Smart energy — how technology can help cut your bills at home

Energy bills have been one of the biggest financial pressures of the last few years. Many of us have adjusted how we live — turning things off, washing at lower temperatures, thinking twice about the thermostat.

But there is a set of tools most people are not using that can make a real difference. Not complicated. Not expensive. And some of them are completely free.

YOUR SMART METER

If you have a smart meter — and most homes now do or can request one from their supplier — you have access to real-time information about exactly how much energy you are using and what it is costing you.

The In-Home Display that comes with a smart meter shows your usage updating every thirty seconds. Most people who engage with it — actually look at it regularly — reduce their energy use noticeably, simply because they can see what is happening. Turning on a kettle, an oven, a tumble dryer — watching the display jump in real time changes behaviour in a way that a monthly bill simply does not.

If you have a smart meter but have never looked at the display, find it and turn it on. It is one of the most effective free tools available.

ENERGY TARIFF SWITCHING

Many people are on their energy supplier's standard variable tariff — which is rarely the best available rate. Comparison sites including Uswitch, MoneySuperMarket, and the government-backed service at ofgem.gov.uk allow you to compare what you are paying against available alternatives in minutes.

With energy prices stabilising, fixed-rate tariffs have returned to the market and are worth examining. Even a small saving per month adds up significantly over a year.

SMART PLUGS

A smart plug costs between ten and twenty pounds and plugs into any standard socket. It allows you to control whatever is plugged into it — a lamp, a phone charger, a television — remotely from your phone, and to set schedules so things switch off automatically.

More usefully, many smart plugs monitor the energy consumption of whatever is connected to them. You can see exactly how much electricity your television, your fridge, or your old freezer is actually using. Older appliances are often surprisingly expensive to run.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The most effective energy-saving technology is not glamorous. It is a well-programmed thermostat, a smart meter display you actually look at, and a broadband tariff you have reviewed in the last year.

Small adjustments, made with a little information and the right tools, add up to real savings. And the tools to make those adjustments have never been more accessible.

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