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Smart meters will soon be found in every home and business in the UK. These make it easy for energy providers to get accurate data on your usage while also allowing you to monitor your power use better. This can help you reduce your carbon footprint and save money at the same time.
We will explain what they are and how they work, discuss some of their main benefits, and answer some common questions you may have.
Let’s get started.
What Is a Smart Meter?
A smart meter measures how much gas and electricity you’re using and sends the information directly to your energy supplier without needing to have someone come and read it manually, like traditional meters. They also come with an in-home display screen that you can use to help you monitor and reduce your power use.
However, they will not tell you how much each appliance uses, just your total overall usage, which you can monitor in near real-time. To monitor your energy use more precisely, you can use EcoFlow Smart Plugs. That way, you’ll know exactly how much each appliance uses, allowing you to adjust your behaviours and find even more ways to save money on your electrical bills.
How Does a Smart Meter Work?
There are two components to these new meters. The first is the meter itself, which uses a secure wireless data network to automatically send your readings directly to your energy supplier at least once a month.
You don’t need a Wi-Fi connection in your home because it uses a separate dedicated network that is only used for these meters. If you have both electricity and gas, you may need two meters, but you typically can have one in-home display to monitor them both.
The other component is the in-home digital display unit that shows you what power you’re using and how much it costs. Electrical readings are nearly instantaneous, while updates for gas usage are received every half hour. In either case, you can see your usage in near real-time.
Even though the average cost of electricity in the UK is rising, using these allows you to monitor your usage more closely, which can help you save money. So, if you are wondering why your bill is so high and you don’t have a new meter yet, you can contact your provider and ask for one.
What Are the Benefits of Smart Meters?
Accurate Bills
Since these new systems automatically report your precise usage at least once a month, you will only be charged for exactly what energy you use. Older systems used to generate estimated bills, and you could end up paying more than you actually used.
Monitor Your Energy Use
Monitoring your energy use has important implications for better power management. Our bills are based on how many kWh our homes use. So, when you know precisely what that is in near real-time, you can start finding ways to reduce that usage.
Save Money on Electricity
Since you can monitor your power usage and know exactly what you use and when you use it, you can be more conscientious about it. This can allow you to save money on your monthly bills quickly, like better managing your thermostat or switching to LED lights and more energy-efficient appliances.
Furthermore, because they eliminate the need for manual readings, they save your supplier money. Since they cost less to maintain, people with these new meters generally have lower tariffs than those still on traditional meters.
Access Money Saving Initiatives
Only those with new meters can take advantage of smart time-of-use tariffs. These tariffs make using energy at specific times of day cost less, like doing your washing late at night instead of after work. When excess clean energy is available, some people even get paid to use electricity at certain times!
You can also get electric vehicles, heating systems, and smart appliances like washing machines and dishwashers that connect to your new meter. This allows you to program their activity to automatically turn on at certain times to take advantage of those cheaper time-of-use tariffs. No more getting up in the middle of the night to start your washing machine or plug in your EV.
Help Combat Climate Change
These new meters help energy providers be more efficient about how much power they produce because they understand better when people are using it. And because they allow you to monitor your own usage in real-time, they also help you become more energy efficient in your own home to lower your bill and carbon footprint simultaneously.
Of course, you can do even more to help combat climate change and reduce or eliminate your power bills. Investing in an EcoFlow DELTA Pro + 400W Solar Panel can generate clean, green, completely renewable energy from the sun. You can pair it with an EcoFlow Smart Panel for super easy integration into your household electricity. With plenty of power and optional additional battery storage, even large homes with high power needs can go completely off-grid if they choose.
Real-time Updates on Outages
Because information is constantly being sent to your energy supplier, their engineers will know much faster when power cuts happen and be more informed about what caused them. This allows for faster and more cost-effective repairs and helps reduce the risk of similar problems happening again, providing a more stable and reliable electrical grid.
How Do I Get a Smart Meter?
The UK government is requiring energy suppliers in England, Scotland, and Wales to provide new meters to all their customers. This is happening now in some areas. If you don’t want to wait for them to come to your area, you can contact your energy supplier and arrange for an installation.
The equipment and the installation are free of charge since it is a government requirement. That means it costs you nothing to save money.
Can I Switch Energy Suppliers if I Already Have a Smart Meter?
Yes, you can still switch energy suppliers, no matter your meter type. In fact, these new units can make switching suppliers easy without any interruption to services or bill payments.
The latest generation of meters are connected to a national metering communications network, making them fully compatible with any supplier from the moment they are installed. First-generation models are now being moved onto the national network.
However, if you have a first-generation model that needs to be added to the national grid and switch suppliers, you may temporarily lose smart functions. However, they will continue to read, and your smart functions will return when those services are restored.
How Can I Use a Smart Meter To Save on My Energy Bills?
Using the in-home panel, you can easily monitor your power usage. This allows you to see when you are using the most power, allowing you to reduce your usage and plan it better, saving money.
Innovative smart tariffs, only available with the new systems, can also save you significant money. They allow you to use power outside of peak hours, like scheduling your washing late at night instead of when you get home from work, when everyone is using the system.
You can also use excess clean electricity when it’s available; some customers have even been paid to use electricity during very windy days. You can store this energy in EcoFlow Portable Power Stations like the EcoFlow DELTA Series Portable Power Stations, to power your home appliances whenever you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
No one is required to install a new meter, so if your supplier offers one, you have the right to refuse it. However, the equipment and installation are free of charge, and you cannot access cost savings and time-of-use tariffs if you refuse. You must also manually send your meter readings to your energy supplier.
No, you do not have to have a broadband connection to install a smart meter. It does not and never will use your household WiFi. Instead of using broadband connections in your home, they use their own dedicated national network.
No, these new meters cannot tell what kinds of devices you are using. They just record data on total power usage, which is different from what is drawing that power. However, you can see what appliances use more power by checking your meter before and after you turn on an appliance.
Final Thoughts
Smart meters are helping update Great Britain’s energy system. They allow us all to be more aware and efficient with our power use. This reduces our carbon footprint and allows us to save significant money on our bills by timing our power use better.
Of course, if you really want to reduce your carbon footprint and save money on your monthly expenses, try an EcoFlow Solar Generator. After the solar payback period, when the savings pay for its installation, your energy could be free for as many as twenty years!
