Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris
Because in theory suppliers could implement widespread, forced peak pricing rather than run small scale experiments as other users here have been trying, making electricity usage a more serious poverty issue than it presently is.
Also, smart meters are capable of metering KVA/h rather than kW/h, which, if they were allowed to, would increase everyone’s bill (though not uniformly - it would very much depend on what sort of appliances you’re running and how efficient they are).
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This. Energy companies worldwide have been clamouring for this change for over decades. And only smart meters allow them to do so easily. Many large factories with fixed equipment that chews up lots of electricity have large capacitors fitted to prevent the phase shift of the supply that causes the Energy companies to lose money. They opt to be charged at KVA/h rates, as it is to their advantage.
We are in the "carrot" phase of smart metering, with cheaper off-peak rates being offered to get people to have them installed.
But once electricity storage is rolled-out, there will be no excess to be sold off cheaply to customers, as it will be diverted to batteries, Pumped Storage Hydropower (PSH), or hydrogen-oxygen electrolysis systems.
Then, as Chris said, pricing will move to the "stick" phase, where we will be charged more at peak times or at any other time when demand is high. We already see the markets rasing the price of natural gas in the colder months, and this would shift to electricity too.
---------- Post added at 09:49 ---------- Previous post was at 09:47 ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hugh
I didn’t realise the Governments were in charge of all the Energy Companies in all those countries…
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Who is fining the energy companies for not rolling-out smart meter installations fast enough?
Quote:
Energy suppliers British Gas, OVO, Bulb, E.ON, Scottish Power and SSE will pay out a total of £10.8 million after missing smart meter installation targets for 2022.
The firms fell short of the installation targets set for 2022, culminating in a shortfall to install a total of 1,026,628 smart meters by the required deadline.
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https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/press-relea...n-targets-2022
---------- Post added at 10:15 ---------- Previous post was at 09:49 ----------
There are 2 other "sticks" waiting in the wings. Water use and Road Charging (aka Pay Per Mile).
If you don't have a water meter, you are charged according to the Rateable Value of your home. If you do have one, some households can save money by reducing usage, or already have low usage. But when the majority have them, the model will change to purely the amount used. And that will allow sudden price increases that will make OFWAT blink.
And it is patently obvious, and in many cases already policy, to roll out Road Charging with rates dependent on where and when you drive. Wales already has a National Transport Delivery Plan (2022 to 2027) with it included. When asked if Road Charging will happen in Wales, the then First Minister replied that there were no plans to have it on TRUNK roads. He was very careful about the words he used.