E.ON, the company that runs Powergen, is to spearhead a Smart Meter pilot scheme in conjunction with Ofgem, as part of its commitment to the changing energy market.
The trial, called the “Energy Demand Research Project”, is being used by the government and E.ON to gain understanding of how energy-based information influences consumer behavior and energy usage.The Smart Meters to be used in this consumer trial will be fitted in September 2007.
A total of 15,000 Powergen customers from the East and West Midlands, where the company is the meter operator, have been selected at random to take part in the trial:
- 7,300 customer’s homes will be fitted with an electricity Smart Meter and 5,525 of these will also have a gas Smart Meter fitted.
- 7,700 customers without Smart Meters will be provided with a variety of information and feedback resources on their energy usage, including monthly bills, energy efficiency advice and historic consumption charts.
- 4,950 customers will be provided with a real time Energy Consumption Display Device.
The technology measures energy consumption trends giving householders and businesses a clear picture of their usage, both historical and real-time, to permit more effective energy management; they also provide two-way communication, enabling meters to be easily updated.
Graham Bartlett, Managing Director of E.ON’s Retail business said: “By letting customers see how much energy they’re using and the cost, we believe that Smart Metering can help cut consumption and of course, carbon emissionsâ€.
Web:Â http://www.eon-uk.com
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