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The findings from the Electric Ireland Sustainability Index show that 42pc of households are unaware of how to unlock the full benefits of their smart meter by switching to a smart meter tariff, according to the index, which the electricity provider designed to help identify barriers and opportunities in consumer adoption of energy-efficient technologies. Just three in five of those surveyed have moved to a smart meter tariff. EBS Networks rolled out the devices as part of a plan to reduce emissions and take pressure off the national grid by cutting electricity consumption – especially of fossil-fuel generated power – at peak times. Smart meters capture how much electricity is used every 30 minutes and automatically export that data to ESB Networks, eliminating the need for estimated bills and manual readings. The Electric Ireland research, which was based on a Red C poll of 1,026 adults, found that just 58pc of those with a smart meter were aware of the need to move to a smart meter plan to avail of the full benefits of the device. Some 70pc of those surveyed want to learn more about their energy use. Moving to a plan is “when the smart meter begins to work better for them, giving insights into how they are using their electricity, helping them reduce their usage and costs, and guiding them to choose a plan that best meets their needs,” said Noeline Gibbons, Head of Residential at Electric Ireland. Electric Ireland’s own data found that customers who switched to a smart meter plan used an average 4.6pc less electricity, by acting on usage insights provided by their smart meter app and adjusting their usage behaviour accordingly, such as by shifting the charging of an electric vehicle and energy-intensive appliances such as washing machines to off-peak times. However, consumers have previously expressed concerns that they’ll be locked into smart tariffs for good once they activate a smart meter by signing up to a smart plan. A spokesperson for Electric Ireland said: “Once you switch to a smart meter tariff, you cannot revert back to a non-smart meter configuration due to industry rules for smart metering – no matter who your supply is with. “However, it’s worth noting that the standard 24-hour smart tariff is the same as a non-smart tariff, but with a smart meter capturing your energy use every half hour for accurate bills and real-time usage information. “While you cannot revert back, you would have much more control to choose which kind of tariff suits you best by moving from a standard smart tariff to a time-of-use tariff. That gives you different prices for different times to suit your lifestyle.” Denis Naughten, a former energy minister, said last year that “you would want a degree to work out” how to use a smart meter and that they’re too complicated for the public.
