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What Is Smart Metering? Uses, Benefits and Dangers

Utilities can be a pricey monthly expense for many households and businesses, with the average cost for households in America coming in at over $420 every month. Getting on top of utility usage, especially electricity — which typically constitutes the largest part of that monthly expense — can help save money, but it can also help conserve resources and avoid wastefulness.

The first step to shaving down utility usage is figuring out how much you’re using and where it’s all going. One method of doing this is smart metering, which uses a connected device to collect and share data and allow users to see how their usage shakes out each month.

Smart meters are becoming a common part of many homes and businesses. In the UK, government regulation dictates that energy suppliers must offer smart meters to homes and small businesses. However, install is behind schedule, with large energy suppliers installing just 9.7 meters a minute. Although that may sound significant, that rate will need to triple if these suppliers are to meet the 2020 deadline laid out by the Smart Energy Code.

Ideally, if these suppliers are able to pick up the pace and complete install on-time, millions of households and businesses in the UK will soon have smart meters operating round-the-clock, setting the stage for other countries, like the US, to follow suit. However, with all their benefits, smart meters carry some risk, and it’s important to be aware of both the benefits of and threats to smart meters as they become a standard part of all our lives.

What is smart metering?

Smart meters track usage of specific utilities to help users recognize their usage patterns and adjust behaviors accordingly as well as provide accurate usage readings to energy providers. Popular smart meters range in price (Read more...)