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Energy suppliers could be allowed to run trials of alternative devices to a traditional in-home display (IHD) during the smart meter rollout, under new government proposals.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) has launched a consultation on whether to allow energy suppliers to apply for a derogation from the licence condition requiring them to offer an IHD on installation of a smart meter during the mass rollout, due to start next year.
Decc said the trials are intended to gather “robust” evidence of the benefits offered by alternative and innovative approaches to engaging consumers with their smart meter data, such as providing the data on alternative devices such as tablets or smart phones, as currently analysis of the benefits of such approaches doesn’t exist.
The data from the trials will help Decc assess whether the current IHD policy realises benefits to consumers for the least amount of cost.
However, it will also be strengthening the existing supplier conditions to make the offer of an IHD unconditional, and prevent suppliers from considering promoting alternatives instead of, rather than in addition to the IHD, without a derogation.
Decc said: “We want to support consumer offers for engagement tools in addition to IHDs where they can support that consumer in making further energy savings. At the same time, we want to prevent alternative engagement tools becoming the primary data access device where we have no evidence on how well they allow a consumer to achieve enduring energy savings.”
Decc said it expects the proposal to become law at the start of 2016, and for the deadline for derogation applications to be received by 31 January 2017.
The consultation closes on 23 September 2015.
The Institute of Directors in May called for the IHD to be to be removed, or for the scheme to be abandoned in favour of a smart phone app as some parts of the technology will likely be obsolete by the end of the rollout.
Decc has also outlined the latest smart meter rollout plans which have factored in an expected four month delay to the most recent go-live date given by the smart meter network operator Data and Communications Company.
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