U.K. smart meters getting closer to homes

LONDON, March 12 (UPI) -- Every home in Britain will have an intelligent energy meter under current plans.

The nearly $10 billion scheme still has some unanswered questions, The Independent reported.

Smart meters are bolted into wood perched and look like the same meters homeowners have now. The circuits inside the meters, however, are more advanced and can help control energy use.

A national roll-out would, according to Duncan Sedgwick, head of the Energy Retailers Association, represent a change "bigger than North Sea gasification."

"This will fundamentally change our relationship with energy usage," Sedgwick said.

The prototype was developed by meter-maker PRI for EDH under a government pilot program to develop and test different approaches to smart meters.

The meters would allow real-time tracking of bills and allow homeowners to review times of peak usage, receive email messages from energy companies with tips on how to save energy and see a running total of carbon emitted due to your energy usage for the year.

Smart meters are part of the U.K.'s plan to lower carbon emissions and plans are being worked on in government as to how to roll-out the meter on a national scale.

Malcolm Wicks, the Energy minister at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, is expected to announce final plans for how 26 million homes will be fitted with the new kit by the end of the month.