Smart meter, not so smart people

Finally we have them on our roof, fourteen solar PV panels. It took me an internet site “solar map of the Netherlands” and my convincing wife to realise that the neighbour across the street had placed them at the wrong side of his house. And that our house is situated more or less perfect for home grown electricity, so buying a blue roof was an easy decision.

This event as such is not a reason to write a column, or it must be a general warning that being a academic doesn’t make you a practical person per se.

No, what really triggered me to hit the keyboard was the event that followed. The system operator announced, that becoming a prosumer automatically made me the proud “owner” of a smart meter. For free!

Unlike many others I’m not afraid of smart meters. I really have a hard time figuring out why people share absolutely everything on social media and then use the same tools to fight the big brother (behind the) smart meter.

Our hopes were very high when the technician entered the premises, with impressive boxes and an even more impressive toolkit.

After the drilling had stopped, and most of the copper was out of sight, we dared to ask about the smartness of our meter.

The man glowed from professional pride. “This meter”, he said, tapping at the electricity meter, “talks to your gas meter.” I probably wasn’t moved enough in his vision, so he added “And it reads your meter SIX times a year, WITHOUT a meter man”.

“But what about the possibilities to inform US, instead of the gas meter? That would really be smart!”

The guy clearly liked smart meters and not smart asses. With a “that’s another company” he took off to his van.

We’re a couple of weeks down the road since this event happened, and the “other company” hasn’t shown up so far. And that’s the real reason I’m sharing this.

In the upcoming years we’ll see a massive roll out of smart meters in Europe. If they are immediately connected to our apps on PC’s, smartphones and tablets, with clear benefits to the end users, we will embrace them. We will use them to improve our comfort, reduce our energy use and become true prosumers. Big brother can become an appreciated member of the family. The meter can become one of the “happy” instruments that really starts mining the enormous potential of energy efficiency.

Studies on human behaviour show time and time again, that we need instant rewarding to keep us interested and active. So the unique moment of installing new technology should be a coordinated action to introduce us into the new era of energy technology with, if possible, a high fun factor.

Otherwise we might accept the ”fit and forget”. Forget the possible options offered by “the other company”.

Yes, I’m guilty too. After listening to the promised conversation between our gas- and electricity meter I concluded they hadn’t that much in common and buried them with the stuff we usual keep in front of meters. With the meter man out of the picture it’s very well possible I’ll never hear from my smart connection again.

The views expressed in this column are those of the columnist and do not necessarily reflect the views of eceee or any of its members.