Gas and Electricity Meters Guide - Part 4 of 4

Traditional gas meters and electricity meters have been taken to a new level thanks to the invention of smart meters. These advanced devices offer more detail than conventional meters and could help us save cash by altering the way we use our gas and electricity. So are smart meters as clever as they sound, or is this all hype?

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What are smart meters and are they the future?

The purpose of smart meters is straightforward - to match consumption with generation. Traditional electricity meters (smart meters are available as gas meters too) only tell you how much energy you have used. However, by contrast, smart meters give you information on how and when the energy was used.

Depending on the customer, and how you adjust your energy use as a consequence of receiving this information, smart meters could help you save significant amounts on your energy bills - estimates are between 3% and 15%.

It’s not just about cutting bills either. Smart meters also help the environment because the more we are encouraged to be energy efficient, the lower our carbon emissions are likely to be. As a result, their implementation has been strongly backed by consumer groups such as energywatch and the Energy Retail Association (ERA).

Though it is expected that smart meters will soon become the standard in all homes, they can already be bought from specialist providers. They work using a wireless transmitter that is clipped between the fuse-box and the electricity meter. This then transfers information to a wireless display which you should place somewhere prominent in your home - this will tell you how much energy you are burning every second.

There are many additional functions on smart meters including the ability to read remotely, thus eliminating manual and estimated readings; meaningful displays which show you how much money you are using; and in the most sophisticated meters, internet readings which show you exactly where energy is being wasted.

All of this information should encourage you to turn off unused lights, or switch off devices that are left on stand-by.

The main barrier for smart meters is standardisation - but manufacturers are drawing closer to a conclusion and it is expected that smart meters will soon be the standard across the UK.

Hopefully by reading this gas and electricity meters guide you now have a greater understanding of how each meter works and which is right for you. Don’t forget that whichever meter you use, you should ensure you’re picking up the best deal or the cheapest tariff by using our gas and electricity comparison tool.

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