Energy News

‘Smart meters must have visual displays’

Tuesday, 6 October 2009

By Hazel Cottrell - hazel@consumerchoices.co.uk

The public will only feel the real benefits of smart meters if they come with live screens that allow people to view their energy use.

Households must be able to see how much energy they using, if smart meters are to be effective, according to new research.

Smart meters will mean the end of estimated bills, as they will send accurate usage information to energy suppliers. The government wants them to be in all UK homes by 2020.

If these meters are installed without visual displays, though, it will be a “missed opportunity”, according to energy efficiency body, the Energy Saving Trust.

Philip Sellwood, chief executive of the Energy Saving Trust, said: “Our research has shown the importance of displays, in making consumers more conscious of their day-to-day energy consumption,” he added.

The Energy Saving Trust’s focus group research found that:

• Consumers would like to be able to see their real-time rate of gas and electricity usage, shown as a cost per day
• Most people would also like to be able to see their consumption in watts or kilowatts per day for electricity
• All consumers would like to see a measure of cumulative usage.

The Energy Saving Trust has urged the government to make energy companies install visual displays alongside all smart meters.