Smart Meters

RickMac

Dolor said:

There are of course many other arguments for and against but I cannot think of a single reason why I would benefit from one.

Accurate billing. 

Cheaper time-of-use tariffs.

Usage monitoring.

Voltage monitoring; eg, overvoltage alerts (My Grid voltage this time last year was 256V - using smart meter data I was able to get the DNO to reduce it to 240V.

etc etc.

I have already have 100% accurate billing. 

I have the cheapest 'time-of-use' tariff available from my supplier, although I am aware that some suppliers are increasingly using the lure of initially cheaper tariffs to 'influence' people to install smart meters.

I have full usage monitoring through my meter and am already fully aware of what devices use more/less energy.

I already have a surge protector installed, which acts as a safety shield for the house against any unwanted (and quite common) voltage spikes due to atmospheric phenomena or supply fluctuations.

Not sure what the 'etc etc' might be.

I am also aware that the government Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy have agreed ambitious annual targets for individual suppliers, and incentivised them, to install smart meters across the board, regardless of whether consumers want them or not, as part of their "net-zero emissions by 2050" policy.

As things stand the government’s goal of 85% market saturation by the end of 2024 is unlikely to be met with only 54%-68% of relevant premises likely to have a smart meter in that timeframe "unless changes are introduced to require consumers to accept installations". 

Given the above government statements, I am under no illusion that at some point in the near future I will be forced to have a smart meter installed - so much for personal freedom and choice!

In the meantime, as I stated previously, it's all subjective on whether to have a smart meter fitted.

Each to their own; I hope that yours continues to be beneficial to you. 

Alnat1

Octopus daily 4pm update for tomorrow's electricity rates just up. Who wouldn't want these prices? Only available with a smart meter though.

RickMac

Alnat1 said:

Octopus daily 4pm update for tomorrow's electricity rates just up. Who wouldn't want these prices?

Interesting to see that Octopus prediction for tomorrow's rates - so thanks - but it's only half the picture; even better to see their full 24 hour tariff details.

As you'll probably be aware, off-peak hours tend to be in quieter periods, when power demand is at its lowest, generally (but not always) between approximately 23:00 to 07:00.

If you're on a time-of-use tariff - which (obviously) indicates the amount you pay is dependent on the time of day you use electricity AND you only use electricity in off-peak hours, which in this case is between 01:30 and 05:30 - then great.

The update illustrated looks to have a steep increase between 05:00 and 06:00 onwards.

So, in order to get a complete picture, do you have their rate predictions for peak-time users, i.e. the majority of households, from 06:00 to 23:00?

That way an exact comparison between them and energy suppliers charging a flat rate (no matter what time you turn on your appliances, it costs the same amount) could be made.

QrizB

RickMac said:

Interesting to see that Octopus prediction for tomorrow's rates - so thanks - but it's only half the picture; even better to see their full 24 hour tariff details.

...

So, in order to get a complete picture, do you have their rate predictions for peak-time users, i.e. the majority of households, from 06:00 to 23:00?

See here:

https://www.energy-stats.uk/octopus-agile-southern-england/

(That's my region, there are separate pages for other regions).

Astria

Deleted_User said:

Chinese smart meters could be a threat to power supplies in Britain if used as 'a Trojan horse that could pull down the whole of the grid', experts warn

Give it a break already, we know you don't like smart meters, you don't need to have one installed. There's no need to jump on every thread about them with your beliefs. We all know that this is extremely unlikely to happen and is just yet another scare story by the media, that's what they like to do. Doesn't mean it has an ounce of credibility, even less so considering it's from the daily fail.

Alnat1

As requested, details of the rates over peak times. The rate is capped at 33.03 now due to the government scheme but was 35p.

RickMac

Thanks for that link QrizB - their data made for an interesting read.
A great facility, that all providers could learn from (although, I note this is done by developers that are not affiliated with Octopus Energy) allowing you to download pretty much any historic data to interrogate it to your hearts content. 
Having said that, I noted that this Octopus 'agile tariff' is aimed at those with Solar PV, Electric Cars, Immersion/Storage heaters or people that can shift their usage away from the 4pm to 7pm peak - which sadly counts this household out. 
My current flat-rate tariff is close to their overall average but, always worth a shop around; who knows what the future will bring!
Nonetheless, I couldn't resist running through the data for this year-to-date's cost per kWh and (for the purists) it averages out at 36.20609369608494 per kWh.
So, if you are able to only consume electricity in their off-peak hours then this is the way to go for sure.
If you are a peak-time user, for any variety of reasons (as I am) then some flat-rate supplier options are still out there - mine is at 36.909p per kWh until 2024 so comparable and no 'restriction' on usage-time.

[Deleted User]

 I am aware that some suppliers are increasingly using the lure of initially cheaper tariffs to 'influence' people to install smart meters.

You might think that, but I have been on Octopus’ time-of-use tariffs for over 31/2 years and I have saved a fortune against the lowest fixes on the market. 

Time-of-use tariffs will become the norm as will power-limited tariffs. Consumers who want the freedom to use whatever amount of energy they want when they want it will end up paying a premium for the freedom that they enjoy. This is how it works in many countries already. We have to find a way of matching variable generation with demand.

RickMac

Dolor said:

 I am aware that some suppliers are increasingly using the lure of initially cheaper tariffs to 'influence' people to install smart meters.

You might think that, but I have been on Octopus’ time-of-use tariffs for over 31/2 years and I have saved a fortune against the lowest fixes on the market. 

Time-of-use tariffs will become the norm as will power-limited tariffs. Consumers who want the freedom to use whatever amount of energy they want when they want it will end up paying a premium for the freedom that they enjoy. This is how it works in many countries already. We have to find a way of matching constantly variable generation with demand.

I do think that!
But glad to read that you have saved a fortune over 3.5 years - (all value is relative) but as you raise the point, how much is that 'fortune' in real terms?
I have no doubt that time-of-use tariffs will become the norm as will power-limited tariffs such is the way of the world political spectrum right now.
As for "We have to find a way of matching constantly variable generation with demand" - that could be a simple fix, if there wasn't a false reliance on the likes of wind/solar, which will always be variable and unreliable. Unless you have endless land/sea to put your harnessing farms on, and the right climatic conditions whilst these might be perceived as 'sustainable; they will never be reliable.
I certainly don't subscribe to the ideology that you should pay a premium for enjoying freedom, instead a pragmatic approach could be taken (if there was the political will - but that's a discussion for a different time/place) to employ different generation methodology as is appropriate for, and works in, different environments.
Whether it be hydroelectric, thermal (combined cycle gas turbine), thermal (advanced coal plant), thermal (fleet average coal), nuclear, solar (non-concentrating flat panel photovoltaic), solar (concentrating lens, multilayer chip), biomass or tidal there is always an answer, it's just a question of whether governments and producers can reach an accord.

[Deleted User]

My present electricity tariff costs me 7.5p/kWh for all the electricity that I import. My gas price today is 5p/kWh capped at 6p/kWh until May next year: it has been below 3p/kWh on a number of days in the last few weeks. I can only ‘play’ the market as it is: a smart meter makes this possible.