Smart meter and solar panels

hilbil21

Quite a simple question but something nobody at won seems to be able to give me a straight answer on.

Can I have an eon smart meter with solar panels?

Thank you

Exiled_Tyke

As far as I am aware you can any smart meter with a PV system. - but they will still only use them to measure imported electricity and not export. So you will stay on the assumed 50% export

ASavvyBuyer

Exiled_Tyke wrote: »

As far as I am aware you can any smart meter with a PV system. - but they will still only use them to measure imported electricity and not export. So you will stay on the assumed 50% export

We now have a Smart meter, installed by Octopus so we can be on the Go tariff (5p/kWh for 4 hours each night). The meter measures import & export, but they only use the import reading.

We still provide EDF (our FIT contract is with EDF) with Generation meter readings and we get paid at the assumed 50% rate for export for all we generate + the normal FIT payments.

Rheumatoid

So are there any downsides? Scot Power are trying to persuade me to have one fitted.

My FiT is with Co-Op

R.

jimjames

Rheumatoid wrote: »

So are there any downsides? Scot Power are trying to persuade me to have one fitted.

My FiT is with Co-Op

R.

The only downside would be if you have an old meter that allows you to use all your generation. I also wouldn't get one installed unless it's the latest version SMETS2 as older ones don't always work if you switch supplier but that's personal preference

Exiled_Tyke

Rheumatoid wrote: »

So are there any downsides? Scot Power are trying to persuade me to have one fitted.

My FiT is with Co-Op

R.

You may want to accuse me of simply being a conspiracy theorist but I am highly suspicious of this whole Smart meter roll out. I cannot see any benefits other than not having to send in meter readings. There is no evidence that it reduces energy usage. But most importantly (to me anyway) and which everyone seems to be very quiet on, it creates the opportunity for energy companies to vary their prices throughout the day. This has already begun to happen. Chances are in a few years time we will all be paying much higher rates for early evening electricity.

JKenH

Rheumatoid wrote: »

So are there any downsides? Scot Power are trying to persuade me to have one fitted.

Scottish Power are my energy provider. When I had my panels installed I notified them that my old disc meter was spinning backwards and they referred me to their solar panel team who arranged a new meter. I asked if they would be fitting a smart meter and the lady there told me not as they were not compatible with solar panels because of how they recorded solar PV as imported electricity.

pinnks

I too see virtually no practical reason for installing a smart meter, with or without solar. They don't save you a penny and while the fact that you see light blinking or a dial turning may make you more energy conscious, you can achieve that with any other monitor device.

I can guarantee that a smart meter wouldn't save me a penny as I am about as focussed on reducing import and overall consumption as I can be.

And as far as accurate bills is concerned it's total twaddle. If you're interested in having accurate bills each month it takes 30 seconds to read your own meters and a couple of minutes to input them into the computer. If you don't care, a smart meter wont change things.

So, what's the point and where's the benefit for the customer? I'm with the conspiracy theory myself...

EricMears

pinnks wrote: »

I too see virtually no practical reason for installing a smart meter, with or without solar. They don't save you a penny and while the fact that you see light blinking or a dial turning may make you more energy conscious, you can achieve that with any other monitor device.

I can guarantee that a smart meter wouldn't save me a penny as I am about as focussed on reducing import and overall consumption as I can be.

And as far as accurate bills is concerned it's total twaddle. If you're interested in having accurate bills each month it takes 30 seconds to read your own meters and a couple of minutes to input them into the computer. If you don't care, a smart meter wont change things.

So, what's the point and where's the benefit for the customer? I'm with the conspiracy theory myself...

I'm another conspiracy theorist.

Generation and usage are both routinely measured here. The display from a smart meter is a lot less sophisticated (& hence less helpful) than 'proper' monitoring.

One big advantage (to suppliers rather than consumers) is that smart meters can be routinely disconnected - either for non payment or as part of a load-shedding exercise. I'm happy to forego that

ASavvyBuyer

We are quite happy with having a smart meter, which allowed us to go onto the Octopus Go tariff that only charges 5p/kWh for 4 hours every night. The average cost of all the electricity we need to import is now only about 7.5p/kWh (depending on how much we need for charging the car and using it for other things overnight).
Originaly, I was not keen on getting one, but if it allows you to go on a tariff that works out a lot cheaper, why not.

pinnks

Cheers Eric! I am not really a conspiracy theorist - just couldn't think of anything constructive to say. I genuinely see no point in them and think the push to get them installed is tantamount to mis-selling in the TV etc adverts.

As far as having to have a particular type of measuring device to access a particular tariff is concerned just adds to my dislike of the whole concept. There is absolutely no reason for a supplier to stipulate that and it is only a ploy to get people to sign up so that they reach their target - disgraceful!