Query on Smart meter usage collection

trust.no.1

Hi Everyone,

I'd appreciate if anyone knowledgeable on the matter can advise.

My understanding is that as part of installation you have the choice of deciding whether usage data is shared with the supplier on a half hourly, daily or monthly basis.

However I believe i read somewhere that the smart meter collects and stores usage data every half hour irrespective of the data sharing interval selected?

If the above is correct does this then mean that the supplier receives exactly the same usage data from the smart meter (1/2 hour granularity) irrespective of what data collection interval you choose ?

So:

• 1/2 hourly sharing means the supplier gets 1/2 hour updates in "real time" as they are collected and stored by the meter
• daily sharing means the supplier gets an update once per day - this update consists of a digest of all data recorded at 1/2 hourly intervals over the past day
• monthly sharing means the supplier gets an update once per month - this update consists of a digest of all data recorded at 1/2 hourly intervals by the meter over the past month

Is my understanding correct?

MWT

trust.no.1 said:

So:

• 1/2 hourly sharing means the supplier gets 1/2 hour updates in "real time" as they are collected and stored by the meter
• daily sharing means the supplier gets an update once per day - this update consists of a digest of all data recorded at 1/2 hourly intervals over the past day
• monthly sharing means the supplier gets an update once per month - this update consists of a digest of all data recorded at 1/2 hourly intervals by the meter over the past month

Is my understanding correct?

No, your understanding is not correct.

The meter will record half-hour data regardless of your choice, but the supplier is only able to routinely access the data at the level you select, but none of the data is real time, and none of it is sent by the meter until it is requested by the supplier, which is typically once a month.

There are plans to remove the ability to deny half-hour data as it is a requirement for this to enable half-hour wholesale settlement.

There are also some exceptions which allow the supplier to access the half-hour data for fault-finding purposes for example or to access daily register totals at the start/end of a contract.

ariarnia

thanks mwt that confused me as well as ours is set to monthly (not sure why. i think the engineer just set it up that way when it was installed) 

the bright app has 30 min data (updated once a day) but our energy account shows an error if we try to see it there but does have daily and monthly (the daily only updates once a month after a reading from the smart meter)

dealyboy

Hi ariarnia ... 

ariarnia said:

thanks mwt that confused me as well as ours is set to monthly (not sure why. i think the engineer just set it up that way when it was installed) 

...

Same here ... I needed to change my Supplier account settings to allow them (E.ON Next) to perform 30 minute reads needed for the Demand Flexibility Scheme.

[Deleted User]

FWiW, 4 years on, I think that the 30 minute profile makes for a better understanding of a home’s energy usage.

Smart meters connect to a communications hub. The hub connects to the DCC network and it works a bit like a mobile phone. It quietly sits waiting for a call from the supplier to send data. For those on a 30 minute profile, this is usually done in the early hours of the morning using a secure piece of software known as an Adapter. The Adapter also connects to the supplier’s billing system. The data pull comprises of up to 4 register readings per meter and an XML file containing 30 minute usage data. The DCC hub is pass through. Only the supplier gets to see meter data UNLESS the consumer has given approval for third-party access. The third-party has to be DCC registered and it must use approved Adapter software. I was told last week that third-parties cannot access meter readings only the XML file.

In future, where the meter is set to a 30 minute profile, a price comparison website will be able to ‘pull’ 12 month’s worth of data from a smart meter, and then use that data to choose the cheapest time-of-use tariff.

Spoonie_Turtle

MWT said:

trust.no.1 said:

So:

• 1/2 hourly sharing means the supplier gets 1/2 hour updates in "real time" as they are collected and stored by the meter
• daily sharing means the supplier gets an update once per day - this update consists of a digest of all data recorded at 1/2 hourly intervals over the past day
• monthly sharing means the supplier gets an update once per month - this update consists of a digest of all data recorded at 1/2 hourly intervals by the meter over the past month

Is my understanding correct?

No, your understanding is not correct.

The meter will record half-hour data regardless of your choice, but the supplier is only able to routinely access the data at the level you select, but none of the data is real time, and none of it is sent by the meter until it is requested by the supplier, which is typically once a month.

So if it's set to monthly, what data exactly does the supplier get?  Do they not get the XML file with the 30min slots?

I don't understand the difference between what you've written and the OP's understanding.  [Not doubting you, just trying to properly understand because I thought similarly to the OP.]

ariarnia

agree the 30 min is good for understanding use but i dont think it needs to be the supplier. 

one of the thins thats bugged me over the years is how when you switch you lose access to that info (sometimes even when you sign up for a new fix with the same supplier). now with 3rd party apps you have and can download the data without worrying about where it is (assuming we ever go back to switching every year for a deal that is!)

MWT

Spoonie_Turtle said:

So if it's set to monthly, what data exactly does the supplier get?  Do they not get the XML file with the 30min slots?

I don't understand the difference between what you've written and the OP's understanding.  [Not doubting you, just trying to properly understand because I thought similarly to the OP.]

When you select what your supplier can access, you are not setting how often they can access the data, you are setting the granularity of the data they can access...

So if you select monthly then the supplier will only be able to access the monthly total for each register.

If you select daily they can access the daily register totals and the monthly totals.

If you select half-hourly then your supplier can access monthly, daily and the half-hour data for each register...

The meter will retain data at the half-hour level for up to 13 months it just won't let the supplier (or authorized 3rd parties) access the data at that level without your permission.

The daily register totals are stored for 2 years and it is from these that the supplier is able to access the daily or monthly readings.

As an extra level of security, the half-hour data is stored in a different data structure from the daily and monthly register totals so if you limit the supplier to daily or monthly, those totals are not calculated from the half-hour data, they exist as a completely separate data store in the meter and are given to the supplier from that dedicated data store leaving the half-hour data untouched in the meter. 

Does that help in terms of understanding?

Keep_pedalling

Octopus collect on a daily basis so that that I can view the previous day’s half hourly data. 

Spoonie_Turtle

MWT said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

So if it's set to monthly, what data exactly does the supplier get?  Do they not get the XML file with the 30min slots?

I don't understand the difference between what you've written and the OP's understanding.  [Not doubting you, just trying to properly understand because I thought similarly to the OP.]

{Excellent clear, detailed explanation, cut for length}

Does that help in terms of understanding?

Yes, absolutely brilliant, thank you

ariarnia

MWT said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

So if it's set to monthly, what data exactly does the supplier get?  Do they not get the XML file with the 30min slots?

I don't understand the difference between what you've written and the OP's understanding.  [Not doubting you, just trying to properly understand because I thought similarly to the OP.]

When you select what your supplier can access, you are not setting how often they can access the data, you are setting the granularity of the data they can access...

So if you select monthly then the supplier will only be able to access the monthly total for each register.

If you select daily they can access the daily register totals and the monthly totals.

If you select half-hourly then your supplier can access monthly, daily and the half-hour data for each register...

The meter will retain data at the half-hour level for up to 13 months it just won't let the supplier (or authorized 3rd parties) access the data at that level without your permission.

The daily register totals are stored for 2 years and it is from these that the supplier is able to access the daily or monthly readings.

As an extra level of security, the half-hour data is stored in a different data structure from the daily and monthly register totals so if you limit the supplier to daily or monthly, those totals are not calculated from the half-hour data, they exist as a completely separate data store in the meter and are given to the supplier from that dedicated data store leaving the half-hour data untouched in the meter. 

Does that help in terms of understanding?

then how is it ours is set to monthly but we can see the daily info (after its updated each month)?

i'd say they make it up but it matches whats on bright.