Smart metres are a con

[Kimbomc]

Keep hearing adverts about companies providing them for "free". They are not being provided for free, offgem has given them permission to put up bills to cover the costs of these. They are not that useful, I have an owl device that took seconds to install and gives much of the same information for 20 pounds. Smarts cost hundreds to install (I heard 200 on radio 4) and would allow people to cut off the supply remotely or limit it. Plus g4 have been given the contract to mine all the data people with smarts will supply to them.

You can borrow one from our local library for £1 which I think is quite a good idea.

the reason is demand management - due to endless head-in-sand energy policies (EU/greenwash etc etc) the UK won't have enough power capacity soon. We all need to use less, and the smart meter encourages that by allowing variable pricing.

yes, there will be profiteering. The power supply is privatised.

don't like it? Too bad, really. That's an overcrowded world for you.

In a long lasting cold snap this year we might not have enough energy! Its been very close a few times.

Well I will not allow mine to be "upgraded". In a few years with planned outages I'll be ok

They're outdated expensive unreliable technology that the government won't abandon because they don't want another failed IT project.
Don't worry. There'll be hacks available before the roll out is complete!

I think the rollout is already a disaster, they started rolling out lots of incomparable tech that even under EU rules wasn't smart enough to be a smart mater.

We were obliged to get one because our solar panels made the old one run backwards

I think we should all take responsibility for the energy problems. I'm also pretty sure that people on low incomes would typically be better off on standard tariffs on a smart meter than on a prepayment meter as now.

Ego yes you are right about the confusion. The smart metres will be iinstalled by the energy companies. It will monitor useage that they can tell you about. It will be expensive, more expensive than necessary because of the interface tech and we will pay for it through the bills.
We could have simple customer information monitoring over different tech for a fraction of the price but it won't be adopted.

The real issue with them is that problem about them monitoring usage - who is that information going to be sold to and for what purpose. There's been suggestions that fully smart meters could control usage - exactlywho is going to be the losers and winners there. In a world where our government is already turning the machinery of the state against the poorest and most vulnerable these are bloody scary developments.

And yes, bloody stupid energy policies that are still ongoing. Solar and wind subsidies to be cut, thereby discouraging local small scale production, but the lack of national energy security means the north must be forced to accept fracking by private companies with nepotistic connections to government.

Perhaps I should get out more. Wish I could.

Do you know who pays for the subsidies? Electricity consumers - they are billed directly! That includes the poorest people in our society and who benefits? - mostly the alternative energy companies who are making a fortune. That flow of money isn't exactly moral either.

So they are installing smartmeters so they can control usage of energy because we soon won't have enough to go round?

And yet most of mn wants to fill the country up with even more fucking immigrants?

You really couldn't make it up.

One of the reasons we don't have enough to go round is because too much is used. Energy consumption has increased massively in the last few years and the environment's resources are finite. That's the legitimate reasonfor installing them. But the control issues need to be addressed first.

Of course if the state was working for its ordinary people rather than against it would help. Hope Corbyn win the labour leadership.

so come on, everyone - do your bit. Turn off those chargers, refuse to shop in places with heating/air con on full blast and doors open (and tell them why), and do all the simple things that reduce energy consumption.

every little DOES help if all 60 million of us do it.

Over in Germany apparently local municipalities have been taking back control of their local energy supplies and turning them over to renewables. Local control and democracy in action is the only way to go. But say that in Britain and you have all sorts of problems - 'local' democracy isn't all that local frequently, and the 'economies of scale' argument has been used to undermine it for years.

Chargers use virtually no energy. I worked out Charing my phone everyday for a year costs 70p.

Air con does waste a lot though!

Isn't the shortage due partly because of shutting down the coal power stations? The new ones that reburnt the smoke weren't that bad IMO. Far better than nuclear, but nuclear is low carbon so must be good...

Coal the affect is immediate. Nuclear is just saving up problems for future generations. Very selfish.

The whole low carbon is how we got to the mess of a situation where diesel is being promoted and encouraged despite being far worse for people and the environment. 10k a year die in London just down to air quality, thanks low co2 advocates.

It doesnt help that equipment like Sky boxes need to be left on standby when not used. Why arent big businesses being pushed to make more energy efficient equipment?

Dunno - my energy usage has decreased (despite children) - more efficient TV, washer, dryer, LED bulbs, laptop rather than desktop, with separate monitor.

I'm also insulated up the wazzoo (although my heating is gas)

Bills have stayed the same though. As an example, I used to have 2 60 watt bulbs to light my living room. Now I have 12 7 watt LED bulbs, much better lighting and control over what is lit, and I'm saving nearly 40watts there still.

My computer uses less than a 1/5th of the power used by the rig I had 10 years ago, my washing machine uses significantly less water and power, and does twice the load in one go still. My fridge freezer is the same (but when it finally dies I'm sure I'll be able to find something with even better power consumption). My TV is bigger, but still uses less power than my old CRT, and I don't have any other TVs because we watch on iPad/laptop which also use a lot less electricity than a TV.

It is not the energy suppliers choosing to do this. The government has required that smart meters are developed and installed by the energy supply firms. Although it will be ridiculously expensive to do so as it is the invention of a major new technology, it is a good idea to drag us into the 21st century. Aside from the benefits of making it more obvious to us how much energy we use and therefore giving us some control over our bills, it also means that energy companies know instantly what your bill should be. Did you know that it currently takes about 18 months for your energy usage to be completely notified to your supplier unless there is a reading directly at the meter point? It is pretty expensive to hire meter readers and the current cost of this is covered by your bill. Energy suppliers do need to make a profit or there would be no company willing to be in the business so of course their bills will cover their costs. Unless you want to renationalise the industry, some profit is necessary.