British Gas smart meter touch-screen displays will be rolled out next month, in a move to help customers save money and control their bills. By 2019, all UK homes must be fitted with a smart meter.
British Gas smart meters are already installed in 400,000 homes and businesses throughout the country. Their Energysmart customers already save up to £175 a year through advanced energy saving features, an electricity monitor and their smart meter.
British Gas smart meter touch-screen display features
The new touch-screen energy displays and smart meters will bring the following benefits to their customers’ homes:
- Current energy usage – Real time monitoring in pounds and pence of how much electricity and gas is being used, allowing more control over household energy budgets.
- Previous energy usage – Showing in half hour slots or daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal and annual breakdowns. This enables customers to compare their energy usage, and make changes to their energy usage as appropriate.
- No more estimate bills or meter readings – The British Gas smart meter will automatically send the latest reading, meaning no hassle meter readings or inaccurate estimated bills.
- Tariff information – Customers will be able to see full and accurate information on their tariff via the energy display screen.
- Setting realistic targets – The touch-screen display allows customers to input information such as the size of their property, number of rooms and number of people who live there. This will allow customers to budget their energy consumption against targets.
- Renewable energy data – If households are generating renewable energy they will be able to see how much energy they are generating both in real time, and comparing historically.
Dean Keeling, Managing Director of British Gas Smart Homes, said:
“We want people to understand the energy they use and make informed choices about when to use it and how to save it. The new smart meters and energy displays are the foundations for doing this. That’s why we’re rolling out these user-friendly, sleek display units to British Gas homes.”
Saving money and the environment with British Gas smart meters
According to a recent smart meter survey by IBM, 79% of consumers believed it was their own responsibility to monitor and not waste energy.
In a different study the Energy Saving Trust found that households using smart meters can save up to 10% on their bills. The British Gas smart meter roll out, therefore, will help consumers to save energy and in turn save money.
As the majority of the energy that is used in the UK is from burning fossil fuels, the introduction of the British Gas smart meter will have a significant role in reducing carbon emissions. Greenpeace the environmental campaign group welcomed the introduction of smart meters.
“Smarter use of energy is one of the biggest differences we can make, rather than just thinking about new ways of generating more energy. It will go some way to helping the UK meet its carbon emission targets”.
British Gas has shown again that they are ahead of the pack and the rest of their ‘Big Six’ rivals when it comes to energy saving.
If you can’t wait for your British Gas smart meter and want to save up to £175 per year on your bills, Green Abode recommends their Energysmart service.