You have an electric meter. Every house and apartment has one. You might know where it is, but you probably never even look at it. Once a month the meter reader shows up, reads the numbers on the meter, and then a week later you get the bill. You might have even seen the little disk spinning. The faster it spins, the more juice you are using. But these little dials with numbers and the spinney flat disk - they don't tell you much. And they don't tell the power company much either. But there are new meters coming to your home. All PG&E customers will have a SmartMeter on their electrical and gas connections by the year 2011. Some have already been upgraded.

What is a SmartMeter?

It still looks like a small glass fishbowl on its side, but instead of the old dials and disk it will have a digital display. It will tell you how much energy you are consuming - real time - in kilowatts, as well as give you the total number of kilowatt hours that have been consumed by your residence since the last meter reading. For the power company it's even better than that: Since these meters communicate over a special wireless network, the utility company can read them without sending someone out on foot. WOOHOO! I know. That should have been done about 25 years ago. But it just wasn't considered cost effective then. Now that our power grid is leaning heavily on its walker, and summertime power needs are costing us a fortune in coal-fired electricity, the power companies are figuring out how to use technology to cut cost and smooth out consumption.

Here's the benefit - as we are converted to smart meters, our utility can see how much energy is being used with much better detail than ever before. This allows them to better manage the power grid, and deliver electricity more efficiently. And in the future, you'll have the option of signing up for various programs that can save you money, and in exchange, permit the power company to make small changes in your power consumption in certain critical times. These small changes will have the net effect of avoiding the construction of new power plants. And that's a win for everyone!

When is my home going to be converted to a SmartMeter?

You can go to this link on the PG&E website to see. You plug in your city and they will give you a range (as much as a year in length) of when to expect the upgrade. Not very specific, I know.  A few weeks prior to the upgrade, they are supposed to send you a note telling you that the date is approaching.
http://pge.com/myhome/customerservice/meter/smartmeter/deployment/index.shtml

I think my SmartMeter is making my electricity bill higher than it should be! What do I do about it?

The new meter should work very well, and you should not see any real difference in your energy consumption. But there is always the possibility that the new one went south. If you see significantly higher readings following your SmartMeter upgrade, you can try calling the utility company. They should be able to test and resolve the issue. You can also call EmeraldECO. We have equipment that can very quickly identify if there is an issue with the new meter. With this data, it should be much easier to get the meter repaired or replaced quickly.

Now that I have a Smartmeter, how can I use it to reduce my energy consumption and help the planet?

Good news! You have the meter, so you now have a tool that can help you reduce your carbon footprint, cut your monthly costs and help to reduce global warming!
The simplest way to make use of your Smartmeter is to take a look at the display and learn what it is telling you. Unlike the old meter, your new SmartMeter tells you how much electricity you are using right this second, as well as how much you have used so far this billing period. This can help you determine what appliances are using the most energy in your home. The other way to use the meter is to login to the PGE.com website and you can view your hourly consumption. [Minute-by-minute would be my preference but it’s not available from the SmartMeter. At least not yet]. The website displays data that is delayed at least one day, so it’s not the perfect tool, but it is a start. Armed with this info, many folks will start their adventure in reducing their electricity consumption!

The SmartMeter is nice, but I need training on how to make the best use of this technology. Who can help me?

Some folks will find the SmartMeter to be a very useful tool, while others will want some additional training. EmeraldECO is happy to provide on-site training for those that really want to understand their energy use. Call us today at 415-515-2405.

I have some electrical loads that are a real mystery! How can I get a better tool to figure out where my electricity is going?

Please call us at your convenience and we can discuss how to help you reach your goals! 415-515-2405