'Is it time to change energy pricing to ‘kettles boiled’?' blog discussion

patanne

When we all get the new gas smart meters, why can't they be set to use 1 unit being 1 kilowatthour. Because as already said multiplying & dividing a series of numbers is just a confusion that none of us need. Unless of course it is to stop us asking too many questions!

I am quite numerate, but that part of the gas bill really irritates me every time I look at it. I also don't like the way SP do refunds, it looks like they are underpaying VAT by claiming back VAT which hasn't been paid out.

Eco_Miser

patanne wrote: »

When we all get the new gas smart meters, why can't they be set to use 1 unit being 1 kilowatthour. Because as already said multiplying & dividing a series of numbers is just a confusion that none of us need. Unless of course it is to stop us asking too many questions!

Because what a gas meter measures is volume of gas, and it needs to be multiplied by those other numbers to get the energy, which is what we pay for.

If a smart meter was displaying the number of kilowatt-hours, it would be doing those multiplications (which can change) internally, and I, for one, want to know what those factors are, and what the meter actually measured, and not unquestioningly accept what a computer told me.

Porcupine

All it needs is for the bill to explain what a kWh is:

1kWh equals:
a one-bar electric fire for one hour
a 40W lightbulb for one day (near enough)

If 1kWh = 10p, I can easily work out that running the fire for 3 hours will cost no more than 30p (in reality less due to the thermostat turning it off).

If my wifi router takes 10W constantly then it'll cost 2.5p per day, or about £9 per year.

That leads to another rule of thumb that every 1W of standby power will cost about £1/year.

No need to measure everything in Wales or double decker buses, though the conversion of 1 kWh = 260 Brontosaurus-Norris has its appeal.

agarnett

Hi Martin

In the flat I am sitting in right now, I can at a glance online tell you the meter readings at any past month end. Further more, I can drill down to any date and tell you the hourly consumption from a chart of a 24 hour period a year ago for example - not the average over 24 hours, but the actual in any of the 24 hours on a date a year ago. Or I can see exactly what was used as recently as between 1 and 2 o'clock today. I can also see averages if I wish to.

There is no special equipment or special energy account terms.

It is entirely normal because the country I am sat in right now, does not treat its citizens as ignorant peasants, and consequently its corporates rarely attempt to do so.

The country also does not expect most of its population to heat their own water for central heating purposes in silly little boilers, and to store it in cisterns of dubious energy efficiency in case we might want a hot bath but never mind if we choose a shower instead using the Triton on the wall that came as standard above the bath! That is all as daft as boiling more than a one cup of water when all you want is one cup of tea.

I think you might take a deep breath and go and see what else is out there before the energy companies get ideas that a few tweaks here and there learned from your blog are all that is required to do the right thing by the great intimidated unwashed

Eco_Miser wrote: »

Because what a gas meter measures is volume of gas, and it needs to be multiplied by those other numbers to get the energy, which is what we pay for.

Yes that's an interesting one. Apply the same thought to road fuel which for some strange reason we unquestionably buy by volume without asking about its actual energy content or even why it costs so bloody much despite an oil price crash! How many "kettle boils" is it in a Ford Focus from London to Aberdeen on a good day?

merikiito

You simply charge for electricity and gas the same way we get charged for petrol by unit. Standing charges and meter rentals should be abolished, the companies need these to be able to charge us so why should we pay for them? Every company has one price none of these special deals or green deals which are complete rubbish. Also why is there a need for a wholesaler which is just another way of making extra profit?

G6JPG

I have difficulty in thinking, as you say, in the way the people you're thinking of might, since I understand kWh. I agree standing charge is not the best term, but unfortunately meter rent would cause doubt - can I buy my own meter (for those who remember renting telephones)? And of course the unscrupulous supplier would charge meter rent for renting the meter, but then add to that line maintenance ...