Ofgem’s response to the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s August 2015 consultation on amending Smart Meter In-Home Display (IHD) Licence Conditions
Correspondence and other
Publication date
Industry sector
Supply and Retail Market
Below is our response to DECC's consultation on proposed modifications to the IHD licence conditions.
"We strongly support your proposal to allow suppliers to trial innovative approaches to providing consumers feedback on their energy usage. Technology has been advancing quickly, in particular with the rise of smart phones and tablets. Allowing trials should allow you to gather evidence on whether innovative consumer engagement approaches could bring about equivalent or greater benefits at lower cost compared to IHDs. It could also add to the current evidence you have regarding the benefits that IHDs provide if, for example, trials are carried out on alternative engagement tools that replicate some IHD functionality.
Whilst we support allowing trials, we appreciate the strength of evidence gathered by DECC in support of the benefits of IHDs. Until you have further evidence, we think it is a sensible precaution to amend the IHD licence conditions in relation to suppliers offering alternative engagement tools.
Our comments on your specific proposals are set out in the response letter attached."