The report, based on research by Delta-ee on behalf of Smart Energy GB, finds that smart meters will contribute to a 25 per cent CO2 saving in homes by 2035.
Without smart meters, reducing carbon emissions and meeting the UK’s climate change targets will be higher cost, less supportive of renewable generation and less well co-ordinated.
Smart meters are an integral part of a flexible, decentralised and decarbonised energy system, which is central to Britain reducing its CO2 emissions and reliance on unsustainable energy sources.
As the central component of a digitalised smarter energy system, smart metering will facilitate better integration of renewable power and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, through efficiently managing energy supply and demand by using near-real time energy data.
Without smart meters and the national rollout, carbon reductions will be higher cost, less reliant on renewable generation, and less well co-ordinated - this will result in slower progress towards saving CO2, greater reliance on higher risk CO2 reduction strategies/technologies, and ultimately a higher risk of not achieving mitigation targets
With future demands for electricity only set to increase through the electrification of transport and heat, it has never been more important to upgrade Britain’s energy system to one that is more sustainable and less reliant on non-renewable fuel sources. Smart meters are a vital step towards this change and a means to creating a decarbonised system fit for the 21st century.
Robert Cheesewright, Director of Corporate Affairs at Smart Energy GB, said:
“We have never been more aware of our impact on the planet. It’s time we all contribute towards making the simple upgrade to a smart meter that has the potential to save millions of tonnes of carbon from being released into the atmosphere.”
Dr Andrew Turton, Principal Analyst at Delta-ee, said:
“To decarbonise the energy system and meet our climate change targets, we need much more flexibility to allow for the integration of decentralised low carbon technologies.
“This system needs customers to use energy at the times when low carbon supply is available. This in turn, requires energy demands to be accurately measured in near real-time.
“Smart meters are an essential building block in achieving these aims, and will provide the necessary consumption data to sooner reach a low carbon system.”
Mike Woodhall, Managing Director at Chameleon Technology said:
“The growing need for renewables and the digitalisation of the energy system are changing how we all buy, use and interact with energy.
“Chameleon is focusing on how real-time energy data from smart meters is the key to unlocking the benefits of these changes for consumers and businesses.
“We welcome this report and the findings that smart meters and the real-time data they provide will help to provide a flexible, decarbonised and digitalisation energy system.”
Read the full report and research here.
Chameleon Technology's smart in-home displays, data platform and cloud-connected solutions allow consumers to access their own real-time energy consumption and pricing data from smart meters and turn this into insights and automated signals and controls.
Read more about Chameleon’s real-time data and cloud connected solutions here.