One of the leading energy suppliers in the UK has published research that suggests more than 75 per cent of Britons are ignorant to the savings potential of smart meter technology.
Claiming that 37 million people in Britain need to increase their ‘energy smartness’, E.ON also asserted that 60 per cent of energy consumers would use less electricity in the home if they were able to visualise the amount they use.
The figures were collected and analysed by E.ON’s Smart Metering Centre of Excellence, which only recently celebrated its first anniversary. The energy giant’s research suggests that the majority of Britons do not realise the benefits that can be derived from using smart meter technology.
E.ON’s Head of Customer Learning for Smart Meters, Jean Fiddes, said: “Technology is playing an empowering role in our lives and our research highlights [how] people are keen to extend this to their energy use”.
Ms Fiddes added: “Smart meters allow consumers to easily visualise their energy consumption daily, weekly and monthly, meaning they have increased transparency into their daily energy habits, providing accurate bills and greater management of their finances”.
Smart meters provide households with an opportunity to manage their energy consumption in a way that was never before possible. Representing electricity usage in bar charts, pie charts and other graphical depictions, smart meters highlight which appliances consume the most energy. By replacing energy-inefficient goods with more environmentally friendly substitutes, households can save money on their energy bills.
The devices also provide information on when energy is used. Few electricity tariffs stay the same throughout the day. Most suppliers charge more for energy used during the day, while off-peak consumption tends to be cheaper. Understanding energy usage in this way can help households save money on bills by encouraging them to change when they carry out energy-intensive tasks, such as washing clothes or running on a treadmill.
E.ON’s research also uncovered several surprising facts about the way men and women view energy usage. The study revealed that women are more likely to alter their energy usage if consumption could be visualised, while only half as many women as men want to install a smart meter at home.
uk should concentrate on more efficient production of electricity from gas.electricity is 100 per cent efficient at the point of use. so in conversion from gas at the power station we leave behind all the inefficiencies and offer the customer a clean non polluting product.which is easier to utilise than gas.clean.switchable.and easy to send around the country via wires.more gas power stations please is what we should be telling politicians.Bye.we