Outsmarting your smart meter

A guide to smart meters and how you can use them for cheaper electricity bills

a publication of

This Ebook is designed for readers that have:

• Received a letter in the mail informing you that a new smart meter is on the way; or

• Had a new smart meter installed already; or

• Heard about the roll out of smart meters and want more information.

If this is you, read on! This guide contains everything you need to know about the new smart meters as well as how

to outsmart them for cheaper electricity bills.

Jon

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Jason

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AuthorsThis guide is a collaboration between Bundl employees Jon Rout and Jason Scott.

Jon has written various articles on smart meters and other electricity related subjects. Jason does most of the

blogging for Bundl and also manages various content projects. Both Jon and Jason graduated with degrees from the

University of Wollongong in 2009.

Front cover image: Vassilis Online

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Contents

What is a smart meter anyway? ..................................... 4

Do we need smart meters? ..................................... 6

Why are (some) people so opposed to smart meters? ..... 8

Smart meters in Victoria .....................................11

Smart meters in NSW .....................................16

How to reduce your electricity bill .....................................18

The future of smart meters .................................... 26

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part

1

What is a smart meter anyway?

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A smart meter is an electrical device that tracks energy usage and sends these readings directly to your energy supplier. Smart meters are a replacement for the old manual meters and are available for both gas and electricity. They also go by the name of interval meters.

A smart meter acts as a communication device between your household and the main database of your energy supplier. Every 30 minutes it measures and records the amount of energy used by your house or business. This information is then sent directly your electricity distributors over wireless networks, eliminating the need for someone to come and physically check your meter every month.

Recording how much electricity is being used and exactly when it is being used opens up a whole range of opportunities to better monitor and manage how we use our energy resources.

For the individual consumer, smart meters will eliminate the need for some bills to be estimated in advance and adjusted the following month. In the case of a power outage, meters will alert your supplier in real time of your need for a solution. They make waiting a few days for an installer to reconnect the power when you move house a thing of the past! All smart meters are controlled remotely and can be turned on and off or switched to a different account within a matter of minutes.

On a larger scale, the additional information provided by all the data from users around the world empowers providersandconsumerstousepowersourcesmoreefficiently.Readontofindouthow.

A typical smart meter. Different models are used around the world. Image from aaron_anderer

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part

2

Do we need smart meters?

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Smart meters are being installed in homes right across Australia and the world with the US, Canada and most countries in Europe rolling out some planned installation of them in homes and businesses. What, exactly, is the big deal about these smart meters?

• Peak Demand

Seasons of extreme weather patterns, like the heat of summer and the cold of winter, generate surges of electricity usage. To keep up with demand and provide the energy when it is needed, suppliers must spend large amounts of money on network infrastructure. In fact, at least half of all electricity bills go to infrastructure expenditures; maintaining power lines, connecting distribution grids and expanding services to new households. If we continue our current usage patterns, as the population continues to grow, infrastructure costs are going to get higher and higher. The costs of these upgrades would inevitably be passed onto consumers. Providing incentives to spread power use more evenly throughout the day reduces the need for these expensive infrastructure upgrades.

• Flexible Pricing / Time Of Use Tariffs

Totackletheproblemofpeakusage,smartmetersallowtheintroductionofflexiblepricing,otherwise known as Time Of Use (ToU) Tariffs. Flexible pricing means that the cost of electricity changes depending on the time of day it is being used. For example, electricity used in peak hours 7am – 9am will be more expensive than electricity used in the middle of the day.

Thereareusuallythreetimeperiodsinflexiblepricing,althoughsomeretailersareonlyutilizingPeakandOffPeakperiods.Youwillneedtocheckwithyourelectricityretaileronthespecifictimesfor your area, but the following is a rough guide:

Peak: Highest prices when most people are using energy, typically between 7am – 9am and 5pm – 8pm.Shoulder: Time period between the two peak periods, typically during the day (9am – 5pm)Off Peak: Night-time when most people are asleep and not much energy is being used (8pm – 7am)

Check out Part 6fortipsonusingtheflexiblepricingoptiontosavemoneyonyouryearly electricity bill!

Exampleofaflexiblepricingplanshowingdifferenttimes.Fromthe VIC switchon website.

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part

3

Why are (some) people so opposed to smart meters?

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The mandatory installation of smart meters in the majority of homes and businesses in Australia has been one of the most controversial topics in the past decade. The issues behind the most vocal concerns against smart meters are debated strongly from both sides. Here we give you an overview of the concernsandtheofficialresponses.Ouraimistoempoweryoutomakeadecisionaboutyourandyourfamily’s well being for yourself.

1. Some households cannot shift behaviour and will be penalisedTheprimaryargumentagainstflexiblepricingisthatitcreatesanunfairsystem.Therearemanyhouseholds, particularly those in the lower income brackets, that aren’t able to shift their energy use behaviours due to set work times or schedules. The opposition comes from the possibility that these householdswillbepenalisedbyanincreaseinelectricitybillswiththeshifttoflexiblepricing.

The responseSwitchingtoflexiblepricingisoptional.ADeloitte report suggests that changes to the average consumer’s bills, providing there is no change in usage behaviour, would range from a reduction of 4% to an increase of 2%. Allowing the consumer to make the decision about what works best for them in their particular situation should reward households that can shift their behaviour without penalising those that can’t.

2. Installation costs will be recouped in electricity billsThetotalcostofrefittingeveryhouseholdandbusinessinVictoria,forinstance,withnewsmartmetersis estimated between $1.8 – 2 billion. This is a huge investment in infrastructure that is supposed to reduce investment in infrastructure. This cost will be passed on to consumers. Are households actually any better off after paying for the additional cost of a smart meter?

The responseThe cost to install a new smart meter in your house will be recouped the same way the cost of other infrastructure is; from your electricity supplier through your bills. Most retailers are including the cost as an additional line item on your bill or bundling it into a supply charge to spread out the cost over a long time period. Check the FAQ’s section of your supplier’s website for the cost being charged to you if it isn’t clear.

Whetherornottheimplementationofasmartmeterleavestheconsumerbetterorworseofffinanciallyisdependent on the individual’s consumption habits. Check out Part 6 for tips on how to take advantage of theflexiblepricingoptionforlowerelectricitybills.

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3. Perceived Health Effects

• Radiation

SmartMetersusewirelesstechnologiesthatemitradiofrequencies.Somecitizens,particularlythose who claim electrohypersensitivity1, are concerned about being subject to electromagnetic exposures without a choice.ResponseAll smart meters are required to comply with ARPANSA’s2 regulated limits of radiofrequency exposure. Independent studies suggest that smart meters located outside the house emit radiofrequencies at a level of 0.82, less than mobile phones and baby monitors.

• Overheating

Therehavebeendisputedreportsofsmartmetersoverheatingandcatchingonfire.3 The concern isthatsmartmetersareapotentialfirehazardandcouldputfamilies’livesatrisk.ResponseAll smart meters are required to be installed by approved contractors under safety protocols. A regulatingbodyoverseestheseproceduresandreviewshavebeencarriedoutconfirmingthatprocedures are being followed and installations are safe.4

1 http://stopsmartmeters.com.au/radiowave-sickness-microwave-syndrome/2 http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/smart-meters/safety/health3 http://emfsafetynetwork.org/?page_id=12804 http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/smart-meters/safety/installation-safety

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part

4

Smart meters in Victoria

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01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 01 00%

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Year 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

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History of smart meters in VictoriaThefirstmandatedrolloutforsmartmeterswasin2004bytheVictorianEssentialServicesCommission(ESC). It was based on the following four considerations:

1. BasedonananalysisbytheESC,therewouldbeaneconomicbenefittoastate-widerolloutof

smart meters.1

2. It was unlikely that the use of smart meters would become widespread without assistance because

of the large amount of upfront and timely investment and cooperation required.

3. Regulationwouldberequiredtoachievetheeconomicbenefitsfromalargescalerollout.

4. The cost of installing new smart meters was expected to decrease over time, making them become

more price-competitive with older meters.

The Advanced Metering Infrastructure Mandate (AIMRO) was approved in 2007. It required that all households and businesses have a smart meter installed over a four year period, beginning in 2009. Legislation began to be written surrounding the roll out and trials took place to test available technologies.

Over the next few years, the project underwent a number of reviews and additional reports by Oakley Greenwood and Deloitte were produced. In 2010, the new government initiated a review of the project, confirmingin2012thattherewereeconomicbenefitstocontinuingtherolloutandtheprojectshouldcontinue.

“The Victorian Government has mandated that all residential and small business electricity customers have a smart meter installed by the end of 2013.”

Installation of smart metersIn 2009 approved distributors began rolling out smart meters. By the beginning of 2013, over 95% of smart meters were scheduled to be installed and operational.

Smart meter scheduled accumulative completion by year.2

ThecompaniesresponsibleforrollingouttheinstallationsarethefiveenergydistributorsinVictoria;Citipower, Powercor, Jemena, United Energy and SP AusNet. Electricity retailers have been given rights to on charge consumers the costs of installing and maintaining the smart meters.

1 http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/smart-meters/resources/reports-and-consultations/advanced-metering-infrastructure-cost-bene-fit-analysis/2.-background2 http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0005/136076/fig6b-regulatory-targets.jpg

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Pricing changes from smart metersCurrently, electricity is charged at the same price per kilowatt hour (kWh), regardless of when it is used or how much of it is used. Flexible pricing changes this. It allows retailers to set a different cost for energy usage (per kWh) depending on the time of day.

Flexible pricing tries to encourage consumers to use energy at times of the day when it is not in high demand. This reduces the overall load on the electricity distribution system and saves in infrastructure costs in the long term.

Research shows that consumers stand tomake savings on their electricity bill from the flexible pricingstructure. (We offer tips on how to do this in Part 6) However, if you’re not able to change your usage patterns anduselargeamountsofenergyinpeaktimesyoumayfindthatthesavingsdon’tapplytoyou.

Forthisreason,flexiblepricingisoptional.Consumerscanchoosetostayontheircurrentflat-ratetariffanduse electricity at the same price regardless of the time of day.

HowdoIdecideifIshouldswitchtoflexiblepricing?

1. Don’tmovetoflexiblepricingimmediately.Giveyoursmartmeteracoupleofmonthstoprovideyou

with data about how much electricity your household uses and when. You’ll also be able to compare

your household usage with similar households, giving you an idea of whether you have room for

improvement.

2. Ask your retailer. Once your retailer has information about your general electricity usage, they will be

abletoestimatethecostofyourpreviousbillhadyoubeenonaflexiblepricingscheme.Regulation

wouldberequiredtoachievetheeconomicbenefitsfromalargescalerollout.

3. Calculatethedifferenceinmoneya)ifyouhadbeenonaflexiblepricingschemeandb)ifyouhad

also made behavioural changes to take advantage of it.

4. Be realistic about whether you can make the changes necessary. Not everyone will be able to make

those changes. Decide which ones will work for you and your family.

5. Compare the two and choose the cheaper option!

Remember,youcanchangeyourmindifyouwantto.Ifyouswitchtoaflexiblepricingstructureandfindthatit’snotworkingforyou,youcanchangebacktoaflatratetariffanytimebeforeMarch2015.Justkeepinmindthatyoumusthavebeenontheflatratetariffwiththatproviderbefore;ifyouchangeprovidersandbeginontheflexiblepricingplan,youwillneedtostayonthatplan.

Flexible pricing is scheduled to be available from mid-2013.

Who pays for the smart meter installations?The costs to the distributors of installing and maintaining the smart meters are passed onto the retailers who then pass the costs to the individual consumer. Most retailers are including the cost of the smart meter as part of the regular monthly electricity bill to spread the cost out over a period of time.

Some retailers are including this cost in the ‘additional services’ line on your electricity bill. This may be calledaSupplyChargeorServicetoPropertyCharge.Someretailersaresplittingthecostspecifictoinstalling your smart meter onto a different line to maintain transparency.

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Citipower

Powercor SP AusNet

JemenaUnitedEnergy

VIC

Consumers have always paid an amount towards installation and maintenance of their meters. Replacing every single meter with a new smart one incurs additional costs and it is this cost that is being recouped through users bills. To keep costs fair and as low as possible, they are being recovered from all customers over the same period of time, regardless of whether a smart meter has been installed or not. The alternative, of billing street by street, is more expensive for everyone involved. Charges are regulated by the Australian Energy Regulator.

These charges have been a part of your electricity bill since January 2010.

Monitoring usageEvery 30 minutes your smart meter is sending information about your energy consumption to a central database maintained by your energy retailer. You can access this data and see your household’s energy consumption patterns through online portals.

At the time of writing, the following retailers had fully operational web portals or announced the launch of web portals for customers to check their energy usage:

• AGL Energy - My AGL IQ1

• Origin Energy - Origin Smart2

• Energy Australia (previously Tru Energy) - eWise3

The following distributors have web portals for use with smart meters:

• Jemena Electricity (North Western Melbourne) - Electricity Outlook4

• United Energy (South East Melbourne & Mornington Peninsula) - Energy Easy5

• SP Ausnet (Northern and Eastern Victoria) - MyHomeEnergy6

The 5 electricity distributors in Victoria

1 http://www.agl.com.au/home/MyAGLIQ/Pages/default.aspx2 http://www.originenergy.com.au/originsmart3 http://www.energyaustralia.com.au/ewise4 https://electricityoutlook.jemena.com.au/5 https://energyeasy.ue.com.au/6 https://www.myhomeenergy.com.au/ui/GWRMain.html

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Why use an online portal?

1. See your energy usage

If you’ve ever wondered whether having that heater on all evening cost you a lot in your energy bills,nowyoucanfindout.Youmaybesurprisedathowmuchenergyisusedbyyourhouseholdand when!

2. Compare your usage to other households

Most web portals offer a service that allows you to compare the amount of energy your home is using to similar homes. This will give you an idea of whether you have room for improvement in the way your household uses energy.

3. Make decisions to reduce your energy bill

Armed with the information about what your energy use, you can make decisions about how to use it in the future, potentially saving you money and lowering your energy consumption.

4. Set and track energy savings goals

Some portals have included an energy saving goal feature, letting you track how much electricity, dollars and greenhouse gas emissions you have saved when compared with previous usage.

Privacy of your dataThere are strict guidelines in place for how the information about your energy usage can be collected and used. All companies must comply with the Federal Privacy Act (1988) including proper security processes and staff checks for protection of the information. Additionally, the smart meter data in particular is subject toextraconfidentialityrulesassetoutinthedocumentsalreadygoverningtheuseofyourelectricitydata.1

A review of the privacy program by Lockstep Consulting showed that no information from the smart meters hadbeengivenoutillegally.Itconfirmedthatcontrolsoverthedataarestrongandthetechnologyusedbythe smart meters is secure. The wireless links between the devices and networks are encrypted and do not use the internet

1 http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/smart-meters/privacy

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part

5

Smart meters in NSW

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History of smart meters in NSWSince 2004, AusGrid has installed all new and replacement electricity meters with smart meters.1 Approximately 400,000 AusGrid customers now have a smart meter installed but only 250,000 of them are on Time of Use contracts. There is no additional cost to the consumer for the installation of smart meters being replaced by AusGrid, however, if you want to upgrade of your own accord, you may need to wear the cost.

AusGrid has also been participating in a $100 million trial project known as Smart Grid Smart City,2 involving around 30,000 households, aiming to get a better understanding of how new technologies can save energy and money for New South Wales households.

RolloutTheNSWGovernmenthasrecognizedthefuturebenefitofsmartmetersandwantstorolloutmore.However, wary of the controversy surrounding the Victorian mandated roll out, particularly the cost blowouts, they are taking some time to work out the best plan of attack. So far, recommendations have been to keep it market-led (not compulsory) and focussed on what will provide the consumer the most benefit.3

Smart meter taskforceThe NSW Government’s Smart Meter taskforce released a discussion paper late 2012 calling for submissions which closed end of February 2013. The discussion paper listed the following principles to be considered in any smart meter rollout:

1. Consumers should not pay higher charges for smart meters;

2. A Government mandated rollout should be avoided;

3. The government has a role in promoting consumer acceptance;

4. Therolloutofsmartmetersandtimeofusepricesarenotinthemselvessufficienttodrive

significantdemandreductions.4

1 http://www.ausgrid.com.au/Common/Our-network/Metering/Meter-upgrades.aspx#.UVQBn3BDKBI2 http://www.smartgridsmartcity.com.au/About-Smart-Grid-Smart-City.aspx3 http://bundl.com.au/news/smart-meters-nsw-coming/4 Download disccusion paper: http://engage.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/document/show/585

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part

6

How to reduce your electricity bill

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Over past few years, the average Australian household saw increases in electricity bills from between 15% to 50%. These extra costs are hurting consumer pockets and making everyone reconsider how much electricity they use on a daily basis.

Image taken from Rise of the Electricity Bill Infographic1

If you’re like most people, you’re only vaguely aware of how much energy has been used until the bills arrive! With the introduction of smart meters and the availability of online portals for real-time reports, it’s a good idea to make a habit of checking your electricity consumption once a week. Some portals will send you an email with an update to help you stay on top of it. If the internet isn’t your thing, or you want immediate (rather than daily) information, you may want to consider investing in an In Home Display (IHD). These are small, portable, wireless devices that read information from the smart meter and feed it back to you instantly via a small screen. Check Part 7 for more information.

Now that you’re armed with the information of how much energy is costing you, let’s take a look at how you can reduce it. Of course, there are some things we know may use up a lot of energy (like air con on a boiling hot day or a 50 inch plasma screen to watch the Boxing Day match) that we just can’t bear to give up! That’s okay. You can still save money by making small changes in a) how much electricity you use and b) when you useyourelectricity(ifyouareonasmartmeterflexiblepricingplan).

1 http://bundl.com.au/blog/the-rise-of-the-electricity-bill-infographic/

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Outsmart your smart meter by using electricity when its cheapestSmartmetersarecrucialinprovidingthissolutionbecausetheyallowflexiblepricing(otherwiseknownasTime of Use Tariffs). ToU Tariffs charge electricity at peak hours of the day at higher prices than at off peak hours of the day.

The chart below shows how a typical Queensland household uses energy throughout the day.

The regular daily cycle peaks in the morning as everyone gets up for work, drops throughout the day as we go about our business and then peaks again for dinner and bedtime. The night as every one sleeps is off peak period when not much electricity is used.

Althoughthisisamorecomplicatedsystemthantheflatratemethod,thekeytousingyoursmartmeterto save money on your power bills is to time the use of electrical devices during off peak periods when possible.

Identify your power guzzlersUnfortunately the monitoring data from your smart meter doesn’t break down your electricity usage by appliance as most appliances aren’t smart meter ready yet. But we can get a good idea which appliances are chewing through electricity from the following graph from the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).

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10 Days!

Formulate a plan of attackKnowing (or at least having a good idea) which appliances are using the most electricity allows you to formulate your plan of attack around shifting usage of those appliances to a time of day where it is cheaper. We’ve started you off with thefollowingcommonelectricityguzzlers.

Air ConditionersIf you have a set system, time the air conditioner to do the major part of cooling down the house in the off-peak period (for example, from 4:30pm – 5pm before you get home) or in the hour before you wake up. Particularly in the morning if you are only in the house for an hour before leaving for work, setting the air conditioner to cool the place from 6am – 7am before you get up will, in most warm temperatures, keep the place cool until you leave the house.

Pool PumpsContrary to popular belief pool pumps do not need to be on 24/7. In fact, they can do a good job of keeping your pool clean by running as little as 6-8 hours day. This is a great opportunity to take advantage of the off-peak electrical prices. Turn the pool pump on before you go to bed and turn it off when you get up in the morning.

Washing machine / dryer / dishwasherAll of these appliances can be set to run at off-peak or shoulder periods. For example, you could leave switching on the washing machine until right before you leave the house for the day. Many washing machines come with a delay button, allowing a cycle to begin in one or two hours, even if you’re not at home. If you use hot water for your washing this also means the cost of heating your water is less. Clothes dryers can be run overnight, delivering a fresh load of warm jumpers to put on in the morning.

Of course, always ensure you’re putting in a full load with any of these appliances, particularly dishwashers as they use high amounts of both electricity and hot water.

Programmable hot water thermostatIf you have an electric water heater, you can install a programmable hot water thermostat meaning your house will only heat water when you actually need it. Aside from the electricity savings of not using energy you don’t need, if you happen to have an irregular schedule (ie: showering in the middle of the day or late at night) this will save you money by taking advantage of the off-peak electricity prices.

Get Out Of The House For Just 10 Days A YearSomeretailersareofferingasecondalternativetothetypicalflexiblepricingscheme. One of the main goals of the smart meters is to reduce consumption of energy particularly during those few days a year when energy use peaks (very hot or very cold days). It is possible to choose a plan where you pay less for regular use of energy, any day or time of the week all year round, with the exception of 10 Critical Peak Days.

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Onthesecriticalpeakdays,thechargesincreasesignificantlyduringa6hourperiod,withsomeplanscosting thirteen times more than the usual rate. Critical Peak Days are advised 24 hours in advance through a chosen method of communication (email, sms or phone call).

Ifyouhavedifficultyregularlychangingyourroutinebutcouldgetoutofthehouseandheadto,say,afriends place or a pool for 6 hours at a day’s notice, this could be your solution. Remember though, you will be charged a very high rate for any electricity going into your house during those hours, including the electricity keeping the refrigerator running or alarm systems charged. If a Critical Peak Day happens to fallwhileyouareonholiday,itmaybedifficulttomodifytheamountofelectricitybeingconsumedbyyourhouse.

Aim for at least two of these changesMost people will be able to make at least one or two of the suggested changes. For most of these suggestionsyouwillprobablyfindthatoncethehabitischanged,thereisnodifferencetoyourqualityoflifestyle except saving hundreds of dollars in electricity a year. And that’s a pretty good outcome!

BumpupyourenergyefficiencyOf course, the second way to save money on your electricity bill is to use less of it by increasing your energyefficiency.Therearemanywaysyoucanmakesmalladjustmentsaroundthehometoseebigsavings at the end of the year.

From the IPART graph on page 20,Itisclearthatthegreatestelectricityguzzlersarehotwater,refrigeration, entertainment and heating and cooling

Hot waterHot water accounts for around a third of all electricity consumed in the home. Decreasing your hot water usage is the best way to decrease your electricity bill.

easy tip1 InstallEnergyEfficientShowerheadsCost to implement = $30, money saved on electricity bill = $100/year

An unrated old school showerhead uses upward of 25-30 litres of water per minute. A new WELS 3 star rated showerhead commonly uses 9 litres of water per minute. But why stop there; showerheads of 5-6 litresofwaterperminutewillgetthejobdoneformost.Giveittwoorthreedaysandmostpeoplefindthattheycan’trememberwhattheiroldwaterguzzlingshowerheadfeltlike.Ifyoucan’tquitestomacha5L/minshowerhead for your bathroom, install it in the kid’s or second bathroom.

easy tip2 Shorter showersCost to implement = free, money saved on electricity bill = $100/year

4 minutes is enough for a proper shower, especially if you’re not washing your hair ladies. It can seem like timejustslipsawayfromyouthoughsoagreatinvestmentisaneggtimerorspecificshowertimefor$5so you, and your family, can stick to getting in and getting out.

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easy tip3 Wash clothes in cold waterCost to implement = free, money saved on electricity bill = $75/year

Switching to cold water when washing clothes will decrease your electricity costs of your washing machine by80-90%.Thelessenergyefficientyourmachineis,themoreelectricityyouwillsavebyonlyusingcoldwater. Only use warm water on particularly dirty and oily clothes.

hard tip1 Get a solar hot water systemCost to implement = $5000, money saved on electricity bill = $400/year

Reduce your hot water electricity costs by up to 75% by switching to a solar hot water system. Many factors will determine which system is best for you so ensure you do your research beforehand. You may still be eligible to receiveSmall-ScaleTechnologyCertificates (STCs) and possibly state and local governmentrebates for upgrading to a solar system. Check out http://www.hotwaterrebate.com.au.

Refrigeration & Entertainmenteasy tip

4 BuyenergyefficientappliancesCost to implement = Dependent, money saved on electricity bill = $100/year

A TV with a 5 star label uses nearly twice the energy of a TV with a 9 star label. Over the period of 10 years the savings can add up to the same cost as purchasing it. This also applies to your refrigerator, washing machine and dishwasher. When it comes times to replacing your appliances, your wallet will eventually benefitfromchoosingonewithahigherenergyefficiencyrating.

easy tip5 Turn off (or throw away!) the second fridgeCost to implement = Free, money saved on electricity bill = $265/year

That old beer fridge in your garage could be costing you as much as $265 a year all by itself! Consider asking Fridge Buy Back to give you money for it instead.

easy tip6 Turn off standby appliancesCost to implement = Free, money saved on electricity bill = $100/year

Items like your television and microwave consume power even when they’re not being used. Switching them off at the wall can save you up to $100 a year on electricity bills. Standby power controllers can do this for you automatically, and they are free if you live in Victoria.1

1 https://www.veet.vic.gov.au/Public/Public.aspx?id=VEETActivities

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hard tip2 Upgrade(orgetrightsize)poolpumpFor an average home, keep a pool clean can account for up to 30 per cent of an energy bill!

Sometimes this is more than the energy your washing machine, clothes dryer and dishwasher use combined. Startbychoosingthemostenergyefficientpoolpumpandcheckwiththespecialiststoensureyouhavetherightsizeandmodel.

Heating and coolingeasy tip

7 Close the curtainsCost to implement = free, money saved on electricity bill = $50/year

You can reduce heat loss in winter by 40% and reduce heat gain in summer by 15% simply by closing your curtains. Don’t forget to open your curtains on those rare warm and sunny winter days to capture as much heat as you can.

easy tip8 Use fans instead of air conditioning on warm nightsCost to implement = $50, money saved on electricity bill = $150/year

Many people can get away with just using several mechanical fans throughout most of summer. Fans don’t actually decrease the temperature inside the room; the cooling effect comes from air moving over your body. Createanairflowbyopeningwindowsanddoors

easy tip9 Turn down the thermostat in winterCost to implement = Free, Money saved on electricity bill = $100/year

Keep your thermostat between 18-21 degrees C in winter. Put on a pair of socks and add an extra blanket over your bed to keep warm at night. Every degree that you increase your thermostat can result in a 15% increase in heating costs.

hard tip3 Insulate your ceilingCost to implement = $1200, money saved on electricity bill = $200/year

While the Federal Government’s implementation of the insulation scheme could have been handled better, therearesignificantbenefits to insulatingyourhouse. Insulatingyourceilingcansaveyou40%offyourheating and cooling costs. Remember to choose insulation with an appropriate “R- value” (higher = better) for your surroundings. More information on choosing the right insulation can be found at the yourhome website.1

1 http://www.yourhome.gov.au/technical/fs47.html

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These may seem like small changes but when added up together they can make a big difference at the end of the day. Before we move on, here’s a step-by-step plan to ensure you are getting the best price on your electricity bills.

Summary to getting the cheapest price under the new pricing system

1. Smart meter is installed;

2. Familiariseyourselfwithyourcurrentprovider’sflexibleenergyrates,offpeak,peakandshoulder;

3. Identify high energy use appliances in your house that can be shifted to cheaper time periods;

4. Make any changes to your energy consumption habits that you and your family can make to take

advantage of these time periods;

5. Allow one or two months of data about your energy consumption to be collected;

6. Use the data about your new energy consumption habits to compare and choose the best retailer

and plan for you.

Outsmarting your smart meter - a guide to cheaper electricity bills 25

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part

7

The future of smart meters

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Home area network (HAN)Home Area Networks connect devices in the home to the smart meter. The data collected by your smart meter can be shared with these devices. Eventually, it won’t be only your electricity meter that is ‘smart’. We will have ‘smart’ washing machines, dishwashers and fridges that send data to your smart meter as well as other devices, opening a range of opportunities for managing your home appliances and energy consumption. More information on HANs can be found at the Smartgrid News.1

In home devices (IHDs)IHD’s are special devices utilised by homeowners to receive the information that the smart meter is collecting instantaneously (rather than through the distributor or retailers web portal). This information is displayed on the IHD on a small LED or LCD screen. Users push buttons either on the IHD itself or on the screen to navigatethedata.ThedataissharedoverasecurenetworkbyauthorizingapasswordbetweenyourIHDand the smart meter. This ensures no other people can access your smart meter data with their own IHD. The devices are usually portable and can be purchased from electrical technology retail outlets.

BeforepurchasinganIHDdevice,checkwithyourenergydistributoraboutthespecificationsofyoursmartmeter to ensure you buy an IHD that is compatible. Setting up the IHD is possible for anyone with a bit of computerknowledge,similartosettingupawi-fiinternetconnection.Talkwithyouravailableoptionsifyoufeel uncomfortable setting out on your own. Jemena has a clear video showing the process of setting up an IHD with one of their smart meters.2

ThermostatsIt is already possible to control some appliances such as air conditioners and heating systems via IHDs. Take down the brand and model information before heading out to check with your technology retailer about options suitable for you.

Controlling appliances from a smart phoneAsmoreandmoreappliancesbecomefittedwith‘smarttechnology’,thegreatertheHomeAreaNetworkwillbecome, eventually including all your appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators and even security systems. Using your laptop and internet connection, this network could provide remote control access over your appliances, such as the ability to turn them on and off even when outside the home. You may be even be able to submit your appliances to a program regulating the use of energy across a particular area (state orregion).Theprogramwould,forexample,turnonyourwashingmachineordryeratthemostefficienttimewithin the next 24 hours. These sorts of coordinated ‘smart’ efforts help drive costs down and decrease our impact on the planet.

1 http://www.smartgridnews.com/artman/publish/Technologies_Home_Area_Networks/2 http://jemena.com.au/customer/electricity/smart-meters/portal/

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Thanks for readingWe hope you got some real value from this Ebook and that you are now in a better position to decrease the impact smart meters have on your family’s budget, and hopefully even save money after having one installed.

Got feedback? We’d love to hear it. Please email hello@bundl.com.au

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