Lack of smart meter data for non-domestic consumers ‘barrier to net zero’

A lack of adequate smart energy data for non-domestic consumers is a barrier to the government’s net zero commitments, a consultation has warned.

The non-domestic smart meter rollout covers around 3 million meters across 2 million sites, of which the majority (around 70 per cent) are microbusinesses.

Unlike in the domestic sector, where customers are automatically offered an in-home display, suppliers are not obliged to offer non-domestic customers with a default way of accessing or engaging with their consumption data.

Currently suppliers are only required to provide “timely access” to consumption data on request by customers (or third parties acting with consent). They can charge for the data, which can be provided in any format and there is no specificity with regards to what constitutes ‘timeliness’.

The Department for Business, Energy and industrial Strategy (BEIS) said the current rules mean non-domestic consumers have a limited ability to engage with their energy use and the benefits provided by smart meters.

The department added that progress in providing data and energy efficiency advice to non-domestic consumers has been slow, prompting concern that the potential cost savings, estimated £1.5 billion in the non-domestic sector alone, and improvements in energy efficiency may not be fully realised.

Furthermore, an impact assessment warned the current rules present a “barrier to achieving the government’s net zero commitments”.

As such, BEIS is proposing several supply licence changes in the consultation, which is open until 24 September.

These include ensuring all non-domestic smart meter customers are entitled to a “minimum baseline of free access to information based on their energy consumption data”, presented to them in a user-accessible format.

This would be provided by default to customers alongside their smart meter without them asking for it on a regular, ongoing basis.

Elsewhere, the consultation noted that current licence conditions regarding data access are the same for non-domestic customers and their nominated third-party representatives. It proposed to tailor licence conditions to the different needs of end customers versus their representatives, and to address barriers to third party data access.

Provided that all legal requirements were met, access to information would be granted to nominated third parties within 10 working days, with the data transferred including at least 12 months of historic data to enable analysis of seasonal variation.