Battery install and Smart meter

Rheumatoid

I am going ahead with adding batteries to my Solar system which was fitted 6-7 years ago. During the survey one of the first questions they asked was whether I had a smart meter. I don't. The quote I have subsequently received indicates I should advise my supplier of the battery install and check whether I need to have a smart meter fitted.

Is this normal?

What are the pro's and con's of having a smart meter fitted?

I am with Scottish Power for supply and Octopus for FiT on deemed export.

Thanks

Hexane

One possible ramification of having a smart meter fitted is that some believe it will bring closer the day when you're no longer paid based on deemed export, but instead are paid based on actual export. Although, that hasn't happened here (I am with Scottish Power both for supply and for FiT).

A possible negative of the situation is that you'll phone up Scottish Power and they'll say "yes that's fine" without having any actual understanding of what you're talking about. Getting confirmation in writing that you don't need a smart meter could be difficult.

What you may end up doing is phoning up Scottish Power *and* Octopus and saying "please can you fit a smart meter for me" and they are required to say "yes" and arrange it for free. Then you need to go back to your installer and make sure they understand that's what's happened.

I don't really understand why the installer thinks you need a smart meter, unless they're somehow planning to add the battery on the inverter side of your FiT generation meter (not sure why or if they would do that.) Someone who knows more about that kind of thing might be able to comment.

Rheumatoid

Thanks @Hexane

I can't imagine them doing anything other than a standard install as they are doing a lot of these under our local solar together scheme. I am surprised that they don't seem to know more about why a smart meter might be required and are telling me to contact my energy supplier to check. To my mind it won't make any difference to how the system operates or my FiT payments if I don't have a meter and can't see why fitting a battery makes any difference to my energy suppliers requirements.

I will be interested to see if anyone has anything else to add.