The chief executive of Utilita has hit out at the official campaign behind the smart meter rollout and said the millions spent over the last decade has “not been money well spent”.
Despite the efforts of Smart Energy GB (SEGB), which is funded by energy suppliers, the latest government figures reveal that the rollout is only just over halfway complete at 54% coverage.
During an interview with Utility Week Bill Bullen, the founder of Utilita, a prepayment meter (PPM) specialist energy supplier which has 90% of its customer base on smart meters, suggested the sector could have achieved 50% coverage without the campaign.
He said: “I’m not laying the whole blame on Smart Energy GB but I’m just saying that I feel like it has not been money well spent. Would we have achieved 50% anyway? Probably yes so in which case, what’s the point of it?”
Established in 2013 the independent, not-for-profit organisation aims to encourage the uptake of smart meters among consumers and has had a number of notable ad-campaigns, with the latest featuring the likeness of Albert Einstein.
Documents published by the campaign show that its total budget for 2022 is £38.3 million, with large energy retailers required to contribute seven-figure sums annually.
Bullen added that he believed there are a number of reasons behind the lack of take up, including retailers failing to prioritise PPM customers
He added: “They (retailers) just didn’t get on board with it that quickly. They didn’t focus on the areas where they’re going to get most benefit, in other words the prepay sector which got back ended by just about everybody else.
“So there’s a whole load of reasons. And obviously there’s the technology delays and all the rest of it that mean that we are at this point of only 50%. But I just don’t think Smart Energy GB has made any difference. If we hadn’t spent any money promoting it we’d still be at 50%.”
Responding to his comments, a SEGB spokesperson said: “The most cost-effective way to deliver a national campaign with consistent messages that reaches the whole country, including those in vulnerable circumstances, is through a coordinated approach.
“Industry-verified statistical analysis shows that more than 50% of smart meter installations are attributable to SEGB’s activities, showing the clear success of these activities. In 2021, the year the Einstein campaign launched, it proved twice as effective as any campaign in SEGB’s history.
“These results and how they are calculated are overseen by SEGB’s board, which includes senior supplier representatives. We conduct independent research annually with the board and other senior stakeholders to measure their opinions of SEGB and its work. This year, SEGB’s favourability rating was 99%, up from 89% in 2021.”