Over 70% to benefit from smart meter electricity by 2020
© Philippe Put 28 July, 2014

Over 70% to benefit from smart meter electricity by 2020

The Joint Research Centre has announced that over 70% of EU citizens will benefit from smart meter electricity by 2020, according to the institute’s latest report.

The JRC revealed the finding in its first report measuring the progress of smart meters deployment across the EU against the 80% target by 2020. The JRC estimates that almost 72% of European consumers will have a smart meter for electricity. Over 200 million smart meters for electricity and 45 million for gas are set to be rolled out by 2020, and EU member states have so far pledged to invest €45bn in smart meter technology.

The JRC says smart meters are essential for consumers in helping to deliver accurate billing. The meters record actual consumption of electricity and gas and monitor current usage. The report, ‘Benchmarking smart metering deployment in the EU27 with a focus on electricity’, provides detailed information regarding EU member states’ rollout plans and also highlights best practices. The average cost per smart meter for consumers is between €200 and €250, but the JRC estimates that meters help deliver on average €309 worth of benefits, along with 3% energy savings.