Metering key to cutting energy costs

London – Use of advanced metering technology could enable UK small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to reduce their combined CO2 emissions by 2.5 million tonnes and save £300 million per year, the Carbon Trust claims.

According to the UK government-funded company, switching to advanced metering, on average SMEs can identify potential carbon savings of over 12% and successfully achieve savings of over 5%. The figures, it said, are based on research carried out as part of a three-year field trial of the technology, which provides detailed information about the way businesses use energy.

For the trial, the Carbon Trust monitored advanced meters installed at over 580 UK sites. Participants saved an average of over £1,000 a year on their energy bills, with the biggest gains seen at multi-site businesses, such as retail and wholesale chains and small manufacturing companies.

Based on the findings, the Carbon Trust is now calling for policy measures to support the use of advanced metering. Take-up of the technology is currently hindered by the lack of financial incentives for energy suppliers to provide these services to SMEs, the company noted.

Among its proposed measures, the Carbon Trust wants standards for advanced meter functionality, data availability and data transfer procedures, and energy suppliers to investigate business models to provide new metering services to their SME clients

“To harness this potential there needs to be a structured and sustainable roll out of this important technology to help the UK meet its commitment to cut carbon emissions by 60% by 2050,” said Tom Delay, chief executive of the Carbon Trust. “Widespread use of advanced metering will also create new business opportunities for energy suppliers and metering service providers.”