Buy

Books
Click images for more details

Twitter
Support

 

Recent comments
Recent posts
Currently discussing
Links

A few sites I've stumbled across recently....

Powered by Squarespace

Discussion > Smart Meters

Why I won't be bullied into having a smart meter in my home
- powerful piece by GP Taylor in @yorkshirepost
https://yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion/columnists/why-i-won-t-be-bullied-into-having-a-smart-meter-in-my-home-gp-taylor-1-9959366

Sep 3, 2019 at 2:43 PM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

Smart Meter installation has still not picked up
it keeps falling , and is about 1m /quarter
So far they say 29% have been done
that would be less than 8 million from 24m
The target completion date is in 8 months time
In theory they could make it to 13 million
but I guess they have already cherrypicked the easy ones.

Sep 4, 2019 at 2:37 PM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

I see the "not for profit" Smart Energy GB actually respond to almost all criticism on Twitter ..... just saying - if you're in the mood to torment them.

Sep 5, 2019 at 10:02 PM | Registered Commentertomo

""Why your smart meter may not be so smart after all"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49680943"

Sep 13, 2019 at 7:58 AM | Unregistered CommenterMark Hodgson

cheers @MH
that bbc smart meter story says that SMETS2 meters are not 100% fully functional particularly in the northeast so corps are often still installing some SMETS1
Sometimes they try a smets2 first.

Sep 13, 2019 at 9:40 AM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

"Energy suppliers get more time to install smart meters"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49721436

"There are sighs of relief in the beleaguered smart meter offices of the big energy suppliers - they now have until 2024 to put them in our homes.

Previously, suppliers were trying to get them fitted by the end of 2020.

But the extra time could lead to more years of frustration for customers, many of whom are fed up with the new meters they have been given.

It also means the cost of installing the new equipment is likely to rise further, to more than £13bn in total.

The promise of smart meters was that readings would be automatic, billing would be easier, and a new world of flexible charges would be ushered in.

In practice, millions of people found they had new meters which didn't work properly if they switched suppliers - and millions more have not been given the technology at all.

The government is adamant that its targets are being met and that the new regime outlined on Tuesday does not amount to a let-off for suppliers."

Sep 17, 2019 at 7:31 AM | Unregistered CommenterMark Hodgson

Paul Homewood has a post about it
https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2019/09/17/smart-meter-rollout-delayed-for-four-years-and-cost-rises-again

Sep 17, 2019 at 3:56 PM | Registered Commenterstewgreen
Sep 17, 2019 at 3:58 PM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

"Smart meters: What is going on?"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49730361

Sep 17, 2019 at 7:52 PM | Unregistered CommenterMark Hodgson

The government is adamant that its targets are being met and that the new regime outlined on Tuesday does not amount to a let-off for suppliers.

targets being met huh?

The government and their cronies in the electricity retailers are really worse than useless and dishonest at every turn - what a mess.

Sep 17, 2019 at 11:21 PM | Registered Commentertomo

An irregular reminder of just what the direction of travel is for Smart Meters and *why* they won't let go.

Sep 18, 2019 at 3:41 AM | Registered Commentertomo

That story was from one year ago, dated Oct 2018
text : The MoD signed up to the extortionate charge for power at peak times of the day during the winter.
Troops and other MoD staff have been discouraged from boiling kettles during peak times
In an eyewatwering array of other rip off levies, forces chiefs also pay the National Grid £14 to power a microwave for three minutes, £45 to run a tumble dryer, £30 to heat a radiator and £4.50 to power a laptop for an hour.

The inflated charges during peak usage periods – known as Triads – are levied by the National Grid in a bid to reduce commercial power usage and preserve it for households instead.

The one hour periods between November and February, usually between 4pm and 7pm, when there is a surge in demand.

Sep 18, 2019 at 8:46 AM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

That is probably massive spin by The Sun
As part of Demand Side Response the gov will have set up a scheme whereby Commerical users get a normal discounted rate.
Then when the grid is busy and solar/wind collapse the punish rate charges will apply
The MoD will be thinking that when they get the warning they crank up the generators
So the kettle is actually boiled for 30p not £39

Overall the MoDs annual electricity cost should be lower.

Sep 18, 2019 at 9:40 AM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

stewgreen

from what I know of the MoD - listening my father and his colleagues with hundreds of years between them - I'd split the difference and say £15 to boil the kettle. The Sun is exaggerating and showing a slightly better grasp of Triad pricing than the Daily Mail....

There are contingencies planned for but rarely if ever exercised in earnest and communications were (still are?) absolutely abysmal. It's entirely possible that 'leccy bills are fielded by admin in some outpost geographically remote from the switch + kettle users and possible (likely even) insane bills are what triggered the whole story in the first place..... it would - as I understand it be the default setting.

The bottom line is that the speculative and manipulative billing strategies developed particularly by the telecommunications business have percolated into other utilities - I'm up to date with my electricity but have a £600 quid loan to Eon that I'm trying to wrestle back off them.... I'm past the stage of indignation with the latest wheeze new tariff bundles.

If the Smart Meter system was to benefit the consumers then the data network would be the repository of *all * the data from meters and provide billing data to the retailers *and* consumers - as I understand it that is not the case and the twerps in Whitehall have colluded with the energy cartel to put a carnival of Draculas in charge of the blood transfusion service.

Sep 18, 2019 at 10:21 AM | Registered Commentertomo

@Tomo we know that the clerk could have signed up expecting to reduce MoD leccy bills from £305m to £300m
..and ended up with a bill for £310m
..but we have no evidence for that.

Sep 18, 2019 at 10:52 AM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

:-)

Sep 18, 2019 at 11:08 AM | Registered Commentertomo

Hang on ..with just one year to go the deadline has been extended by another 4 years.
That looks like the original target was way off.
It doesn't give me much confidence in the government's greendream maths.

Sep 18, 2019 at 6:27 PM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

"precisely Bernard" said Sir Humphrey, smiling, steepling his hands and rocking back on his executive leather reclining chair.

Sep 18, 2019 at 8:22 PM | Registered Commentertomo

I would have thought the ASA_UK had a policy
against advertisers using children for #EmotionalBlackmail
There's a bloody smartmeter advert on "Thankyou, thankyou the children say"

Youtube
astounding ..4.5 million views ..that suggests to me that it has been pushed in schools or something
Yet only 29 likes .. that is kinda weird ..as if the view count is fake

Their previous video "I want to live in a world ..polar bears"
video has 2.2m views

They released a new ad with Chris Packham last week .. earnest optimistic
232 views ..Youtube sick bag advised

Trying to guilt trip me into getting a smart meter
by using disabled children is really going to work well 😡
@SmartEnergyGB . Your Channel 4 advert is awful.

Am appalled by latest Tesco ‘food love story’ too:
‘Daddy I don’t want to eat animals anymore’
... Highly emotive language to direct at children.
video

Oct 19, 2019 at 10:07 PM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

"Keeping old energy meter may not be smart"

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-daily-telegraph/20191031/281492163113749

I can't cut & paste the article. Basically it's a suggestion that those on old smart meters may be charged more, because the take up of smart meters is woefully short of Parliament's demands.

Oct 31, 2019 at 8:05 AM | Unregistered CommenterMark Hodgson

MH, There is often a way round that problem. In this case you can right-click on the article and select copy. A window pops up allowing you to cut and paste the text.

Thus I cut

"The Government wants the devices in 85 per cent of all homes by the end of 2024, arguing they reduce energy consumption by allowing people to see their real-time spending on gas and electricity in pounds and pence."

My parents recently had one installed against my advice, but still haven't given a good reason why they did. They never look at it, (why would you, after day one or two novelty has worn off?) and probably don't know exactly what it is showing. Needless to say, their energy use hasn't changed and they already know full well that high energy use is associated with devices producing a lot of heat. But normal people still want central heating, hot showers, cooking, and dry clothing. No amount of LED lightbulbs is going to change that. I also trust the energy companies enough to make sure that it won't disadvantage them to have a meter changed for a new one.

Of course, we all know that people voluntarily changing habits as a result of smart meters was never the real intention. It is the future use of smart meters to enforce involuntary changes that is the authoritarian green dream.

Nov 2, 2019 at 1:29 PM | Unregistered Commentermichael hart

I suppose better late than never ....


The marketeers and PR folk must be drooling at the prospect at a tariff zoo based on triads and variations thereof....

Jan 29, 2020 at 8:36 PM | Registered Commentertomo

Smart Energy GB "new big thing!" = plugging - "we'll pay you to use electricity if you have a Smart Meter" -

See Smart Energy GB chappie Robert Cheesewright Twitter

Wonder what a "Director of Corporate Affairs" at a "not for profit" trousers.

Feb 19, 2020 at 6:27 PM | Registered Commentertomo
Jun 19, 2020 at 11:50 AM | Registered Commentertomo

The team at Smart Energy GB are back from furlough

Meet Peter.

Peter's an energy game changer Clapping hands sign

Aug 26, 2020 at 10:22 AM | Registered Commentertomo