02.08.2010

The benefits from the Smart Meter Implementation Programme will come from reductions in energy consumption and cost savings in industry processes.

Along with its first Annual Energy Statement the UK Government has published a Smart Meter Implementation Programme Prospectus, jointly produced by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and Ofgem (the UK’s electricity and gas market regulator).

The Smart Meter Implementation Programme Prospectus outline proposals for how smart metering will be delivered, including design requirements, central communications, data management and the approach to rollout. Much of this is in the associated documents, including an updated impact assessments from DECC.

The predicted benefits across the domestic and smaller non-domestic sectors associated to the Smart Meter Implementation Programme are expected to be £17.8bn over the next twenty years and a net benefit of £7.2bn. Most of these benefits will come from reductions in energy consumption and cost savings in industry processes.

A key proposal is that within a home or business the smart meter installation will comprise smart meters for gas and electricity, a home area network to communicate between devices, and 'wide area network' equipment for communicating back to the supplier. Suppliers will also need to provide an in-home display of near real-time energy consumption information for consumers.

The document makes lots of detailed proposals on the design and delivery of a smart metering system. Feedback on some of the key points is due by 28th September, with responses on the remaining, more detailed, aspects due by October 28th.

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Article source - the Green IT review