most likely feed the elephant.

<blockquote>In Holland they discovered that the energy savings were small and that these were as a result of behaviour change of the consumers, seeing what was going and wasting less.</blockquote>

Isn't that the idea here as well?

I think there might be better things to spend the money on. Google suggests they cost around £70 each to install. Would it be better to give people £70 grants off loft insulation or a A++ fridge/freezer?

"streaming the info onto a screen is bound to result in less energy usage. Even if the effects are much smaller than estimated it is still a good thing "

That's a pretty vague statement on which to base spending £1.75 bn (£70 x 25m homes) that possibly be better spent elsewhere. The answer would be to do a reasonably long term trial to see what happens in reality and whether there is any change in behaviour. Oh, hang on, didn't I read that was what they did do but then mandated everywhere before the trial had ended and which seemed to be showing that there was no benefit?

Reeks of greenwash this. A 'tech' gimmick rather than a real impact.

Shevek - evidence? I got a smart meter add on a freebie, couldn't get it to work and have no idea what happened to it. At a whole house level it strikes me that this really doesn't tell you much - I don't believe many people are going to run around switching things on and off to see what the impact is.

More useful perhaps is an individual appliance meter. Cheaper too - something like - http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/13a-plug-in-energy-saving-monitor-n67fu

I used one to find out that my printer (a second hand laserjet 4000) appeared to have a standby consumption of 30W (bought one of these http://www.belkin.com/uk/F7C009-Belkin/p/P-F7C009%3bjsessionid=DF71AFEEBEC273F4AEC1CB17ECC0316F/ to use with it after that). Also added one to the iron which we'd previously left on over a weekend a few times.

The meter also told me that it really wasn't worth worrying about standby on the TV, and that one computer was fine in sleep mode.

Posted By: Paul in Montrealthe mechanical ones wear out

my smart gas meter only lasted 6 months before it packed up and was replaced with a traditional meter. Mind you the meter reader is happy, he's been 3 time so far this year!

Meter reader came when I was out. Son pointed reader to meter but the guy said it wasn't there. Came back and said 'oh wasn't looking for that sort' (small white with LCD display). Dumb ass.

Posted By: Paul in MontrealWe've had unholy battles over here due to the introduction of electronic remote-readable meters (they don't even have a "smart" option).

That's pretty much all the "smart" meters in the UK are, AIUI.

As I recall the plan was for smart meters to be a standard spec so you can switch suppliers and retain the smart meter. Is that the case?

The spec for SmartMeters in the UK allows them to power off the household either by a remote signal or as a result of exceeding a programmable level of capacity. These are really the issues that should be of concern to people rather than RF emissions.

As far as inter-operation of meters across multiple companies is concerned the problem is that the functional spec does not include any definition of the communication protocol that should be used. DECC have proposed a common "sorting house" approach that will translate incompatible data. The application of a small amount of common sense would have prevented the need for that.

I won't be switching to a smart meter until they can provide one that works with multiple energy suppliers.

I was cold called about 18 months ago by my energy co to tell me my ordinary meter was old and "needed replacing". They offered to come and replace it with a smart meter free. Since we only built the house 5 years ago I wasn't impressed by their tactics. Could it be they figure that by changing people to their proprietary meter it will discourage people from switching energy suppliers?

I've already got an efergy add on smart meter and I've since changed supplier twice.

And they will be selling our usage data to third parties.
Personally, I look forward to getting a monthly spreadsheet of my usage emailed to me. Bet it does not happen.

The sure fire way to encourage consumers to save energy is to introduce a tariff system that costs more the more you use. That will focus the mind much better than any smart meter.
As far as I can see it's just an industry scam to make the monitoring of usage easier for them, and, as ST suggests with the added benefit of something saleable as a side line, and they've wrapped it up in an "energy saving" package to fool the politicians, who will grasp at any straw going.
The many who don't give a monkey's about insulation for instance, are not IMO, going to give a toss about a meter reading, after all they can do that now if they are really interested.
Nah, a big bl...y stick and hit 'em where it hurts, in the pocket, is the only real energy saving measure.
So in the end because the "baby kissers" run scared of any such measure no real energy saving will ever be achieved.

Perhaps for people who already have some interest in saving energy it may make a difference by making them think more about it, but mainly I see it as a gimmick. What is really needed is a programmable system that can automatically control devices.

For example I might want to load up my washing machine or dishwasher and let the 'smart grid' decide when to switch it on when demand was low and thereby save money.

Ed

Posted By: tony....... a web or even mobile phone linked switch will do that.

Or; the right timer MCB in the consumer unit, plus a bit of simple dedicated wiring.