Smart Meters Angels or Devils?

Smart meters are being rolled out over the UK. Like most new technology they attract opposing opinions from some people, I felt it right to do some research. They are here with us because they’re part of the solution to the climate change.

I'll l say at this stage that i have no affiliation to any energy company. Smart meters help us to understand where and when consumers need energy, and they help them to see what they're using and cut where they can. That’s good for the planet and your pocket. 

As is often the case with issues around the environment and the climate crisis, there’s a lot of misinformation around smart meters disadvantages. The great news is that it’s often missinformation, so if you’re concerned about getting a smart meter or know someone who is, here’s our list of the top 9 smart meter myths explored. 

 1. Are smart meters expensive to fit? No. You won’t be charge you for having a smart meter or the in-home display unit. You won’t have to pay for installation either. Smart meters are being installed in homes across Britain for free. If you’re an Ecotricity customer and haven’t got a smart meter yet, think about it. 

 2. Is radiation from smart meters harmful? No. Smart meters give off less radio energy than mobile phones and you don’t keep them in your pocket. The smart meters being installed have been tested to meet and exceed all UK safety standards. The UK government did intensive research into safety before giving the green light to smart meters. Public Health England reviewed the evidence and concluded that exposure to low-level radio waves from smart meters pose no health risks. 

 3. Can smart meters spy on me? No. Smart meters measure the energy you use and that’s it. Security is an important part of our smart meter programme: • Smart meters don’t connect to the public internet – they operate on a secure, private system. • Smart meters store information about how much electricity and gas you use, but don’t store any personal details such as your name, contact information or bank details. • No one apart from your energy supplier can see details about your usage without your consent. 

4. Do smart meters need the internet to work? No. Smart meters use their own SIM cards, the same technology that your mobile phone uses. They don’t use your broadband or wi-fi and readings are sent over a safe, dedicated wireless network. 

 5. If I get a smart meter, am I tied to one energy company forever? No. The latest second-generation smart meters (SMETS2 c2019) allow hassle-free switching with an uninterrupted service. Even if you have an older model (the SMETS1), you can still change supplier but you might have to do a manual meter reading once or twice while the transition takes place. 

 6. Are smart meters bad for the environment? No. They wouldn’t be offering them if that was the case. In fact, they’re part of the journey to building a greener Britain. With your smart meter display, it’ll be easy for you to see what energy you’re using and when, and how much it’s costing, so you can make changes to your usage. Smart meters also help build up a picture of the whole country’s energy usage, which is crucial for making energy production and consumption as green as possible. 

7. Can I only get a smart meter if I own my home? No. There’s no reason why people who rent can’t get a smart meter installed. Speak to your landlord first to make sure you're not breaking your tenancy agreement. 8. Do smart meters use lots of energy? No. Smart meters barely cost anything to run. The display unit uses an estimated £1 of energy per year but any changes you make to your usage will cover that in no time. 

 9. Can I buy a smart meter on the internet and fit it myself? No. You can’t buy smart meters and install them yourself. Attempting to do so could be very dangerous. You can buy things called energy monitors to install at home. These sound like they’re the same as smart meter displays but they’re not. They monitor energy usage but can’t link to your tariff or send automatic meter readings.

Admittedly some folk say they omit radiation and as such could be harmful to human health. However any evidence proving this is empirical and as far as im aware no hard evidence exists 

The official advice from Public Health England (PHE) is that there isn’t any convincing evidence that exposure to radio waves within guideline levels is harmful to health. They say that mobile phone usage exposes us to more radiation than devices such as smart meters. We all remember the phone mast protest ,4 and 5g etc, pylons being harmful etc. The thing is any new technology will carry some degree of risk but also comes with benefits, It's only by using the technology that we as a race benefit from it. At the time of writing no-one  in the UK is being forced to have a smart meter and that's how it should be. 

But like the anti vaccerrs, if your going to promote your beliefs on a public forum them please put your arguments clearly and provide the evidence.