[Anasa_EONNext]

Here at E.on Next we know that smart meters aren't for everyone and you'll see from these videos that there are lots of people either unsure or really don't see the benefits.

I think it's great that other people are sharing their thoughts and experience with smart meters.

In this video we meet...

Elizabeth & David.

'We've managed this long without a smart meter why start now...?'

If you've not seen our other videos yet we have Utilising smart meters to track your cost or maybe your Undecided on smart meters? perhaps just a better way to Track your energy usage? or just curious to see what others think of think of their smart meters. 🤔

[Indyk_EONNext]

Thanks for sharing @Anasa_EONNext

This is so helpful to me as I am finally thinking about booking an appointment with my energy provider to have smart meters installed 😁

[geoffers]

@Indyk_EONNext - I think there are a lot of people who think that smart meters are simply an automated means of taking meter readings, and are very dismissive of the budgeting/cost saving benefits of viewing your usage on the IHD.

There are however a considerable number of forward-looking people who are appreciating the benefits of integrating smart technology into energy monitoring/saving in overall home automation systems.

This brings together multiple aspects incorporating smart devices; solar PV; heat pumps; EVs etc, and of course the smart meters themselves.

I'm very much a beginner in this field, but the more I investigate the more interested I'm becoming.

I appreciate it's not for every one, requiring a degree of technical understanding and willingness to learn but without development of this technology we'd still be living in the dark ages 😎

[meldrewreborn]

@geoffers

You understate your own position, as you are very knowledgeable. The vast majority of the population just can’t be bothered.

While I can see advantages to smart metering, those don’t translate into financial benefits for me. As you say, there are people who will be interested in the possibilities and gear their home electrical systems to exploit the opportunities that new technology offers. But they will be a small minority.

[meldrewreborn]

@meldrewreborn

when I was at work , when explaining things to others I’d get the response of “That’s just common sense”. The trouble is, it’s not actually that common

[geoffers]

Originally Posted by meldrewreborn

@geoffers

You understate your own position, as you are very knowledgeable. The vast majority of the population just can’t be bothered.

Thanks for the compliment 🤓 - wouldn't say I was that knowledgeable just a reasonable techie background and a willingness to learn.

You'd be surprised how widespread home automation is getting eg https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Assistant

I agree the vast majority won't have the interest in doing this, but that's surely true of every other type of technology.

The fact that people won't want to pursue it in detail shouldn't be a block on technology progress

[Indyk_EONNext]

Honestly @geoffers it was something I have been putting off for a number of reasons, but now I feel I really need one as I can't keep up to date with adding manual readings. Whether they do actually help me manage my usage, that's another thing but I guess everyone has different views on them. 😊

[meldrewreborn]

@geoffers

perhaps the issue is that people only scratch the surface - how many just use easily cracked default passwords on their home tech?

personally I find that things come with features that aren’t actually useful, solving a problem that doesn’t exist. I don’t have a smart speaker, don’t use smart home devices linked to my home network or use many apps, and those I do have are infrequently used. I grew up without this stuff when I was younger and survived OK. Lots of my generation will think likewise. And watching scam interceptors on the TV reinforces my reluctance not to rely on tech too much.

[rwh202]

Even if few people choose to take advantage of the features that smart meters offer, what are the disadvantages?

Sure, there are some theoretical nefarious uses, but they are pretty low down on the conspiracy list...

Going forwards, I think technology like the Internet of Things (IoT) has overtaken some of the aspirational aims of smart meters and made them less critical - now your washing machine can talk to the internet to find out when to run efficiently, not using the meter as the hub for that information as was previously envisaged.

[geoffers]

Originally Posted by rwh202

the Internet of Things (IoT) has overtaken some of the aspirational aims of smart meters and made them less critical - now your washing machine can talk to the internet to find out when to run efficiently, not using the meter as the hub for that information as was previously envisaged.

Although - looking at some of the Home Assistant documentation: incorporating the smart meter into the whole energy management environment is a key part of it.

I'm a real noob as far as this is all concerned, but with the complexities of managing energy import/export from the grid; solar-PV; batteries (possibly V2G as well) and balancing/optimising these imports and exports against actual household energy usage, you need to include your meter's usage as part of the whole picture.

Obviously for actual real-time monitoring of energy import/export via the smart meter to the grid would require the use of something like the Glow IHD/CAD, so you would have access to the10 sec. updates that the IHD receives from the meter.