British Gas chooses GEO for next generation energy displays
Cambridge-based technology firm, Green Energy Options Ltd (GEO) has announced the award of two contracts with British Gas Trading Ltd for the provision of two customised in-home displays for deployment within British Gas and Scottish Gas.
Both displays are the result of a two year programme of extensive consumer research and design resulting in a stylish, bright and appealing in-home device with a design theme specially created for British Gas. These will be the core display products for British Gas and incorporate the now familiar ‘car speedo’ first introduced by GEO in 2007, which British Gas first deployed in the Minim in-home display.
Within the smart metering programme at British Gas, the GEO smart display will be used in smart meter installations from the end of 2013 onwards and will give current and historical information on both electricity and gas consumption. Designed to meet all the requirements of the Government’s Smart Metering Technical Specification (SMETS), the display is fully interoperable with all the leading meter manufacturers’ devices and incorporates many special additional features required by British Gas. Communications between the meter and display is wireless and uses the internationally recognised ZigBee Smart Energy Protocol which is both secure and safe.
In addition to the smart display, GEO has created the Minim+ in-home display, a new EnergySmart™ Monitor that isn’t connected to a smart meter. The Minim+ is a highly desirable and compact unit with a clear and colourful screen that will provide households with instant information on their electricity in advance of them receiving a smart meter installation.
This is the third time GEO have been awarded a volume display contract by British Gas, having successfully delivered similar contracts since 2008, which is a tribute to all the teams working at British Gas and GEO.
Patrick Caiger-Smith, Chief Executive Officer at GEO, commented, “The rollout of smart metering systems in the UK is unique in that it’s putting the consumer needs at its heart. The in-home display will become a familiar and trusted companion in the home and will undoubtedly become a big talking point among households as they learn how to manage energy in times of rising costs. The British Gas team is being visionary in its approach to the smart home and is leading the industry in embracing this new technology, installing nearly a million smart meters already. GEO is proud to be part of this programme.”
Nicolas Grant, Smart Infrastructure Director at British Gas said: “Bringing clear information directly to customers is one of the major benefits of smart metering. With in-home displays, customers can see, for the first time, how much gas and electricity they are using as they are using it – and its cost in pounds and pence. In this way, smart meters give customers greater transparency and control.”