Ofgem says smart meters must not make it harder to switch
February 28, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Ofgem has stated in a consultation document that the introduction of smart meters in homes across the country should not in any way become a barrier for consumers who wish to switch their power suppliers.
The statement refers to the new smart meters that are being introduced to every house in the UK over the next few years, with the rollout expected to be completed by 2020. Ofgem is concerned that customers may find themselves tied to the power company that installed their smart meter, and it is making it clear that it does not want this to be the case.
Once the smart meters are in place they will get rid of estimated bills, and will also inform energy customers exactly how much gas and electricity they are using. This could help to increase awareness of the amount of power being used in the home and could make people more inclined to save energy.
However, Ofgem stated that “it is important that where a customer has a smart meter installed, this does not create a barrier to them switching supplier.”
The ability to change suppliers is not the only item covered in the consultation document. Some security concerns have also been raised surrounding smart meters and personal data issues. For example, the data could show when people are not at home through the amount of energy that is being used, leaving them vulnerable to theft.
To counter these fears, Ofgem has said it will make sure suppliers comply with data protection laws, including the use of encrypting information.
The director of Energy UK, Christine McGourty, said that “the industry is working closely with government and the regulator on key issues to be addressed before a nationwide roll-out.”
British Gas teams up with Sainsbury’s to sell solar panels
February 22, 2011 at 1:58 pm
If you like the idea of installing solar panels on your roof to generate electricity and earn a bit of extra money on the side but don’t know where to start, you could now find all you need to know at your local Sainsbury’s.
The supermarket giant has just started up a scheme to sell solar panels in a number of its stores in a partnership with British Gas which will last for the next five years. The aim is to provide more people with access to solar panels and to educate them on how they can take advantage of the panels in their own homes.
Sainsbury’s Energy will start selling photovoltaic solar panels in its stores, which cost about £14,000 to £15,000 to install on the average roof. Although this will be seen as quite a hefty investment by most people, it could actually turn out to be a financially sound decision.
The government Feed-in Tariff (FiT) was recently introduced to allow people to sell back their extra electricity to the National Grid. Using this scheme, and the savings made in electricity, it will take about 15 years to pay for the installation on average.
However, the FiT scheme lasts for 25 years, meaning for the remaining 10 years people can sell back their extra electricity and make a fair bit of profit.
As well as solar panels, Sainsbury’s is also providing home energy assessments for its customers. For £45, customers can have an expert visit their home to produce a personalised report detailing how they can save more energy. Sainsbury’s says that by taking the recommended action customers could save up to £200 a year as a result.
