Some Questions

  • Reflection's Avatar
    Level 5
    Hi I'm with EON, I currently have a solar array, and am thinking about obtaining a smart meter. I have several questions:

    - What are the dimensions of the electricity smart meter? My electric cupboard is quite cramped.

    - I’m currently on a Feed-in Tariff scheme. If I have a smart meter installed, will I lose that and be migrated to Smart Export Guarantee?

    - Can the new smart meter function as an export meter, or do I have to install a separate export meter?

    - Do I have to manually record and submit SEG export readings, or does the smart meter send those along with power usage?

    - Does the In-Home Display show the amount being exported to the grid when this happens?

    - When I have the smart meter installed, should I leave my existing FiT generation meter in place, or remove it?

    Thanks.
  • 5 Replies

  • Best Answer

    Lee_EONNext's Avatar
    Community Team
    Best Answer
    @Reflection Hey, good to see you.

    I will try to answer these questions for you. The only one I might not have the info on will be the size of the smart meter, I would imagine it's not much bigger than your current meter.

    So you will not automatically be migrated to SEG, you can opt out of FIT export and apply for SEG - The agreements are set for 12 months so you can opt in and out every 12 months.

    The Smart meter will record export, no need for a separate export meter.

    If you opted out and applied for seg, once this was accepted and registered etc - Payments are made with you supplying a photo of the export read from the smart meter.

    The in home display if compatible, will only show you a pylon when you are a net exporter. It will not show what is being generated, also we would not accept a read from an IHD.

    If you do go ahead with the smart install, yes you will need to leave your generation meter in place, without a generation meter we wouldn't be able to pay you FIT Generation. Also, if you do go ahead, you may be subject to a change in export payments, you would move from deemed export to actual export, this would still be FIT export and not SEG.

    I hope this helps, tag me if you need anything further.

    Thanks
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  • Reflection's Avatar
    Level 5
    @Reflection @Lee_EONNext

    Cheers for that Lee.

    So to be clear, if I switch to a smart meter, but choose to stay on my Feed-in Tariff, will my exports be recorded by the new smart meter, or continue to be estimated?

    Thanks.
  • Lee_EONNext's Avatar
    Community Team
    @Reflection Essentially you would potentially move from Deemed Export to Actual Export. The wording on the Ofgem Guidance is this,

    5.45. If an accredited installation with a total installed capacity of 30kW or less has an export meter commissioned, the export electricity from that installation will no longer be able to be deemed. The export meter must be able to measure the amount of electricity exported solely by the accredited FIT installation. Where an installation with a total installed capacity of 30kW or less has co-located storage and a meter capable of measuring export (ie a smart meter), there are some instances where it may not be possible to isolate the export only from the FIT installation, and therefore it may continue to receive deemed export payments

    https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/defau...iers%20V17.pdf

    The FIT Team can be contacted on 0808 501 5218 - The line is open 9-5pm - I will see if I can get some more information on this and come back to you.
  • Lee_EONNext's Avatar
    Community Team
    @Reflection

    Anytime, please let me know if you have any other questions and I will get them answered for you.