Are Your Heat Meters Healthy?
Emily Lister, Sales & Marketing Director at Insite Energy, sheds light on the vital role household meters play in enhancing heat network energy efficiency.
When discussing heat network energy efficiency, household meters often take a backseat in our thoughts. However, operating heat meters correctly is crucial for a well-functioning system. These meters not only ensure residents are billed fairly and transparently but also play a key role in monitoring system performance and identifying faults, ultimately reducing operating costs.
Meter health, as a term, refers to the overall condition of a meter, directly impacting its ability to provide accurate automatic meter readings and connect to metering systems. Healthy meters not only offer more precise information but are also less likely to fail, leading to lower tariffs for residents and reduced additional costs.
On the flip side, unhealthy meters can give inaccurate data, stop communicating with billing platforms, or cease functioning altogether, resulting in billing issues that are hard to resolve retrospectively. These problems can lead to overcharging residents, disputes, or under-recovering costs, causing financial strains for property managers acting as energy suppliers and operators.
Furthermore, faulty meters can cause operators to miss or misdiagnose equipment failures, resulting in operational inefficiencies and higher maintenance costs.
To address these challenges, Ofgem is implementing stringent metering requirements for heat networks as it takes over as the sector’s regulator next year. Smart meters will need to be installed in most cases, meeting specific accuracy standards and undergoing timely repairs. Non-compliance could lead to fines, penalties, and reputational damage for energy suppliers.
Therefore, it’s essential for every energy management plan to include strategies for maintaining meter health, leading to tangible benefits such as cost savings and improved customer satisfaction.
In a recent case at a London housing association, a proactive meter maintenance strategy across 4,807 homes resulted in a 117% increase in bills based on accurate readings within 12 months. Costs decreased by approximately £75,000, and resident satisfaction improved. This successful programme is now being extended to a further 2,857 homes.
To enhance meter health and reap similar benefits, consider installing remote-monitoring software, communicating with residents, batch maintenance scheduling, continuous monitoring of heat networks, and prioritising repairs based on data-driven insights. Investing in a comprehensive meter maintenance contract with service level agreements and monitoring programmes can proactively address issues before they escalate.
Ultimately, meter maintenance is not just about hardware; it’s about ensuring accurate billing, reducing costs, regulatory compliance, and enhancing customer satisfaction. Effective planning and targeted approaches are crucial to achieving these outcomes.
This article originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of Energy Manager magazine.
