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Smart meters are supposed to help you save money, as well as being great for the planet. So why are UK consumers so reluctant to get them? Let’s find out more. The stats tell a bleak story. Ten years on from the start of the UK’s smart meter rollout and only 42% of homes and businesses have had one installed. Even worse, around one-fifth of those meters aren’t running in smart mode. It’s fair to

Just one in six energy tariffs are compatible with smart meters – and they’re more expensive. It could put the smart meter rollout in jeopardy. Let’s find out more. It was supposed to be one of the primary selling points of smart meters – that consumers would save money on their energy bills. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be turning out that way. Research shows consumers find that when it’s time to get a new

A new way for consumers to pay for electricity could alleviate strain on the industry, encourage better habits and make smart meters more beneficial. The energy industry needs to incorporate renewables into the energy mix on a much larger scale as part of its drive towards net zero. This requires some management of demand. Thanks to some logical thinking, there is now a solution that nudges consumers in the right direction rather than punishing them.

Following another delay to the UK smart meter rollout deadline, it’s time to assess where we are and how things can be improved. The smart meter rollout is something we have talked about a lot, but that’s because there is always something new happening. Unfortunately, it is rarely good news. Since the plan to install a smart energy meter in every UK home and business was announced in 2009, there have been budget extensions, technical

With energy suppliers being squeezed from multiple directions at the moment, how can they be expected to devote resources to the smart meter rollout? Who would want to run an energy supplier right now? The market has never been more volatile, while numerous other factors (not just the Coronavirus pandemic) are causing stress within their operations. What’s more, when the market is volatile like this, it’s terrible for consumers too. So what are the factors

The Government recently created a new framework around the smart meter rollout. Will it be the start of a change in fortunes for the rollout? Let’s find out more. By anyone’s definition, the UK’s smart meter rollout has been a bit of a disaster. There have been significant budget increases, technical problems, deadline extensions and a global pandemic. However, the Government is still persevering with the rollout – and it recently created a new framework

The Coronavirus pandemic is drastically affecting every area of the UK economy. But what about the Government’s smart meter rollout? Let’s find out. At the time of writing, England is in the middle of its so-called second lockdown, while the other UK nations are enforcing their own restrictions. Entire sectors of the economy are struggling and most businesses are having to adapt to survive. One of the matters that doesn’t get much attention is that

As if the UK’s smart meter rollout hasn’t suffered from enough setbacks, another one could be on its way when it leaves the European Customs Union. Let’s find out more? The UK Government’s mission to install a smart energy meter in every home in the UK by the end of 2024 has not been a smooth process. If all had gone to plan, we’d be nearing the end of the rollout now – the original

Reducing your business’ carbon emissions isn’t just the right thing to do for the planet, it can boost your bottom line as well. The UK Government wants the country to get to net zero carbon emission by 2050, It is the most ambitious target for carbon-free status in the developed world, and it is expected that businesses will see big changes in regulations to help achieve it. However, companies can take the lead by cutting their

The Government has pledged to end coal-fired power generation in the UK by 2024. But, as recent events have shown, it might not be easy.  The UK has been so effective at removing coal from its energy generation mix that earlier this year, the Prime Minister brought forward the target to completely phase it out from 2025 to 2024. However, when you look more closely at the figures, as well as recent events and deviations

The energy industry’s regulator has an ambitious plan to make the sector more environmentally friendly. But at what cost? Is there a more straightforward way? The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, or OFGEM, is the independent regulator of the electricity and gas supply industry. It is funded mainly by consumers and is accountable to Parliament. Part of its remit as a watchdog is to rein in energy suppliers and stop them from taking advantage

The UK Government has set ambitious targets to reduce carbon emissions. Electric vehicle take-up is crucial to achieving them. But can the infrastructure handle it? The UK pledges to bring carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. This means that any greenhouse emissions are offset by initiatives such as planting trees. This is a massive undertaking, and the UK’s targets are more ambitious than those of any other developed nation. To help achieve this, the

In the past two years, we’ve lost many smaller energy suppliers that once showed so much promise. Why is this happening and what does this mean for the industry and the consumer? Solarplicity, Brilliant Energy, Our Power, Eversmart, Economy Energy. Just five of the smaller energy suppliers that ceased trading in 2019, added to another eight that we lost in 2018. Anyone who follows the UK energy industry must be concerned. The idea that smaller,

Could large scale microgeneration be the direction the energy distribution is heading in? There are many who think so, but not without a major change of emphasis on the part of the industry.  The way the UK produces and distributes energy has been built up over more than a century and worked using the same basic model for many decades. However, things are changing; microgeneration is democratising power production and delivery. If the UK can

Having finally admitted the previous 2020 deadline was impossible, the government has pushed back the smart meter rollout target. But is this a good move or simply postponing the inevitable? Let’s find out. At Meter Corp, we’ve been keeping a very close eye on the UK government’s plans to swap everyone in the country’s energy meters for new smart meters. We’ve talked about how the smart meter rollout is not as eco-friendly as you may

Two recent deals in the UK energy sector have the potential to shake the industry to its foundations. Is it right for the consumer? The UK power industry is changing shape. It’s all down to two deals happening right now. E.on is buying npower and merging the two businesses OVO Energy is buying SSE’s home energy business in a deal worth around £500 million Will this have an impact on the industry? What will it

They have been called ‘The future of energy in Britain’, yet energy providers have been slow to harness the power of Virtual Power Plants (VPPs). In today’s connected world, Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) are the logical conclusion when it comes to energy production and supply. They bring benefits to consumers, energy companies, as well as our planet. However, while some energy firms are dipping their toes in the water of VPPs, critical mass seems a

One of the aims of putting a smart meter in every home and business in the UK by 2020 was to save energy. The plan is that if everyone can see how much energy they are using, they will make an effort to reduce their consumption. If the country uses less energy, fewer fossil fuels will be burned and carbon emissions will decrease. It’s a noble idea, but an unworkable one, for several reasons. Replacing

It’s no surprise that everyone in the energy industry is talking about renewables. What was the future of energy is now the present, with renewable energy making up 33% of total UK energy production. This proportion will only grow as the Government, and governments across the world, set ambitious targets to end their reliance on fossil fuels and use more eco-friendly energy. For these reasons, investing in the renewable energy industry should be an attractive

Everyone in the energy industry is talking about net zero. Governments and businesses are competing with each other to see who can set the most ambitious net zero targets. The UK has recently made a commitment to achieve net zero by 2050, the first country in the world to make a guarantee of this type. So, let’s find out more about net zero. What does it actually mean? Why is everyone talking about it? Finally,

Supermarkets and other businesses are beginning to spot the benefits of installing electric vehicle charging stations for their customers.   As more and more people choose to drive electric vehicles (EVs), more and more businesses are seeing an opportunity. These savvy businesses are installing vehicle charging stations in their car parks and making them available to customers, often for free. At the end of last year, Tesco announced plans to install almost 2,500 charging bays

Can the Government’s ambitious plans to replace the UK’s gas and electricity meters get back on track, or will it remain an impossible dream? It was supposed to be so easy. In 2009, the UK Government announced plans to replace every gas and electricity meter in every home with a shiny new ‘smart meter’ by 2020. One year away from the deadline and these plans are looking unlikely to say the least. The smart meter