SMETS2 smart meters with solar panels installed

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newtonflotman
newtonflotman Posts: 102 Forumite
in Energy
Anyone had a SMETS2 smart meter fitted with solar panels already installed. I know the older smart meters were not compatible for anyone on solar panels. Bulb my supplier have offered a smart meter but the 18yo on the help desk can't confirm compatibility.
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  • Smart_Energy_GB
    Smart_Energy_GB Posts: 14 Organisation Representative
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    Hi NewtonFlotman

    Smart meters have been designed to be able to work with solar panels and other microgeneration. The microgeneration source connected to the export smart meter will provide accurate information to the energy supplier to provide an accurate bill based on how much energy you have imported and exported. The current in-home display will not show you your export electricity, but suppliers are free to offer access to this consumer data through other routes. The information should be available to the consumer directly from the panel on the smart meter.

    This means that you can have a smart meter installed if you have solar panels, so I recommend getting in touch with your energy supplier for more info!
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  • baldelectrician
    baldelectrician Posts: 2,467 Forumite
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    Don't do it
    Smart meters read actual export.

    If you use power during the day then you may export little but if you do not have a smart meter then you are deemed to export 50% of the generation meter.

    I would be wary of smart meters with solar panels- I had mine taken out and a standard meter that does not register export installed.

    I have a water tank and have a box that diverts power going to the grid to the immersion heater which means my export is very low- had I a smart meter then I would get very little export but as I do not I get deemed export which is higher
    baldly going on...
  • Mister_G
    Mister_G Posts: 1,927 Forumite
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    I have had a smart meter for the past 5 years or more. It was installed by OVO but I've changed supplier several times since then, so it is dumb.

    I have solar panels for 8 years but my FIT is paid by nPower, who was my supplier at the time I had the panels installed.

    I also have a diverter for the immersion heater, so my export is lower that if I didn't have one.

    My export payment is 50% of my generation amount. As nPower have no sight of the smart meter (neither does anyone else now for that matter!) they can only continue to pay me based on the 50% of generation figure.

    The Secure Liberty meter does show me what the export amount is.
  • Sterlingtimes
    Sterlingtimes Posts: 2,403 Forumite
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    When I had my smart meter installed by Ovo, Ovo insisted that I immediately moved over to export metering (rather than using 50% deemed export).

    Ovo cannot read the smart meter directly so I need to provide quarterly readings by email.

    When Ovo eventually sent a smart meter reader to read my export, the reader did not know how to read export and asked me to show him.

    The truth is that you can lose income by agreeing to accept a smart meter if you have solar.
    I have osteoarthritis in my hands so I speak my messages into a microphone using Dragon. Some people make "typos" but I often make "speakos".
  • Mister_G
    Mister_G Posts: 1,927 Forumite
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    Sterlingtimes wrote: »
    The truth is that you can lose income by agreeing to accept a smart meter if you have solar.

    I would suggest that this is only the case if your electricity supplier also pays your FIT.
  • Sterlingtimes
    Sterlingtimes Posts: 2,403 Forumite
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    Mister_G wrote: »
    I would suggest that this is only the case if your electricity supplier also pays your FIT.

    Possibly. The FIT payer would probably only know if it was also your electricity supplier. However, if you move subsequently move electricity supplier then the FIT payer continues to work to a metered export model.
    I have osteoarthritis in my hands so I speak my messages into a microphone using Dragon. Some people make "typos" but I often make "speakos".
  • Mister_G
    Mister_G Posts: 1,927 Forumite
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    Sterlingtimes wrote: »
    Possibly. The FIT payer would probably only know if it was also your electricity supplier. However, if you move subsequently move electricity supplier then the FIT payer continues to work to a metered export model.

    Yes, I agree. Once you've been locked in to providing actual export readings, then your FIT payer is always going to want them that way.

    Will the newer SMETS2 meters know to automatically send the import reading to your electricity supplier and your export reading to your FIT payer? I wonder....
  • spiro
    spiro Posts: 6,403 Forumite
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    baldelectrician wrote: »
    Don't do it
    Smart meters read actual export.

    If you use power during the day then you may export little but if you do not have a smart meter then you are deemed to export 50% of the generation meter.

    I would be wary of smart meters with solar panels- I had mine taken out and a standard meter that does not register export installed.

    I have a water tank and have a box that diverts power going to the grid to the immersion heater which means my export is very low- had I a smart meter then I would get very little export but as I do not I get deemed export which is higher
    My understanding is they are due to change things so that FIT will require an export meter.
    IT Consultant in the utilities industry specialising in the retail electricity market.

    4 Credit Card and 1 Loan PPI claims settled for £26k, 1 rejected (Opus).
  • Mister_G
    Mister_G Posts: 1,927 Forumite
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    spiro wrote: »
    My understanding is they are due to change things so that FIT will require an export meter.

    Your source being?
  • spiro
    spiro Posts: 6,403 Forumite
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    Mister_G wrote: »
    Your source being?
    An industry meetiing where the need for creating export MPANs for FIT was discussed. Using 50% was only an interim until smart was available and the actual amount of export can be measured which could be more or less than the 50% used with dumb meters.
    IT Consultant in the utilities industry specialising in the retail electricity market.

    4 Credit Card and 1 Loan PPI claims settled for £26k, 1 rejected (Opus).
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