Many energy market regulators and utilities enable consumers to participate in energy efficiency programmes, as well as demand response or critical peak response programmes. New solutions are emerging to empower customers through time-based pricing plans, and increased access to real time energy information services.

The benefits of these programmes include helping to balance supply and demand, maximise efficiency, improve reliability, provide new service models, and, ultimately, empower the consumers.

Information for consumers enables greater interaction and informed decision making

Arc Innovations' in-home devices (IHDs) provide a simple and convenient way for consumers to access real time usage, current pricing and near real time alert information in the home.

Leveraging the IHD functionality has the potential to create new products, services, and capabilities for customers. The meter acts as a gateway to further in-home wireless functionality and connectivity, which supports home area networking (HAN) for in-premise consumer communications and load control via future facilities such as smart thermostats, hot water heater controls, or emerging smart appliance communications.

The IHD and HAN gateway is part of a future complete smart home and network. Smart networks depend upon advanced meters and smart homes.

The In Home Device as an energy efficiency enabler

Energy efficiency is often referred to as the ‘fifth fuel' in these times of constraint, reflecting the importance energy efficiency plays in potentially saving energy dollars and reducing energy use. Energy efficiency must contribute to reducing our overall energy needs. Energy users in the home should have all the information they need to make informed decisions about how to reduce energy consumption.

Consumers can view a local display that provides the tangible link between energy consumption today and the energy bill they will eventually receive.

Displaying current power consumption that is near real time levels, in both usage and cost terms, is powerful information for consumers who are used to receiving a bill just for energy use a month after the energy is used.