EVER wondered how much it actually costs to have an early-morning shower or a late-night leisurely bath, or the price of roasting the Sunday joint?
These are the vital questions which are set to be answered by the residents of a small Perthshire town in a groundbreaking scheme to reduce energy consumption in the entire community by an ambitious 10 per cent over the next two years.
Engineers f
rom Scottish Hydro Electric have began installing state-of-the-art "smart meters" in the homes of more than 360 customers in Alyth.
It is the first phase of a trial that could eventually lead to every householder in Scotland being able to monitor the cost of the electricity and gas being used in their homes on an almost minute-by-minute basis.
Instead of simply recording the consumption in kilowatt hours in a standard meter in a cupboard beneath the stairs, the new-generation meters will show the actual cost in pounds and pence.
Information from the new device is also recorded at the electricity company's headquarters and will mean that accurate bills can in future be sent to householders without a meter reader calling at their homes.
Ian Marchant, the chief executive of Scottish Hydro's parent company, Scottish and Southern Energy, said he hoped every home in Scotland could be fitted with the device within ten years.
He said: "Ongoing investment in green energy needs to be balanced with the development of new technology that gives customers practical help to reduce their energy consumption.
"Our groundbreaking partnership with Alyth is already showing that energy companies can find innovative ways to help customers reduce their energy use. Smart meters are a clear example of this."
So far, only two of the next-generation electricity and gas meters have been installed in Alyth, but more than 360 will have been fitted by the end of the month.
A further 2,400 devices will be installed in home across Tayside over the next two years as an extension to the pilot scheme.
The project in Alyth is being championed by the Alyth Environmental Group, which is spearheading a "climate action" initiative to encourage a lifestyle by residents that is more climate-friendly.
Justin Smith, a spokesman for Scottish Hydro, said: "We have already found from tests we have done that if you understand better how much energy you are using and how much it is costing you, then you are encouraged to try to find ways of reducing the amount of electricity and gas you are using."
Clive Bowman, the group's chairman, said: "There is real enthusiasm for the whole project."
