New smart socket??? Do you believe it??

Iderown

On BBC web site:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/stories-61030903

Do you believe it? Good points? Bad points?

Some quotes from the news item:

This plug socket tells you if your energy is green

A small tech company in the UK has reinvented the humble electricity socket.

This new smart socket tells you if it's using renewable energy. It can also save you money by spotting energy that's being wasted.

Hear more solutions on the People Fixing the World podcast.

2011

Regarding this comment: "This plug socket tells you if your energy is green". Seeing as though anyone connected to the grid consumes electricity that is generated from multiple sources from the most polluting to the "greenest" how can any device determine what portion of electricity used in your home is from an exclusively green source?

kirk.

I'm not a fan of this stuff anyhow I reckon it should be external to the socket outlet

I don't mind lighting having gadgetry on the wiring as lighting is really only concerned with control of the light

Cerco

This is from the companie's website.

The m.e Platform uses real-time energy generation data from the National Grid, and any local energy generation data (e.g. Solar panels on the roof), to create an overall picture of the mix of renewable and fossil fuel energy being used. So, if it’s a windy, sunny day, there’s likely more renewable energy in use on average, and vice versa. Whilst we can’t tell you where your electrons are coming from, we can tell the average of the regional or local electricity grid you’re using; and targeting electricity use when there’s more renewable energy reduces your ‘carbon footprint’.

https://measurable.energy/faqs

2011

That is complete b0llox. For starters the “local grid” is connected to international grids! Just because the weather locally appears to suit some types of renewable power generation doesn’t mean that the power you are consuming is somehow “greener”. Waste to energy plants are considered renewable as are hydro plants and their output has no correlation with the weather whatsoever.

ednwireland

im assuming it tells you if your running off your own pv panels instead of the grid, guessing theres a switch somewhere that can be monitored. after that electrons is electrons however they are produced

Cerco

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980254#Comment_118980254

Agreed!

After reading this "Whilst we can’t tell you where your electrons are coming from" , I thought any further comment was unnecessary.

IMHO it is a misleading gimmick which could well impact the reputation of the company.

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118984130#Comment_118984130

Hasn't affected the multitude of 'green' energy companies spouting nonsense

Iderown

Thanks for the comments. Totally agree - it's a gimmick.

And it could give rise to at least two problems.

1. The additional (and unnecessary) circuitry could use an amount of energy all the time. 2. The additional and unnecessary circuitry could prove to be unreliable = safety risk.

olestoepoke

I'd be very sceptical of how it can accurately tell is if the energy is coming from Fossil fuels or green energy. Also, not a hope that people will wait for a light to go green on their socket before they use it. Do you want a cup of tea...yeah sure go ahead....oh one moment we have to wait for the socket to go green lol. Sorry kids no playstation we need to wait for the green light, a bit of a joke.

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118996229#Comment_118996229

There's too much gadgetry going into the fixed wiring

Anything at socket outlets should be external to the outlet ,chargers etc. where it can be disconnected or replaced

Anything on lighting circuits should be at the switch or luminare preferably ,not buried into the lighting circuit somewhere

Bruthal.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118996253#Comment_118996253

Sceiptical would usualy be used where there is a possibility its true. Its complete utter nonsense. You will get the same results from an analogue clock with a sector of the dial painted green.