There is a strong business case for small and medium-sized firms to install smart meters, according to DECC
The conclusions come from an impact assessment (IA) accompanying a DECC consultation on the roll-out of smart meters which covers sites with an electricity profile of classes 3 and 4, and those with an annual gas consumption below 732MWh.
Capital and installation costs for a communications hub with fixed WAN (wide-area network) – the government’s preferred option – are estimated at £358 million, with other costs, including expenditure on communications, bringing the overall total to £604 million over a 20-year period.
However, the benefits could total £1.63 billion, mainly from savings from reducing energy consumption. UK-wide benefits, from reduced carbon emissions, are estimated at £535 million.
The IA also identifies other, non-monetary benefits that smart meters can provide, such as being a strong enabling tool for many energy-efficiency policies and facilitating improved competition.
The consultation ends on 13 October.
