The smart meter has landed: one month on
I can see that I will stop looking at my smart meter readout pretty soon. But one month after it was installed, I am trying to make comparisons and cut my energy usage (and carbon foorprint).
I can already see one way the data could be better presented. I can look at my usage for both gas and electricity over the past day, month and year. But what I would really like to do is compare this January, or February, to the same period last year - if only to go on about what a cold winter it has been. I don't think it is possible.
It is interesting to see what effect the readout has on my decisions. My boiler has a "stay hot" function that heats a small amount of water every so often so that I don't waste too much water waiting for the combi to start heating. I have never been able to remember whether it is 'Eco' to have the function on or off, or whether it is better to save energy or water. Now, since I have an energy readout but not a water readout, I have switched it off. It's the power of the graph.
Ten days after my smart meter was installed, I have indeed found myself checking my gas and electricity usage and congratulating myself when I manage to cut it down a bit.
I retimed my heating, saving some gas. But I realised how easy it is to lose track of what your gas heating is doing. In a cold snap, maintaining a specific temperature takes more work from the system, even if you have turned the thermostat down a degree or two and even if you have pretty good insulation. If you don't realise how cold it is outside, and many people don't, you won't notice that your heating is working harder and the bill could come as a nasty surprise, if you don't have a display.
Incidentally, the energy display unit did cause some comment from visitors, but I think that may have been the eerie green glow, which is just about bright enough to walk about without needing to put on other lights. That could be turned down a bit.
Over in the US, Slate has suggested that paying all energy bills in cash would convince people to cut back - even saying the energy savings would outweigh the energy cost of doing all those transactions. I am not sure that's true - and lots of UK savings rely on improving the energy efficency of houses. But it would certainly make you think about it more.
Utility Week has been talking about smart metering for years and the plans have been around in the industry for decades, so it can have a flavour of a fairy tale. This week, however, your editor found herself with real smart meters - gas and electricity - in the cupboard under the stairs and even better, a energy display unit in the kitchen.
The process was painless: I signed up for an Npower trial (other energy suppliers are available!) and Onstream called me a few days later to book a survey and see whether I was a suitable candidate. It was a model of customer service - did they know who I was? They were happy to switch my appointment and to put me first on the list for the day.
A call on Tuesday asks whether I would like the smart meter to be installed immediately, if the survey is positive. Yes of course - no-one wants to take an extra day off work for an energy meter (and not everyone can argue, like me, that it's really work).
Three guys arrive on time, all the way from Sheffield and Blackburn by way of Earls Court. It's no big deal for them: they have installed thousands of smart meters already and will be spending three days installing all over London.
Once Mick has confirned that the property passes tests of meter configuration and mobile phone signal strength (for the meter readings readings), Andy installs the meters while Eammon enthuses about the information I can get from the display unit. He points out how simple it is to use. He is right about that: although I forget everything he tells me almost immediately, it's easy enough to pick it up again.
The meter is installed within 45 minutes - just enough time for me to make a fool of myself by offering to switch some lights on so they can see to do the job, before they remind me I am disconnected while the meter is switched. D'oh! But I am not the only one to make that mistake. The guys are all equipped with head torches.
No mess, no fuss, they are finished within the hour and my display unit is showing how much power I am using - and roughly the cost. I go around switching off appliances.
Slightly to my surpise the energy monitor is a talking pointg for visitors - maybe that's the green glow it gives off in my kitchen. In week one I have been trying to make sure that each day's usage is slightly lower athn the last, but I am not sure how long that will go on. Just another reason to say, roll on summer.
I've been following your Utility Week blog with interest - great to hear that your smart meter trial is going well so far, and that you're using it to cut down energy.
I thought I'd drop you a quick note to respond to your point on not being able to compare usage data over periods of time: because you've only had your smart meter for a few weeks, you'll only be able to monitor your consumption since point of installation.
Once you've built up your usage history you'll be able to make comparisons against consumption and carbon emissions (including usage in Jan 2011 compared to 2010) - and fingers crossed next year's winter will be much warmer, so you'll be able to notice a decrease in the amount you've used heating your house!
Amy Rynn, Npower | 18 March 2010, 10:08 AM