ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the different technologies involved in the smart metering arena. A premise to smart meters is that traditionally people have been unaware of their energy consumption because utility bills provide too little information, long after the consumption to influence decisions regarding the timing of energy demand. Theoretical imperatives and empirical discrepancies dominate any discussion on the effectiveness of smart meters in reducing energy demand. The effectiveness of smart meters in modifying electricity consumption depends heavily on the type and medium of the feedback. Feedback can be provided indirectly, through measures such as more detailed, frequent and accurate billing. Feedback can also be provided directly through a web portal, through directly reading the meter, or through a dedicated display device. In the 1990s Feedback Intervention Theory appears and asserts that behaviour is regulated by comparisons to pre-existing goals, as behaviour is generally goal directed, and that people use feedback to evaluate their behaviour in relation to their goals.
