Stephen Crowley Green Party Candidate for Cork City Council Cork South East Ward

As part of a Green Party initiative, smart meters are to be installed in every home with the trial phases already started.

What is a Smart Meter?

A smart meter is simply a new type of electricity meter, capable of several functions that cannot be carried out by traditional meters. These new features could include:

• the storage and two way communication between supplier and consumer of electricity consumption data by time of use
• communication to a visual display which can be easily located in a readily accessible location in a person’s home
• the ability to recording exported units of electricity as well as electricity consumed
• the ability to switch between credit and debit modes of operation without the need for manual intervention
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_meter 

Smart Meters are currently being phased in across the country with the latest report to be found here www.cer.ie first report on smart meters

Google are also working on software so that you can access your smart meter readings from any place you can access the internet.

from a press release dated 05 November 2007

Minister Ryan said: "I have long called for a national smart-metering programme. The commitment is in the Programme for Government and I am delighted to announce its implementation. I intend that nationwide roll-out will be complete in five years.

"Currently, people do not know how much electricity they are purchasing at any given time of the day, or at what price. Smart meters have been likened to fuel gauges in cars. It is time that people become aware, through a device in their homes, of the electricity they use and how much it will cost.

"Smart meters help customers to manage their electricity usage much more efficiently and flexibly. They will help us in reducing both our carbon emissions and electricity bills.

"Smart meters have many other benefits. These include better methods of selling power back to the national grid for micro-generators. They also equip electricity suppliers with real-time information. Along with more accurate billing for the customer it means that suppliers and customers can work together to manage demand. This will be of great help to electricity customers and suppliers alike.

"The Power of One Street families showed us that the smart use of energy helped saved each family an average of €500 over six months. The families also reduced their carbon emissions by an average of three tonnes. These are significant savings both for householders’ pockets and for the environment.

"Every home in Ireland can now be a Power of One home with the installation of these smart meters.

"The CER will kick start the programme by publishing the implementation framework for nationwide smart metering in a timely and cost effective manner.

"All the cost implications and technical installation issues for the national roll-out will be addressed as we set up the pilot programme for the first 25,000 homes.

"We will only achieve our energy efficiency targets through concerted and genuinely nationwide action. A smart meter in every home will help us get there," Minister Ryan concluded.