Smart Meter rollout hits 10 million milestone

Smart Meter Network trebles

Even with the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting national lockdowns, 2020 saw the smart meter rollout make significant progress as the Data Communications Company (DCC) smart meter network tripled in size.

Energy suppliers have stepped up to the challenge in challenging conditions to get smart meters into consumers' homes. The number of installations crashed during the first lockdown. Still, in the second, energy suppliers introduced new methods and policies that allowed their engineers to pick up the pace, so much so that connections tripled.

According to the smart meter system operator DCC, over 5.5 million smart meters have been connected to its network since the start of the pandemic with an installation by E.ON this week pushing the total number of installed smart meters above the key 10 million mark.

Also read: Covid-19 Pandemic sees smart meter installations fall to lowest level since 2016

Critical Mass

According to the DCC, the smart meter rollout is now approaching critical mass due to the collective efforts of energy suppliers, regulators, and other industry players.

"DCC's customers, the energy companies and network operators have worked hard with us to build this momentum, despite the massive challenge of Covid, adapting to ensure safe ways of working. These meters inform and enable a responsive, smart energy grid, allowing Britain to make the best possible use of renewable energy like wind and solar power.," said DCC chief executive Angus Flett.

Also read: Debunking the most common myths about Smart Meters

The role of smart meters

With the government aiming to achieve net-zero by 2050, smart meters will play a vital role in that drive. They allow consumers to understand and decrease their energy demand, and it's hoped will lead to improved energy usage and energy efficiency. Smart meters are also designed to help a consumer lower their carbon emissions.

According to government research, a household with a smart meter is likely to reduce their energy consumption by 2%, saving 45 million tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere by 2034.

However, industry body SmartEnergy GB believes that smart meters are even more beneficial and claim that the savings generated by them range between 5 to 10%. Some households report energy savings of up to 20%.

"Britain's energy revolution is gaining pace, and it's great to see ten million smart meters now installed on this ultra-safe and secure dedicated network. As a country, we're making important progress towards reducing our reliance on oil and gas, and the take-up of technologies like smart meters and electric vehicles is playing a vital role in helping Britain's effort to hit its net zero targets and combat climate change," said Dan Brooke, chief executive of SmartEnergy GB.

Also read: What are the advantages of smart meters?

SMETS 1 Meters

Frustratingly for many consumers, the older SMETS 1 smart meters continue to be installed despite calls by the likes of Ofgem to stop suppliers from installing them.

The SMETS1 end date was 5 October 2018, yet SMETS 1-meter installations are the most significant contributor to the total smart meter number with over three million of them being installed since January 2020.

Second generation (SMETS 2) smart meters continues to grow, however, albeit at a slightly lower rate than seen before the start of the pandemic.

Also read: Energy Suppliers under pressure to step up Smart Meter rollout in 2021- How not to alienate customers

Get DCC connected with Dyball Associates

Energy suppliers can connect with and communicate with the DCC smart meters network via Dyball Associates SaaS DCC Adapter.

The adapter simplifies the process and cuts back on the level of IT development an energy supplier needs to make to their internal systems saving them money and manpower.

For more information about our DCC Adapter, Click HERE.

Further Reading

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