The Energy Price Cap
Big news today – OFGEM, the government regulator for gas and electricity markets in Great Britain, have announced there is going to be an increase in the energy price cap, meaning higher energy bills for all. This increase in the…
Do smart homes save you money?
Smart meters There is a lot of rhetoric around smart meters that relates the government rollout of smart meters to halting climate change, but how can a system that measures how much energy you use, change how much energy you…
The Green Room: Episode 6 – What’s the Deal With Smart Meters? How Do I Fix a Cold Conservatory?
The Green Room: What happens when you put two sustainability experts in a room and ask them if the smart meter rollout is really worth it? In this episode Nick and James talk smart meters; pros & cons…
How Good Are Nest Smart Thermostats?
Nest. We’ve all seen the adverts and most of us would recognise the friendly little circular control unit. We’ve even covered some it’s problem before. But what is it like to live in a house with this kind of smart…
SMETs2
SMETs2 – or the catchy ‘smart metering equipment technical specifications: second version’ – is the new generation of smart meters about to be released. What are the benefits of smart meters? You might be aware that the Government is currently…
Why is my energy bill so high?
It can be a nasty surprise if you get your gas and electricity bills through and they’re higher than you were expecting. But how do you know whether there’s been a mistake, or you’ve simply used more energy than last…
The Problem with the UK’s Smart Meter Rollout
It’s safe to say that recent governments’ efforts to install smart meters in UK households have not been universally popular. The national rollout scheme – originally intended to be completed in 2020 – is now encountering more problems, with fears…
Have smart thermostats got smarter?
Smart thermostats stop you having to fiddle with your heating and make sure your house stays a nice ambient temperature. We’ve reviewed lots of them before but we thought it was time for an update, as they keep getting better! There…
An introduction to smart meters
What are smart meters? Smart meters can be installed in your home to record real time electricity and gas usage in households and businesses. It sends data straight to energy companies, meaning less fuss for the homeowner, as they no longer…
Smart meter roll-out is kicking off in earnest!
And it begins! Smart meter advertising campaign has kicked off! Driving along in the car today, I heard two adverts for the recent roll out of smart meters. The theory is that by 2020 we will all have a smart meter…