Beyond COVID19: how smart meters are addressing humanity’s other great challenge

As the world continues to adapt to the difficulties presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, now is as good a time as any to seriously consider another major challenge facing us all – climate change – and the positive role smart meters continue to play on this front.

With the Government targeting net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, consumers will need to play their part in helping to tackle climate change.

Smart meters are a key element of the transition in energy usage that’s needed to make this happen – and yet they’re often misunderstood outside of the energy industry.

Unfortunately some unhelpful media stories have compounded rather than countered this situation. However, the reality is that smart meters are delivering benefits to businesses and domestic consumers today and will form the backbone for the smart grid of the future.

Put another way, they’re here to stay – so it makes sense to understand why they matter and what they can do for you, and for our climate.

To help put the record straight, we’ve put together a series of useful videos to help you shape an informed opinion about smart meters, and why you should install one.

Great Britain’s Smart Energy Revolution

Britain is in the midst of a “smart energy revolution”. The digitisation of the country’s electricity Grid is just around the corner, but what will this mean for businesses and other consumers? The Economist recently published a short documentary that powerfully illustrates why anonymised data from smart meters is needed to help reimagine the UK’s energy network and tackle climate change.

Learn more by watching the video here:

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To find out more about how SMS is leading the smart energy revolution through smart meters and our related energy services, watch our video here:

What are the benefits of smart meters and the Smart Grid?

Smart meter technology is set to revolutionise the way we manage our energy. The emerging Smart Grid will be more localised and responsive than the existing network, reducing inefficiencies and allowing us all to achieve a better use of energy. Read our guide to the smart grid and how it works. To learn more, watch this informative video from Smart Energy GB:

How do smart meters work?

If smart meters are new to you, you’ll probably want to know how they work. As with older traditional energy meters, smart meters measure the amount of electricity and gas you consume. But they also show you how much energy you’re using, and then automatically and securely send regular meter readings to your energy supplier. This approach takes away the inconvenience of manual or estimated readings and ensures that all your bills are accurate.

To find out more about how an energy meter works, read our smart meter FAQs or watch this helpful video from Smart Energy GB:

How are smart meters installed?

Getting your new smart meter installed is both quick and easy and is done at a time best suited to you and your business. They only take an hour to install, and when completed, the engineer will give you a step-by-step walk-through of how to use it.

For more information about getting a smart meter installed, watch this video from Smart energy GB:

Can I switch energy supplier with a smart meter?

A common misunderstanding is that having a smart meter restricts your ability to switch supplier – should you ever choose to do so. While this may have been true a few years ago, it’s not so today.

There are two types of smart meter – SMETS1 (the first kind to be installed in the UK) and SMETS2. These latest generation meters are the ones being installed by most suppliers today. Businesses with older SMETS1 meters may experience a temporary loss of some smart functionality if they decide to switch supplier. However, these meters will be remotely upgraded in time – bringing them into line with the SMETS2 meters currently being installed.

So, whatever your meter type, you’ll be able to switch supplier as many times as you need to. For more information on this, watch here:

We are one of the country’s leading smart meter installation companies, that’s why energy suppliers count on us to deliver smart meters to their domestic and I&C customers around Britain. Find out more about how we are making British homes and businesses smarter.

This content was originally produced by Smart Energy GB, the national campaign for smart meters, and has been edited and adapted for the SMS plc website. Full credit goes to Smart Energy GB for the above videos and material.