Only 4% of houses with smart meters are on smart plans

unkel · 22-09-2022 10:32am #1

What a disaster of an implementation. The smart plans are all rip-offs. I'm disappointed about this failure but I am delighted that there are obviously very few fools about that fell for these overpriced plans

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/almost-a-million-smart-meters-not-being-used-in-12bn-scheme-42008136.html

SouthWesterly · 22-09-2022 10:34am

According to the piece on pat Kenny today, we just don't understand them. Nothing to do with the rates being dearer than day/Night.

monkeybutter · 22-09-2022 10:38am

Free leccy on a saturday from 9am to 5pm, but much higher rate the rest of the time

great ideas

Box ticking excercise is all this was, I'm sure the fitting of the meters was all done at best value as well, by lads from up norf

They should bin all the re-sellers of gas and electricity, tis false capitalism

coolisin · 22-09-2022 10:38am

It was reading up on it here and I think it was yourself Unkel that may have pointed out how sh1t they actually are.

When we did the maths it made no sense for us to switch to a smart plan. Made little to no sense either for us to switch to the 1 day free at a weekend plan either the difference in price per Kwh didn't make a difference.

We have a smart meter that is doing nothing except getting us an correct bill every month.

Now some people they might work for but our circumstances it wouldn't or didn't.

Nermal · 22-09-2022 10:42am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058264414/only-4-of-houses-with-smart-meters-are-on-smart-plans

It's not just the rates - it's the entire concept.

How is it progress for me, the consumer, to have to adjust my behaviour to match the vagaries of generation?

As a consumer: I simply don't care how you ensure demand and supply match. That's your job. Do it and don't pass the cost of doing so on to me.

graememk · 22-09-2022 10:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649578#Comment_119649578

dont you know that they save us money.. by telling us how much we use.. so we can use less...

</sarcasm obvs>

Ive had an owl meter for at least 10 yrs now.

Night boost, free weekend (yeah 100kwh a month!?)

Energia for example., comparing their new prices (from oct) smart tariff vs their oct EV rate.

The night rate is double! Standing charge is the same on 24 hr and smart plans.

Kaisr Sose · 22-09-2022 10:45am

Smart meter savings = smoke and mirrors.

monkeybutter · 22-09-2022 10:46am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649621#Comment_119649621

the is part of solution

they should be forcing all the companies to be offering night savers etc for no extra cost to level demand

Kintarō Hattori · 22-09-2022 10:46am

Have on fitted and looked at the rates. It's way way more expensive for me to switch to the new rates.

Ethereal Cereal · 22-09-2022 10:47am

Maybe this is not a great place to ask, hah, but any recommendations on smart tarrifs?

I recently got a smart meter installed, and have an interest in moving my heavy power use activities to off peak rate. I have delayed start on the washing machine, dishwasher, generally shower before 8am, etc etc...

SD_DRACULA · 22-09-2022 10:47am

If 4% adoption rate doesn't scream massive failure then I don't know what does

Cyrus · 22-09-2022 10:48am

as long as there is no day / night option or ev friendly tariffs i will be refusing installation.

unkel · 22-09-2022 10:49am

Whatever way you see it @Nermal, at some times of the day electricity at wholesale prices is really cheap (sometimes free or just 1c /kWh), some times it is very expensive (€1 / kWh). These are the real costs that will have to be borne by the consumer of the electricity. As of now, you pay a fixed rate for all units. Perhaps some suppliers will keep offering this flat rate service

The opportunity of the smart meters is to let people use very cheap and green electricity from sun or wind and only charge a tiny bit for that, but if they chose to use very expensive and filthy cancer causing electricity from burning coal, let them, but punish them for that. Unfortunately this is not what is reflected in any of the smart plans currently available

c.p.w.g.w · 22-09-2022 10:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649649#Comment_119649649

My understanding is that smart meters can't avail of day/night tariffs

idc · 22-09-2022 10:51am

The only case where smart plan is better than equivalent day/night plan is Electric Ireland! But your only better off for 2 hours in the middle of the night. (plus other providers might have cheaper plans overall anyway!!!)

Ethereal Cereal · 22-09-2022 10:57am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649666#Comment_119649666

This I don't understand. Surely you need a smart meter to avail of any day/night tariff. How else is your supplier able to identify which time of the day you are using power?

micks_address · 22-09-2022 10:57am

ive a smart meter but on standard tarriff as it made no sense to go with one of the 2 hour night cheap rates and then expensive energy during the day.. i havent thought about taking it out and getting a day / night meter.. with a day night meter can you paid for solar export to grid?

Cyrus · 22-09-2022 10:58am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649701#Comment_119649701

the opposite is true, older meters count units based on time used, its simple to see when you are using power once the meters are read.

monkeybutter · 22-09-2022 10:59am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649666#Comment_119649666

when I checked they had a mixture of tariffs, day/night, sunday/sat etc

you'd want to be working your balls off trying to organise yourself to make use of either

lawred2 · 22-09-2022 11:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649604#Comment_119649604

nothing false about it

It's pure capitalism - privatise a captive market and call it competition. Nothing but a massive wealth transfer vehicle.

StrawbsM · 22-09-2022 11:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649666#Comment_119649666

That doesn’t sound very smart! 😂

I have had smart meter installed. Just checked on bonkers and I’m currently making the best savings I can (normal 24 hour tariff).

lawred2 · 22-09-2022 11:03am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649701#Comment_119649701

it's not day/night - it's day/peak/night at higher rates than older day/night meters

bullit_dodger · 22-09-2022 11:03am

I've always maintained that it's 100% deliberate that the smart meter tariffs are positioned to be more expensive than the others. Deliberate - and they know that the uptake will be poor as a result.

The reason being is that you can picture the **** storm of old age pensioners phoning up Joe Duffy complaining that they can't get one of these new fangled "smart meters" so that they can save themselves a tenner a month in leccie. Especially now with the energy crisis. ESB networks as we know have to replace 2.4-2.5 million units and this will take years. You can imagine the last thing they want is undue pressure being brought on that program, so they discourage people from jumping on that bandwagon.

As much as i like to think it's ineptitute on behalf of the suppliers, no it's too hard to believe that every single one of the (every single one!) all create tariffs that discourage usage. Believe me, they all know EXACTLY how many people are on them, and leaving aside the green aspects.....I suspect they could make more money if people were on smart. They run the numbers themselves. No - that's a deliberate move to discourage adoption in the short term. I betcha once they are all in place (or like 90%) you'll see tarfiffs which are better than straight 24hr

idc · 22-09-2022 11:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649666#Comment_119649666

Smart meters can record 30 minute blocks so it depends on the smart plan. for example EI have a night boost plan, day rate, night rate and then a even cheaper 2 hour rate from 2am till 4am.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649701#Comment_119649701

Day/Night meters have existed for years. You just supply two meter readings - one for day and one for night. Its so basic changing of the clocks is not handled so in winter time is from 11pm till 8am, and in summer midnight to 9am.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649704#Comment_119649704

That plan would make sense if your solar + battery cover most of the day requirements thus your not paying for any expensive day electricity

micks_address · 22-09-2022 11:05am

You'd have to imagine they will start to use smart meters to encourage usage outside of 5 to 9pm if they want to change behaviours and take the pressure off the grid... set the price for those times high and outside of that half the price or something along those lines

StrawbsM · 22-09-2022 11:06am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649672#Comment_119649672

I’ve just checked bonkers as I’m electric Ireland value saver plan at present. Pinergy would give me a saving of under 30 euro for the year. How long will pinergy stay in the market? The rest of the plans would cost me more.