Smart Meter – Switching
The smart meter first hit the market in 2007, since then they have grown and are becoming an industry standard. The advantage is that the meter automatically sends readings directly to your energy supplier. That means your supplier will no longer need to use estimations for your energy, as these are often very infrequent and thus inaccurate. The plan is that everyone in Britain will be offered a smart meter by their supplier by 2020
Accuracy and convenience are the main reasons to switch meters. As you know with a standard meter, you have to rely on the estimate of your energy usage. If you want your bill to be based on your actual usage you must take your own readings and submit them manually. Smart meters save you that trouble by wirelessly sending your data to your supplier via secure national communication.
The other advantage of using a smart meter is you can see real-time data of your usage habits. You can the energy use and its cost. This means you can track how your business is using energy and adjust accordingly, helping to reduce your bills.
One common misconception is that the new meters are costly to install, which is a myth as they are free to install with the cost covered by your energy supplier.
One of the only issues at present, if you already have a smart meter, is switching providers as some are unable to send information to a new supplier. This means having to resort to taking the reading yourself.
A new generation of smart meters is expected by 2018 with functionality that will enable customers to switch suppliers seamlessly.
At Black Sheep Utilities, we have a dedicated metering team that specialises in business energy. So if you have any questions or concerns regarding your bill or meter give us a call on 01273 914000 or book a callback appointment with one of the team, we are always happy to lend our expertise.
