Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 8TH - 14TH DECEMBER 2017 | 13 Policy & Regulation The clock is ticking on the smart meter roll- out. However, the Harris Interactive research carried out on behalf of Utility Week, shows that a worryingly large minority of the population are still disengaged with the devices. According to the survey, 25 per cent of people are "not interested" in getting a smart meter. And it also shows a high level David Blackman Are smart meters an engaging prospect? And in good news for suppliers, the results of a more recent Smart Energy GB report commissioned in October show this is far from unattainable, and may simply be a matter of time. The report, which looked into behaviour change following a smart meter installation, found those who have had a smart meter for more than two years are more likely to say they understand what they need to do to save energy around the home, and the longer people own their smart meter, the more likely it is they will have imple- mented energy saving changes. of ignorance about how the entire process works: two-thirds (67 per cent) said they are not aware that the rollout is funded by bills. In terms of consumer engagement with the smart meter installation process, Audrey Gallagher, director of energy supply at Energy UK, told parliament last week that it was still too early to truly assess the public appetite for smart meters. Giving evidence during the committee stage of the Smart Meter Bill – which effectively extends the potential rollout period – she said the ramp-up in smart meter installation had "not yet really started in earnest". Responding to the Harris findings on the level of consumer interest in smart meters, a BEIS (Business, Energy And Industrial Strategy) spokesman points to "continuing" rises in installation, with nearly 350,000 of the devices fitted every month of this year. A spokesman for Smart Energy GB insists there is "no reason" why anyone should not want to upgrade to a smart meter, with its own research showing that nearly in eight in ten people report benefits in terms of how they buy and use energy post-installation. On the issue of public ignorance about how their meters are funded, both BEIS and Smart Energy GB point to how the recovery of smart meter costs from energy bills is the same as for their traditional counterparts. meter also increased, to 16 per cent, up from 12 per cent six months ago. Only one-third had seen savings on their energy bills since installation. Another third suggested that having a smart meter had no impact in terms of energy engagement. Brenton describes these reactions as "disappointing", and says "this will be a real concern for those hoping that smart metering will be a game-changer in terms of consumers engaging more with energy, but perhaps the advent of smart technologies could change this going forward". However, Doepel counters that the nature of the challenge has changed: "The task now is to make people aware of what smart meter- ing will be able to do for them in the future. It's not the changes in your energy usage or bills that are the exciting bit, it's the fact that because your usage can be monitored, sup- pliers will be able to tailor a tariff to your exact needs, that suits your specific lifestyle and you as an individual. That to me is excit- ing, and that's what the marketers – and the suppliers – need to be focusing on now. That to me is what will make the difference."

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