New research suggests Government will miss smart meter target

According to recent research, the government’s goal of ensuring 85% of homes and businesses have a smart meter by 2024 will fall far short of the target. The government announced its new ambitions in the summer, following a realisation that the previous target for every home and business to be offered a smart meter by 2020 would fail. Now, the new goal is to see 85% of homes and businesses have a smart meter installed by 2024. 

UK’s energy industry sceptical 

The UK’s energy industry has been sceptical about the targets since they were first announced, an uncertainty solidified with recent research by trade body Energy UK which suggests the rollout rate will be much lower than expected. The confidential research was conducted by Frontier Economics on behalf of Energy UK and found that only 68% of homes and businesses are likely to have a smart meter by 2024, and that’s best-case scenario. 

Poorly managed roll out

As it stands, 16.5 million smart meters have been installed in the UK and the devices are believed to help people understand and lower their energy use, therefore reducing harmful emissions. With the general public ever more aware of the impact our energy use has on the wider environment, it’s curious why the uptake of smart meters isn’t wider. It’s been suggested that the government’s plans have been poorly managed, resulting in missed marketing opportunities or a misunderstanding of the devices importance. 

Committed to reducing energy use

In spite of these findings, the energy industry is committed to helping achieve the government’s target and making Britain a more efficient and ‘greener’ country. Indeed, a spokesperson for Energy UK said, ‘the energy sector is fully committed to completing the rollout successfully and efficiently’ and that ‘it is our shared ambition to ensure that as many households as possible can benefit from smart meters. That's why we have suggested a number of proactive polices the government should implement quickly to drive greater consumer uptake of smart meters.’

If you’re looking for a smart meter installation in your home or business, contact Greenstar today. Greenstar is one of the South’s leading plumbing and heating companies, with years of experience supplying and installing smart meters to help you reduce your energy use. To learn more, call the team today on 01202 355 344.