On 26/03/16 08:10, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sat, 26 Mar 2016 02:58:29 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35894922

"The British government has committed to getting 53 million smart
meters into our homes and small businesses by the end of 2020, at an
estimated cost of £11bn."

analysis snipped

"The EU has said that all its members must provide smart meters by
2020 as long as there is a positive economic case to do so."

Economic case for whom, energy companies or consumers?

Germany said no on ecomonic grounds, Austraila and Canada found it
too expensive and of little benefit.

I can't see the benefit for most people. Is the government really
expecting people to be looking at their meters every few hours to see
what electricity they're using, and thereby cutting back? I can't see
it happening.

It won't. I've studied my readings for a period to calculate what size
radiations I will need (looking at energy put out by electric heaters).

After that, I don't give a XXXX.

If people aren't aware of what kit uses how much
electricity, they're unlikely to be interested in the usage at any one
moment, or what is using it. If people are sufficiently interested,
they either know what uses large amounts, or they can go out and buy a
monitor that tells them.

Or if they are really tight on money and need to force-budget, there are
key meters.


The only useful smart meter would be one that can be interrogated
remotely from some central computer, so that it's not necessary to
employ someone to come and read it every six months.


Remember when the meter reader came quarterly?

There are other objectives here I think - such as being able to ramp
costs up and down in the day according to demand, as they will not be
able to generate enough in a few years.