The majority of consumers don’t get what smart meters are all about, according to a new survey. This remains a major hurdle for the adoption of smart grid initiatives, Pike research said.
The new consumer survey finds that consumer familiarity with smart
meters is a critical element in fostering positive impressions of these
new devices and their benefits. The survey, based on a nationally
representative sample of more than 1,000 U.S. adults, finds that among
respondents who were “extremely familiar” with smart meters, 67% stated
that they had an “extremely” or “very” favorable opinion on the devices.
This level of favorability was dramatically higher than the total base
of survey participants, in which only 29% provided a favorable rating
for smart meters.
“There is a direct correlation between consumer familiarity with
smart meters and their favorable views toward the technology,” says
research director Bob Gohn. “Most consumers in our survey still don’t
understand what smart meters are all about, and this lack of knowledge
is a real barrier to ultimate acceptance. To ensure the success of smart
meter deployments and avoid repeating the mistakes of several early
rollouts, it is incumbent on utilities to increase their customer
outreach and education programs.”
As the momentum of utility smart grid initiatives continues to increase, questions of consumer acceptance are of paramount importance for the industry. During 2010, the industry discussion of consumer issues has intensified, particularly in the wake of loud consumer pushback related to smart meter deployments in the Pacific Gas & Electric (NYSE: PCG) and Oncor service territories.
Other key findings of the survey are as follows:
- 56% of survey respondents described themselves as “not very” or “not at all” familiar with smart meters. Among this group, the number of respondents giving favorable ratings was extremely low. Ambivalence to smart meters was the most common response.
- Increased consumer access to electricity usage information was identified as an important benefit by 52% of respondents, making this the most frequent benefit cited. Improved reliability of electricity service was not far behind, with 46% of consumers identifying this benefit as important to them.
- The most popular reason for an unfavorable opinion about smart meters, chosen by 59% of respondents, focused on concerns that the devices would increase electricity bills.
- Smart meters were the least popular of the four consumer smart grid concepts covered by Pike Research’s survey, with a 29% favorability/interest rating. Other more popular concepts were home energy management (47%), smart appliances (44%), and demand response services (33%).
An Executive Summary of the report “Smart Grid Consumer Survey” is available for free download at the link below.
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Many people who think they are informed were fooled by PG&E propaganda. Many People in Hinkley, California believed that the holding ponds were lined and safe as PG&E told them.
Only after dozens of operations and deaths in families in Hinkley did the people finally realize that PG&E “Science” is a bad joke.
Due to publicity from the Erin Brockovich movie, nearly everyone knows now that PG&E corporate was lying. PG&E is also lying about each facet of the wireless smart meters.
PG&E is lying and covering up problems with Privacy, Security, Increased Utility Bills and Health.
SCIENTISTS AND REAL PEOPLE REPORTING – QUITE DIFFERENT THAN UTILITY COMPANY.
1. Insurance Companies Won’t Insure Wireless Device Risks (3 minutes, 13 seconds)
http://eon3emfblog.net/?p=382
2. Microwave radiation dangers in our home (6 minutes, 20 seconds)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAnrmJ3un1g
3. WiFi in schools proven dangerous (14 minutes, 32 seconds)
http://www.youtube.com/safeschool#p/u/3/KN7VetsCR2I
4. Truth about Smart Meters – Dr. Karl Maret, MD, Biomedical Engineer
(Dr. Maret’s presentation begins at 23:40 on the video telecast).
http://www.communitytv.org/programs/online/truth-about-smart-meters
5. Radiation Measured From Smart Meter Mounted On A Home (6 minutes, 21 seconds)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRejDxBE6OE
6. Skyrocketing Utility Bills after smart meter installation (3 minutes, 19 seconds)
http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/63581287.html?tab=video
7. Wounded by Wireless Smart Meters (14 minutes, 19 seconds)
http://eon3emfblog.net/?p=840
Many thanks to Robert Williams for all the info on smart meters. Only a small percentage of people maybe sensitive radiation from smart meters but it makes life difficult for them and those that know and/or depend on them. It reminds me of sensitivity to perfumes and/or chemical smells. Again it is only a small percentage but it is very difficult for them to go out in public especially where there are crowds because they never know when they will encounter a perfume or odor that can incapacitate them.
I Live in New York City and i have a smart meter which brought my electric bill uy to 38,000.oo dollars. I had an electrician come and take the 2 meters out. and i put 2 safe analog meters in. Con Edison found out about it and came and shut my lights off i have 3 disabled adults and 1 small disabled 5 year old. i told the con edison about this they said that they don’t care. i had to rent a gas generator,for almost 3 weeks. I HAD TO PURCHASE GAS FROM THE GAS STATION every 2 days so the disability adults could have lights, and so the 5 year old could see to do her homework when she gets home from kindergarden, and get on her nubelizer machine. I complained to the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISION who did nothing to help me, icalled my council women DARLENE MEALY, who could not get con edison to put the lights back on but i was told they were investigating the matter. when the SMART METER was put in in 2008 i began to hig terrible hig bills i could not sleep my seizures were acting up every day, i had headaches, insomia, my son , and other adults in the household could not sleep the 5 year old was getting violent, screaming, jumping all over the place, hollering. it was just a mess. where i live in brooklyn ny i did not know what to do. i became very, very drpressed it seemed like everyone i called could not or would not helo me i has a lawyer who supoose to help me then all of a sudden she droped my case telling me there was nothing else she could do for me. I wanted to kill my self i felt like the politicians didn’t care nor did the lawyer or anyone else. so i went to the human resources administration to get some of the so called high bills paid and the paided some of it and made con edison put the lights back on. the landlord found 2 safw analog meters and had them put in for me. by an electrician. when con edison came to put the lights back on they told me that i can’t have those meters in that they were not going to restore service unless i let them put back in the SMART METERS. i had no choice, no rights , i had to accept the meters for the sake of the disability adults and the disabled 5 year old. the day that they put it in i went to bed at 10:30 pm but i didn’t get to sleep until 5:am that morning i was tossing and turning i could not get to sleep all night. now my seizures started acting up again the 5 year old screams and hollers. what can i do don’t i have any rights what kind of city is this i wish i could find someone who can help me so i can have the electrician put back the analog meter which gave me no problems and the bill was real , real, low GOD, JESUS HELP ME.