Smart Electricity Meters, a useful tool to help cut energy usage?
I was quickly browsing the BBC News website when this article got my attention. It was regarding the advent of a new device for the home, a home electricity monitor. And its counterpart, the advanced electricity meter. Both of which show you how much electricity you use in real time, and offer a view of your electricity use in the past. The only difference seems to be that the meter will be able to offer a more precice reading and will be able to automatically update the electricity company with the information of your power consumption.
The general idea of these new meters is to show you what your power consumption is on a regular basis without refering to kwh (kilowatt hours), the standard measure of power consumption for your electricity supplier. Which both your current meter reads in and also your bill will be based on. From the first article I got linked to a second article which contained a pop up window with the following image:
It clearly shows at the bottom of the easy to read display a more understandable and easier to imagine form of measuring energy consumption. The screen shows a current Watts reading of 2,856 Watts (a.k.a. 2.8 kW). But also it shows that figure in other ways. Here in this image it shows "Slices of toast you could have made 986" and "Toasters you could power right now 3.5".
I can't deny this will be easier for people to understand the amount of energy they consume just going about their daily lives, and it will probably help people to use less energy once they understand how much energy they use. There is only one thing that I cannot help but think about, how much electricity does it take these meters to function? and will that be displayed on the screen as part of your usage?
I notice that the images on the BBC website all have a colour flat screen monitor with a bright backlight displaying the information about your consumption. So how much energy will these monitors / meters actually use up all over the country? and will they actually be worth it by encouraging people to cut their electricity intake enough to power these monitors / meters and leave them using less electricity than before?
Anyone who knows anything about this or wants to contribute to this please feel free to leave a comment below. I'm really quite curious about this.
April 16th, 2007 - 20:51
Good Point!!
April 16th, 2007 - 21:13
I think it’s unlikely that the devices specified in the final white paper will be as nice as the ones shown on the BBC website. There are simpler monochrome LCD models (like this one) which run off a couple AA batteries for about a year.
April 17th, 2007 - 18:52
Hey, I wonder if that thing would work at the Tree house.
May 7th, 2007 - 18:50
They are the same as the one you have seen on the BBC website! They are made by More associates. Ah, they can also measure consumption in cups of tea…
Anyway I think they look more attractive than the one mentioned by OldGuy, and they do another job; they show the end-use energy consumption.
cheers
October 18th, 2011 - 18:08
Obviously, the LCD screens will be on only when you need them, just like your mobile. Not the whole time.
December 18th, 2011 - 21:35
Aris, That might not necessarily be the case. Since I wrote this post we have had such a meter installed at work, a big 19″ touchscreen monitor which is constantly on even though the software doesn’t work most of the time. Surely that can not be condoned?