Smart meters - what are smart meters and where can you get them?

What are smart meters?

Photo by freefotouk

Smart meters are replacements for the standard meters that measure your gas and electricity usage, which the energy companies use to bill you. Unlike traditional gas meters and electricity meters, smart meters automatically send your energy usage to your gas and electricity supplier. This means that you no longer have estimated bills, resulting in accurate energy bills.

Want your own smart meter? Switch to a smart meter tariff

Smart meters also display information, either on the meter, or via the energy suppliers' website, about your gas and electricity usage so that you use. If you are interested in reducing the amount of energy you use, either to save money on gas and electricity bills, or to help the environment, smart meters are a good way of being able to monitor your energy use.

Why have a smart meter?

By seeing how much energy you are using, s mart meters can help you to reduce your gas and electricity usage which in turn enables you to:

• save money on your energy bills
• help the environment

In October 2008, the government announced that by 2020, all homes will have smart meters, but if you can not wait that long, you can get a smart meter now.

How to get a smart meter

First:Utility, a new energy supplier has recently launched new tariffs which come with a smart meter as part of the package. To compare these tariffs and to switch to a smart meter, compare smart meter tariffs.

• save money on your energy bills
• help the environment

What are the alternatives to a smart meter?

UKPower.co.uk has produced a free online smart meter tool which allows you to see how much your gas and electricity is costing you, simply by entering two meter readings and the tariff that you are on:

Compare smart meter tariffs

note: click on smart meters on the results page