Energy cost credit if you avoid peak times

[Cynderella]

Report here suggesting that rebates could be offered if you reduce use in the evening.

I can see there being a bit of a furore over this because those with the earlier smart meters that stopped giving readings when changing suppliers as we were urged to do won't be able to benefit even though we have a smart meter fitted. They were supposed to be upgraded so they worked again but it hasn't happened yet

We had an early smart meter and switched - we probably got four months' use out of it. Since then (ten years ago?), suppliers were always trying to get me to have another smart meter that was only of use with that supplier. We held out for a SMETS2 (think that's right), but I think that's all they're allowed to supply now. I'm guessing uptake has been good enough for suppliers to think it will make a difference. I can't think they'd offer a discount just to persuade people to have a smart meter, as they don't seem able to keep up with demand as it is.

We got about 4 months out of ours, we changed from Eon who fitted the meter to BG and it didn't work, the following year Eon gave us a good deal on price from being a previous customer so I took it and thought oh good, the smart meter would work again, it didn't so I rang them and they said because we had left them for a year and restarted it wouldn't work again, how rubbish is that. If we had got a new meter there was no guarantee it would be SMETS 2 so it was all a bit farcical.

I gave up then and afterwards it was the Covid years when companies weren't fitting them, so we are still stuck with our dumb meter so give manual monthly readings to BG, I don't think that if you have a smart dumb meter you are priority as you probably don't add to their fitting figures.

Our gas meter is a fair way away from our electric meter so I would have concerns about that working well so we haven't one of those either. I keep reading SMETS 1 are going to be connected but that hasn't happened yet and I'm not expecting it anytime soon

We waited 2 years for a smart meter, when it was finally fitted it did not work. Have been told we need to book another appointment, but surprise surprise there are none.

I think that those of us that have them that don't work properly are at the back of a very large queue as they already have our meters in the statistics so it doesn't add any value for the energy companies to bother any more with them, we are in the figures for having one fitted.

It probably wouldn't work for us anyway as we are on economy 7 so I already wash and dry and use dishwasher in the morning so we wouldn't have a very large use in the evening, only the cooker and tv to cut back from but I am just so annoyed that something is being offered that many through no fault of their own who went ahead and got smart meters won't be able to access it

I think it’s a daft idea. It won’t benefit most people, it’d be impossible for me to move my even mealtime to earlier, as I’d still be at work, or later, as it’d be too close to sleep time. I can’t cut back any more than I have. 😕

It is a good idea but lots of people can't have a smart meter. We need all our electrics replaced and the meters are on an asbestos back board still so the utilities companies won't fit on.

It's like victim blaming and won't help much.

We do two washes a week. No dishwasher. We dry outside.

Everything else is needed all the time freezer, fridge, lighting, kettle, cooker.

We have a few discretionary items we could stop - a second fridge and a fish pond pump.

It's tinkering at the seams as we use £60 a month for electric and are still currently on a fix. I assume at Octobers rates we will be x 3 for same use.

Businesses have already been punished. There is no price cap for them and those out of contract this year have seen their prices quadruple.

Peak time is I think 10pm to 8am. Won't be waiting up till then to have my dinner or do my washing.

Will this not just move the high-demand times - if everyone rushes to start their washing machine at 5pm, for example?

We already use our dishwasher and washing machine in the low demand period because we were told its more likely to be using green energy at that time.

We took part in Octopus energy trial. Reducing energy use between I think 4 and 6pm ( can't remember exact times). I turned everything off at the wall and sat reading my kindle with no lights on. In that time I reduced energy by 92% and was credited 20p. But that was in the dark nothing at all on. (Except fridge and boiler).

But if everyone starts their washing machine at 5 pm, it will run through most of the peak time. The idea is to get people to put it on later, or earlier in the day.

The problem with electricity is that it cannot be easily stored and we are close to the limit of what is available. They are doing this to try and avoid the need to ration energy or have rolling blackouts over winter. Remember that a lot of electricity is generated using gas and that is going to be in short supply over winter.

And yes, I do agree that some businesses could do a lot more to reduce their energy use (lighting on when closed, excessive air conditioning and/or heating especially with doors open).

It looks like anyone who already uses their appliances at other times will not be able to cut down enough at the peak time unless they just sit by a led bulb and not use anything, it will only be those that use loads of electricity at 5pm that will benefit so rewarding not so good behaviours with discounts

This is not to save people money, this is rewarding high users by paying them to reduce their use in peak times to help energy companies spread the electricity use.

Ha! Wow. That's not going to go for much if it means sitting in the dark in the middle of winter for two hours early evening...

And yes, I do agree that some businesses could do a lot more to reduce their energy use (lighting on when closed, excessive air conditioning and/or heating especially with doors open).

This is critical and shame on the government if it doesn't enforce this.

You can still get night storage heaters which use electricity overnight and heat during the day. This would be ideal if a lower tariff was used at night. Problem is you can’t get an economy 7 meter any more but this would work instead.

Hmm . 'Smart' tariffs have been a goal of energy companies and the govt for years. They have long been nudging/urging customers to have smart meters fitted, not so customers can monitor and reduce their usage, you can do this yourself with a separate
plug in device available for about £20, but so they can introduce tariffs that charge more at times of peak demand. Would it sound so attractive if the story read 'energy companies charge penalty tariff for peak users' ? I don't think so.

There is a limit to how much customers can modify their usage and, as the PP on the trial scheme found out, savings are pennies.

And then add in the fact that smart meters also enable energy companies to switch off the power remotely in the event of non-payment.

No thanks.

The problem with electricity is that it cannot be easily stored and we are close to the limit of what is available. They are doing this to try and avoid the need to ration energy or have rolling blackouts over winter. Remember that a lot of electricity is generated using gas and that is going to be in short supply over winter.

Exactly, and this is why the complaints and claims of victim blaming are missing the point.

We already know that there are potential supply problems, that electricity is hard to store and that there are peaks in usage at particular times. These things are all baked in and we are stuck with them. Giving people an optional financial incentive to tailor their usage is a good thing in that context. It's better than the alternatives of potential/actual blackouts and non-optional restrictions.

If you're someone who isn't going to be able to reduce usage at peak times, it's better for you if others are persuaded to do so. Means less chance of interruption when you need it. And FWIW I won't benefit from this myself as we don't have a smart meter.

Something that's just occurred to me (and I apologise for mentioning it over 4 months out) is 'what happens when we all want to cook our Christmas turkey at the same time'?

I think it's already known that ovens run slower on Christmas Day because there's so much demand on the grid. I think we might have our big meal on Christmas Eve instead or not at all because I'm not that bothered about it.

Might end up doing ours outside on the smoker then!

But it's not about turning off lamps and lights - it's mostly about high cost appliances such as tumble driers, ovens, electric fires and so on.

If you get home at 5pm and need to get your family fed before 8pm, then you're going to be cooking at peak times. But you could delay running the dishwasher or drying your washing. You could choose not to do your ironing then, or delay using two PS5s (maybe just my house) until 8pm. I would be prepared to make changes even if the savings were moderate because they'd add up over the winter. Not everyone can limit their use at these times, and a lot of people will choose not to, but I'm happy to be given the opportunity to do it.