Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | MAY 2022 | 17 Energy far more economically e cient for the con- sumer and therefore that encouragement snowballs over time. "But it's a timing issue as well. I think by 2030 maybe 50% of the cars on the road might be pure electric or plug-in hybrid. It de• nitely won't be 100% by the time the new car ban comes in place. So there's a long tail of replacing those traditional vehicles." Baker takes the view that the rollout should be mandatory but still the respon- sibility of retailers. She believes in a much stronger regulatory presence from both Ofgem and the government. "I'm not sure handing the rollout to the networks post-2025 is the answer, especially as suppliers have spent years building up their own sta ng levels and competencies, as well as systems, skills and partnerships in order to deliver the smart programme. "Moving the programme to the DNOs now would only add cost to the overall supply chain and ultimately to customers' bills. I would instead advocate a much • rmer man- date or compulsion – which means a far stronger presence and position from Ofgem and BEIS [the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy] to mandate smart metering for all customers." Similarly, Mark Jobson, former strategy director at British Gas, who is currently a principal in the energy and utilities practice at Kearney, believes suppliers have invested too much to hand over control now. He says: "Suppliers have trained, hired or contracted the workforce to deliver smart installs at scale, nationally, and have the systems and processes in place to deliver it. We need to leverage these capabilities rather than unwind them. "As smart penetration starts to plateau, new approaches will be needed to ensure the long-tail of still standard meters can be con- verted to smart meters e ciently, but pass- ing the obligation to the networks does not solve that problem." Like Roderick, he believes there are more incentives to increase the rollout. "Growth in other electrical work in and around the home, such as EV charge point installation, also creates an opportunity to build a cross-skilled/fungible workforce with su cient demand for suppliers to keep them productive," he adds. The role of Smart Energy GB An optional rollout means consumers need to be convinced a smart meter is right for them and the government has tasked Smart Energy GB with this. Known for its memorable advertising methods with the animated double-act "Gaz and Leccy" and more recently a bath- ing Albert Einstein, the smart meter rollout's o cial campaign goes to novel lengths to target consumers. Yet its messaging has been labelled "dumbed down", certainly at the beginning of its campaign. As the clock ticks ever closer to 2050, smart meters will become more than just bill- saving devices and this is where Roderick believes the educational piece • ts in. He says: "In the early days, Smart Energy GB's strategy using Gaz and Leccy was quite signi• cantly dumbed down and maybe that was appropriate given the country's inatten- tion to energy bills at that point in time. "I think now with the public interest in energy, due to the crisis and the climate, general level of awareness has raised sig- ni• cantly. So there's the opportunity now to really step up that level of awareness and education." A spokesperson for Smart Energy GB pointed to one of its most successful cam- paigning years in 2021, a year in which awareness of smart meters rose to 98% and a record decrease in those rejecting the idea of the device. They added: "We will continue to further collaborate with energy suppliers to con- vert customer demand generated by Smart Energy GB campaigns into smart meter bookings and installations, paying particu- lar attention to people whom our research shows have so far felt indi¢ erent or negative about them; among customers in vulnerable circumstances and among microbusinesses." Will it ever end? While the focus is on installing devices up to 2025, Roderick takes the view that this will not be the end of the rollout – quite the contrary. "The rollout will never • nish because there are early smart meters that went on the wall in 2009-11 that will come to their end of life by 2025. So they will have to be replaced and the rollout will continue and refresh," he says. Similarly, Baker sees an evolution of the rollout over time. She says: "I'd envisage the technology – at the customer end and things like the DCC – will continue to evolve, but it will be an evolution rather than the revolution we are currently going through." "On a more basic level, the rollout will eventually end as traditional meters stop being manufactured and the remaining classic meters in customers' homes require replacement. Smart will be the only option. It is simply a case of when, not if," she adds. The smart meter rollout has been a source of immense frustration for both consumers and the wider sector since its conception more than a decade ago. There is still a long way to go in a short space of time before 2025 and it is clear the conversation around what to do next needs to begin now. As Baker observes: "Smart is the anchor technology, the foundation of the smart, personalised and low-carbon energy system." Adam John, senior reporter

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