Metering households to change consumption

At a time when the pressure is on for individual households to assume their share of responsibility in the battle against climate change, a new generation of metering devices is set to revolutionise the way we consume energy.

Most consumers are unlikely to adapt their behaviour based on the baffling read-outs provided by so-called dumb meters, electro-mechanical boxes that measure gross gas and electricity consumption.

New metering technologies will leave them without excuses.

Innovative ‘smart meters’ display consumption in ways that are more meaningful to households (for example, in monetary terms). They allow the consumer to set maximum levels of consumption and to track amounts of energy gobbled up by household appliances such as kettles and lamps. Some can even measure carbon emissions.

In order to be useful, the meters, which often display information via the internet, are installed in places more accessible than the dusty cupboard under the stairs. Consumers are rewarded for their efforts with bills for the exact amount of energy used rather than blunt estimates which are corrected later.

Ecologists approve. "Smart metering and smart networks are both crucial elements of our future energy strategy. They enable energy to be used in the most efficient ways," says Mark Johnston, energy policy campaigner at Greenpeace.

In terms of electricity consumption, Johnston points out that widespread use of new metering technologies will reduce overall demand for electricity, leading ultimately to a reduction in the number of power stations needed for supply.

Companies such as Italian energy group Enel and Swedish counterpart Vattenfall are at the forefront in pioneering use of the technology.

Livio Gallo, director of infrastucture and networks at Enel, explains that non-essential energy use is more likely to be moved off-peak through use of the meters. The logic behind the idea is that consumers will change their habits to avoid price spikes occurring at times of peak-demand, thus minimising the risks of power shortages.

Enel’s system, consisting of a sleek white box, has now been installed in 30 million households at no cost to the consumer. The company has invested around €2 billion in the project.

"It is certainly the way forward in terms of efficient energy use and in enabling customers to respond to market signals," says Juho Lipponen, head of unit for energy policy and networks at industry lobby Eurelectric, which counts Enel and Vattenfall among its members.

At a time when the pressure is on for individual households to assume their share of responsibility in the battle against climate change, a new generation of metering devices is set to revolutionise the way we consume energy.