MSE News: British Gas to trial 'free electricity on Saturdays' scheme

[Deleted User]

This is what all suppliers have got in store for us in the future, different levels of pricing according to when we use electric. Peak periods 4 pm to 7 pm will be the dearest. BG will prob see this little gimmick as a marketing tool to attract new customers. I told a few people today and they are busy now either switching to BG for their electric or phoning up to request an electric smart, they love the idea, time to do all the washing , ironing ,hour long electric showers on a Saturday etc etc

SG27

What is a smart meter? Is it the little thing with th face on that tells you what your using? Or something else?

I think I'm on a smart meter tariff.

rogerblack

Herbalus wrote: »

Better would be to charge up tonnes of batteries which are used to power the house for the next 6 days.....

Well - yes.
If you could actually buy batteries that would make this economic.

Unfortunately, you can't.
A battery that will store 1kWh may manage 300 charge-discharge cycles - storing a total of about 300kWh of electricity - or perhaps £35 worth.
(neglecting charge inefficiency, charger and inverter losses).

The above battery storing £35 worth of electricity may cost £90 or so.

Even if the electricity was totally free, without any standing charge - it would not be worth it.

If batteries came down in price about 4-5 times, or became similarly more reliable - then yes - it may be worth it.
(Or other energy storage mechanisms)
If I had this tariff available, I would be manufacturing a very, very large storage heater capable of being charged at 20kW for the entire 24h.

SG27

I checked british gas website: http://www.britishgas.co.uk/smarter-living/control-energy/smart-meters/what-are-smart-meters.html#.Ufqdj-e9Kc0

And I'm still not sure if I have a smart meter! My monitor looks like a more basic version of the one in the video. Mine doesn't show me gas either and I still have to submit my readings once a month. I did have a new electricity meter installed a couple months ago though. They took away the old one with dials and replaced it with a digital one.

[Deleted User]

SG27 the energy monitor shown there is BG s new improved one. Early ones are grey ones with Landys and Gyr top left .It will show a lot of info such as pence per hour ,costs yesterday,useage today, useage over last 7 days etc.If you dont have a gas smart meter it will show nothing on monitor

davidjwest

Do I have to pay for my smart meter?
close
No. We're installing smart meters and smart energy monitors as part of a free, nationwide upgrade for all our customers. Under current arrangements you pay for existing meters through energy bills, it will be the same for smart meters.

So you do pay for it - how much more do you pay by having a smart meter?

SG27

sacsquacco wrote: »

SG27 the energy monitor shown there is BG s new improved one. Early ones are grey ones with Landys and Gyr top left .It will show a lot of info such as pence per hour ,costs yesterday,useage today, useage over last 7 days etc.If you dont have a gas smart meter it will show nothing on monitor

That's the one we have! Does that mean we will get the free Saturday electricity? Not that it would save us much maybe 50p a week.

Edit: I want a nice new smart meter! Only had ours a couple of months.

[Deleted User]

SG27, Martin Lewis and an energy expert were speaking on radio 5 live today about this and a figure of something like 14% reduction was mentioned. Yes you will be in line for this freebie. Personally I think this is a marketing ploy to get people switching.. it will work judging by the feedback I got from BG ( and EDF ) customers today

SG27

sacsquacco wrote: »

SG27, Martin Lewis and an energy expert were speaking on radio 5 live today about this and a figure of something like 14% reduction was mentioned. Yes you will be in line for this freebie. Personally I think this is a marketing ploy to get people switching.. it will work judging by the feedback I got from BG ( and EDF ) customers today

Thanks for the info!

Wouldn't save us 14% although maybe if we moved weekly usage to the Saturday?

When I heard this today on the radio I assumed that weekday bills would be rising!

daveyjp

I suspect the 'free' will be subject to rationing like 'unlimited' broadband. If not there's a danger of users plugging in multiple fan heaters in every room each rated at 3kWh with inevitable consequences.