Rob, a resident of Dublin, and self-confessed gadget lover, was one of those people. “We got our Smart Meter a couple of years ago, but it wasn’t until I started thinking about getting an electric vehicle and an EV charger that I realised it had benefits.”
While the immediate benefit of Smart Meters is the end of estimated electricity bills and the ‘bill shock’ that can happen as a result, it’s the smart services the meters enable that make them truly useful.
Like many who start looking into sustainable technologies, such as EVs, solar panels and storage batteries, Rob discovered electricity providers offer Smart Tariffs tailored to different types of electricity consumers and micro-producers.
As someone who works mainly from home, Rob figured his household electricity use was fairly uniform. He was unaware that signing up for an ESB Networks Online Account would eliminate the need for guesswork and provide detailed data about his household electricity usage.
“I had no idea we could get that data,” says Rob. “I just used one of the comparison websites to see what the tariffs for charging an EV were like.
“But then we decided to go with a hybrid electric plug-in, and I noticed a couple of the providers were offering free electricity on a Saturday or Sunday, so when our contract came up for renewal, we switched.”
The tariff Rob chose was ultimately for free electricity Sundays, rather than for EV users. “We will get an EV charger, but for now we’re using the public chargers. And until the data tells us otherwise, we’re stockpiling our laundry for Sundays.”
To access your Smart Meter data, simply sign up for a free Online Account. If you have your Meter Point Reference Number (MRPN) handy—which can be found on all of your electricity bills—it should only take a few minutes. Once your account has been created, you will be able to see your energy usage. Then, you’ll be able to see exactly how much electricity you are using, or generating, by month, week and day—right down to half hour intervals.
With those insights to hand, you will be empowered to make smarter decisions about your electricity use and choice of tariff—whether you are a gadget lover, eco warrior, or simply enjoy finding easy ways to save.