Study: “Smart” Meters Reduce Energy Use Around 2% - Not Environmentally Meaningful as Promised

By B.N. Frank

Since tens of millions of 2-way wireless transmitting utility “Smart” Meters have been installed on homes and throughout communities in the U.S. and worldwide – you probably have them even if your utility company doesn’t call them “Smart”.

They are so unpopular (see 1, 2, 3) and problematic and EXPENSIVE (see 1, 2) that a documentary was produced about them in 2013 and then updated and re-released in 2017. Most of the costs for their installation AND their replacements have been and continue to be passed onto customers.

Proponents – including environmental groups (see 1, 2) – promised they would help customers reduce their energy use. OMG No! In fact, because they are 2-way transmitting, they actually use more energy to operate than original 1-way transmitting meters and that additional use is at least sometimes being passed on to customers (see 1, 2).

Thanks to TechExplore for publishing another study about Smart Meters failing to live up to their hype:

When the Smart Meter Rollout Programme launched a decade ago, it was touted as a way of helping consumers cut down on their energy usage, but new research has found that environmental concerns have little impact on reducing energy consumption.

Smart meters were introduced to allow customers to manage their energy use and it was hoped they would save money on bills and lessen their environmental impact by reducing energy demand, as well as changing their attitudes towards their energy use.

But new research by Keele University using focus groups has found that 10 years after the programme was rolled out, people’s awareness around strategies for improving our energy efficiency is still only limited.

The findings also showed that environmental concerns are not a key driver in promoting energy reduction behaviours, not because participants don’t care about the environment but because they felt a reduction in their energy consumption would have very little impact on the environment.

These findings are in line with recent estimates which suggest that reductions in energy usage are only at around 2% since the start of the rollout, and far lower than the meaningful energy reductions which were hoped for.

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Fires, explosions, and malfunctioning and breaking appliances are also associated with these meters (see 1, 2. 3. 4). They also emit Electromagnetic Radiation (aka “Electrosmog”) which can make people, plants and animals sick (see 1, 2, 3, 4).

Utility companies and their cronies continue to promote them and force their installation because “Smart” Meters collect customer usage data 24/7, whereas original analog meters DO NOT. Utilities use that data to try to market more products and services to customers and/or sell it to 3^rd parties. It’s all very yucky.

Activist Post reports regularly about “Smart” Meters and other unsafe technology. For more information, visit our archives and the following websites:

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