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Researching public attitudes to smart meters
By: Rob Turner

Today sees the publication of a new piece of research into public attitudes to smart meters. We commissioned this research in January this year to deepen our understanding of the attitudes that people hold towards smart meters and why they hold particular views. 120 respondents from a range of different ages, regions and backgrounds took part and the results have made for interesting reading.

The key findings highlight that consumers with smart meters and In Home Displays (IHDs) had felt that not only had the IHDs illustrated the impact of their appliances on energy consumption, but had also changed their behaviour. The IHDs had helped to prompt users to switch off appliances which no longer needed to be on, such as TVs and phone chargers. And it was also encouraging to read that smart meters had helped users to identify and replace ‘culprit’ or ‘high use’ appliances such as an ageing fridge freezer, or to change spotlights for LEDs. The findings will now feed into our consumer engagement strategy consultation which is closing on Friday (01 June). So do please read the research and let us know your thoughts.

In other news, it’s been another busy week for the Smart Metering Programme. On Monday we hosted a webchat on our website. Several cups of tea and 2 boxes of biscuits later, 4 of my colleagues had answered 60 of the 90 questions received, covering a wide range of subjects from privacy to cost. You can view a replay of the event and we’ll endeavour to get through the remaining unanswered questions shortly.

On Tuesday, I also had an opportunity to outline the progress which the Programme has been making over the last year, when I spoke at the Smart Metering Update conference in London, organised by Marketforce and the Adam Smith Institute. The event brought together representatives from energy companies, consumer groups and other stakeholders. Many delegates recognised that we were already one year into delivery of the Programme and making good progress.

Filed under: Smart Meters
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Comments: 6 Comments on Researching public attitudes to smart meters
Posted on: May 30 2012

6 Responses to “Researching public attitudes to smart meters”

1. Paul Steverson says:

   July 3, 2012 at 9:40 pm

   We need all the information possible to get the correct energy saving equipment installed into houses as well as offices & factories.

   One piece of equipment I am still waiting to see available in the shops is the ‘SMART plug’. This is applicable to washing machines and fridges and freezers, It has a program function whereby the device is operated either ON mainly when the electricity is cheapest (off peak charging tariff, through time control) or ON when the temperature of the fridge /freezer is getting too warm, but OFF during peak demand periods. It could also have a device temporary SHUT DOWN mode when the grid is under strain, this would be enabled by monitoring minor changes in the frequency or voltage availability. With millions of households utilising these type of devices for these applications, peak grid demand would be ameliorated, facilitating easier grid management, and greater efficiency. It would be in the interests of National Grid company to give these devices away, as it is likely to be cheaper than building new pumped storage schemes for load levelling.

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2. mark says:

   June 19, 2012 at 3:47 pm

   I think the public attitude will be mixed here.

   Reply
3. The Green Home Builder says:

   June 11, 2012 at 4:49 pm

   We at The Green Home Builder welcome the wider adoption of IHD’s. Although the modern Green home will employ advanced home networks and sensor systems which can aid the home owner in reducing their energy use. We still feel that there has to be some personal responsibility taken for the reduction of energy usage at home. The IHD, is one way of ensuring we can achieve this…

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4. P Macdonald says:

   June 6, 2012 at 9:49 pm

   Simple and effective energy monitoring devices cost less than £25 and come with IHD so why do we need smart meters? The simple answer is that we don’t, but energy suppliers do so they can introduce multi-tariff pricing to control consumer energy usage patterns by bumping up prices when the wind isn’t blowing.

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5. Julian Cassell says:

   June 1, 2012 at 9:32 am

   Every home having an IHD/Smart meter seems like a great idea, but as demonstrated by the Webchat, there just seems to be an enormous number of issues that concern consumers. I still don’t understand who is picking up the bill for all these meters – is it all subsidised, or is everybody effectively paying ‘indirectly’ through their present supplier? As far as I can make out, gas and electricity will definitely be monitored, but the information available surrounding water seems a little bit more sketchy, and what about oil – very popular in rural areas?

   Great idea, and project, but I can’t see it running particularly smoothly. Anyone who’s ever changed a meter knows it can sometimes be less than a smooth process…..so every gas and electric meter in the UK! Best of luck to all concerned…

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6. Researching public attitudes to smart meters | Air Source Heat Pumps says:

   May 31, 2012 at 1:26 pm

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