What are smart meters?

Smart meters are the next generation of electricity and gas meters.

They will bring about the end of estimated bills and meter readings, and provide customers and energy suppliers with accurate information on the amount of electricity and gas being used.

Smart meters will empower customers to make choices on how much energy they use. Suppliers will install two-way communication systems that display accurate real-time information on energy use in the home to the consumer and back to the energy supplier.

In addition, smart meters enable:

• Flexible tariffs that measure consumption over set time periods 

• Capability for selling energy back to the supplier which will facilitate microgeneration technology (e.g. solar panels or wind turbines)
  

• The same meter for electricity (and gas, subject to cost) will be used for all customers, whether they are pre-payment or credit , and regardless of supplier
  

• Suppliers will be able to differentiate their tariffs and services through offering alternative means of displaying energy consumption – i.e. through mobiles, the internet or via digital TV
  

• Improved accuracy of forecasting energy demand at different times of the day
  

Key resources

• The ERA is prducing a series of Smart Comment newsletters in order to keep all stakeholders and interested parties up to date with progress on smart metering and the passage of the Energy Bill through Parliament.
  • Second edition of Smart Comment, July 2008
  • First edition of Smart Comment, May 2008

  
  

• The ERA's response to the BERR Consultation on Billing and Metering.

• To find out more about the benefits of smart meters, please view our Introduction to Smart Meters animation.

• You can now view the Smart Metering Operational Framework Seminar presentation given by the ERA and Engage Consulting on 24 September 2007 on our speeches page. The seminar was hosted in London by Elexon.

• The ERA has produced a Smart Meters and Electricity Display Devices factsheet which is now available to download.

• The ERA has published proposals and options for a Smart Metering Operational Framework in August 2007. The Smart Meters Operational Framework Summary document is now available to download.

• As part of the SRSM project a Google map showing international smart metering projects and initiatives has been created and is regularly updated. This is in the public domain and has proven to be a useful resource to all who have found it.  It is also open to all to add projects to it.

Other links:

• The Smart Meters Campaign
• What are Electricity Display Devices?
• When will Smart Meters be available?