4 minute read
Calisen
Smarter Energy for All As a leading owner and manager of essential energy infrastructure assets, Calisen sits at the heart of the UK energy ecosystem. Our mission to deliver ‘Smarter energy for all’ particularly through the roll-out of Smart Meters, is helping consumers reduce their energy consumption and costs, helping deliver a cleaner, more efficient and sustainable energy segment.
Enabling consumers to have greater visibility and control over their energy consumption is crucial in helping ameliorate the impact of rising energy prices, and inflation more broadly, that are contributing to the current cost-of-living challenge. Smart Meters put the consumer in control of their consumption in a greater way than has ever been possible before, with the information and data made available to consumers to inform their energy choices.
In addition to quantified benefits in delivering reduced energy consumption, with the concurrent positive financial and climate impact, the Smart Meter roll out has according to the UK Government been an important contributor to the national economy, supporting around 15,000 jobs across Great Britain with over 99% of the funding coming from the private sector and annual investment running at c.£1bn.
Smart Meters provide a more digitally enabled energy system, which in turn should result in faster data management and monitoring, heralding a number of developments:
> Control: UK Government research indicates a 2.8% electricity reduction and 2% gas reduction among Smart Meter owners. These savings are calculated on the basis of the installation of a Smart Meter alone. Consumers are provided with real time data through an in-house display unit accurately measuring the amount and cost of appliances in use. This allows consumers to identify appliances that are low value, high cost, and alternatively low cost, high value, providing real choice in pounds and pennies of their energy consumption.
> Billing: Smart Meters provide the opportunity for two-way communication between energy retailers and the meter itself. The introduction of Smart Meters into the domestic energy system is a step change in the way energy is provided to consumers, allowing customers to measure and effectively monitor their energy consumption. As we move to a more decentralised energy system, Smart Meters are believed to be a key enabler of change as they allow for consumption measurements in near real time, permitting variable pricing mechanisms in order to manage demand, primarily in the electricity segment.
> Time Management: Energy used by households in most circumstances currently costs the same at all times of the day, and so there is no motivation for consumers to balance consumption across the day. A more digital energy system should allow consumers to target energy use in the lower-demand and less costly time of the day.
> Supplier Management: Increased billing accuracy through rapid data collection and transfer, with the potential for lower energy bills from improved grid management, a cheaper and simpler switching process, and improved pricing transparency to allow more informed decisions on switching to be made, allowing consumers to make more informed decisions on energy providers and competitive tariffs.
> National Provisions: Smart Meters also help energy network operators balance the grid by providing more information regarding energy consumption patterns. Using insights on energy usage, enables utility companies to develop various tariffs, including pricing incentives to encourage energy saving. In addition, this directly contributes to tackling the climate emergency, as it means energy suppliers can become far more efficient about how much energy they produce, as they understand more about when we will need it.
The overall impact of Smart Meters on consumers is summarised by increased billing accuracy through rapid data collection and transfer, providing the opportunity for lower energy bills, achieved by improved grid management, a cheaper and simpler switching process, and improved pricing transparency to allow more informed decisions on switching to be made. In addition, the in-home digital data display unit allows consumers real information on appliance vs. energy usage, allowing for more informed consumer consumption and closer management of day-to-day usage resulting in lower energy bills. The overarching impact is that consumers have more knowledge, accurate data and billings creating opportunities for cost savings for consumers who are impacted by the cost-ofliving crisis.
To date Calisen has installed over 8.6 million Smart gas meters and 11.4 million Smart electric meters, helping empower consumers and support them to make the best possible energy choices. Our roll out programme is accelerating once again following the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, and our recent acquisition of the smart metering installation business of Utility Warehouse, will help support the benefits of Smart Meters being brought to even more consumers in the months and years ahead.
