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If you have any further queries not addressed by the FAQs, please contact:
Simon Church
E.ON Delivery Manager
02476 191015
Simon Church
Why is E.ON doing this trial?
As part of our strategy of providing Cleaner and Better Energy, E.ON have a goal of being a Trusted Energy Partner and recognise that ‘smart home’ technologies give customers an opportunity to improve their comfort, reduce how much they spend on energy, and live a more convenient life, whilst reducing their carbon footprint. This trial is investigating some innovative and futuristic ways to power and heat our homes to help achieve these goals.
The results of this trial will help us shape the energy- and cost-saving homes of the future, so we can provide a new generation of home heating, lighting and power services.
Do I have to be an E.ON customer?
No, this is not necessary. But if you are an E.ON customer, we will be in a better position to provide information on how to manage your energy use and make better savings linked to your actual energy account.
What would I be committing to?
We are seeking about 50 households who commit to having a Home Energy Monitoring System (HEMS) installed in their home to improve how they understand and manage their energy use. You will also be asked to give regular feedback on your experience of using the systems.
We plan to choose 15-25 of the 50 households in spring 2012 to receive additional new technology and energy efficiency measures (described below). We expect that any house involved in the trial to have recommended insulation levels; if you require cavity wall insulation or additional loft insulation, E.ON will arrange to have it installed at no cost.
What is a Home Energy Monitoring System (HEMS)?
A HEMS consists of equipment to measure electricity and gas use in the home, smart plugs to measure specific individual appliance use and sensors to measure specific aspects of your heating systems as well as internal temperature. The HEMS then feeds this data securely over the internet so you can access it, and manage your home energy use.
I have just received an energy monitor from my energy company – is this the same thing?
No, energy monitors just inform you about your electricity use. The trial system will measure and display electricity and gas use, highlight certain specific appliances and give you control over them. This will help you actively manage and reduce your energy use.
How do I know if my home is suitable?
We are only able to install the HEMS and monitoring equipment where there is a working broadband and mobile phone signal. You will need to own your own home, or be in shared ownership and be able to arrange and confirm you have permission to have any installation(s) done.
How will you select the participants?
E.ON and the NEF want an appropriate range of homes in Milton Keynes for this trial. If more homes than required register to participate in the trial, following the first round of sign-up events, we will use simple information about you and your home to select the most suitable.
What are the additional installations?
In Spring 2012, we plan to install four different packages of measures which will be installed in around 5-10 households each. These are provisionally titled Greener Heat, Greener Whites, Greener Hot Water and Greener Miles.
 Greener Heating allows you to control your heating system more effectively, saving energy in your home by intelligently managing your heat use for you- Greener Whites uses the HEMS to minimise the import of electricity from the National Grid and make the most of energy generated by Solar Photovoltaic panels, by changing the times when white goods in your home use electricity.
- Greener Hot Water links a Solar Thermal panel and gas boiler together, to ensure that you can make the most of the free source of hot water from your roof.
- Greener Miles uses Solar Photovoltaic panels to charge a state of the art electric vehicle which will be provided for your use, reducing your travel costs.
As we progress into the trial, we will work with participants to identify households that will benefit from these additional installations.
How do you know the equipment will work?
The equipment we will use has been available on the market for some time and will have all the necessary safety certification. We have a test house in Nottingham where we will trial all equipment before installing it in Milton Keynes. E.ON and the NEF have significant experience in managing new technology trials, which we will use to ensure that anything put in your home is safe, stable and secure.
How long will the trial last?
The HEMS will be installed throughout autumn 2011. Any households receiving additional installations will have these installed in spring 2012. For those that choose to extend their participation, the project and monitoring will last until winter 2013.
What happens at the end of the trial project?
At the end of the trial project, you can keep the HEMS and we will remove any additional monitoring equipment. You will receive the opportunity to either have any additional installations removed, and your home reinstated to as it was before the trial, or keep the equipment at a significantly lower than market cost. The electric cars will be leased and returned at the end of the project.
What if I wish to withdraw from the project?
Participants will be asked to commit to having a HEMS installed for a period of 12 months, with the opportunity to be considered for other technology packages in 2012. We hope that all the households want to remain active and engaged for the whole period. However, we do recognise that there may be exceptional reasons why a household needs to withdraw. At this point, your home would be returned to its normal standard.
Can I choose which measures to receive?
Every household involved in the trial will receive a HEMS and monitoring system. Some homes will only have these measures. We will encourage homes who are specifically interested in having Greener Heat, Whites, Heat or Miles packages installed to let us know during participant recruitment, although the decision will ultimately be made by the project team.
Will there be any disruption to my home?
The HEMS and monitoring equipment uses wireless technology, so the disruption during installation and monitoring will be minimal. We expect the installation of these systems no more than half a day. We will work to support the homes chosen to receive additional installations and keep any additional disruptions to a minimum.
As part of the trial, you will be asked to give feedback on the experiences you have had with the Smart Home technologies. On occasions, this will take the form of focus groups and some individual households will be offered the chance to give more detailed feedback over a half day in exchange for a payment for their time.
Will it cost me anything?
Participation in this trial is free. However, if you finish the trial and wish to keep any additional installed equipment, there may be a nominal cost to transfer ownership. Of course, you will still be responsible for paying for your gas and electricity throughout the trial period, but we expect these to decrease significantly for most participants.
What benefits do I get from taking part?
You will receive a cutting edge Home Energy Management System, and access to much more information about energy use in your home, and how to reduce it. You will be able to use the internet and/or a smart phone application to see detailed information about specific energy use in your home, along with the ability to remotely manage specific appliances. You will receive regular support and information from E.ON about how best to manage your energy use and lower your costs. Finally, around 15-25 homes will receive additional installations, worth up to £25,000.
What support do I get?
E.ON have appointed a delivery manager to the project to ensure that you are supported, both during any installation phases, and throughout the lifetime of the project. You will receive regular information and updates throughout the project on how best to use your equipment, and how to save energy. In addition, the National Energy Foundation and Milton Keynes council will be on-hand for any questions or issues you may want to raise with them.
Will I save energy / Do I have to save energy?
Although we would expect each of the homes involved in the project to save energy, there is no requirement to do so. One of the important parts of this project is to properly understand how the principle of smart homes actually works in practice, rather than on paper. Government figures for small-scale trials of basic home energy monitors, show customers have typically saved five to 15 per cent in the first year, equivalent to about £50-150 off your energy bill per year. We would hope this project could help you save more than this.
My washing machine and dishwasher are very old – will I have to replace them?
In the first instance, no, the smart plugs will ‘upgrade’ them for you. However, as part of the Greener Whites option, we may offer participants top of the range new appliances
I already have solar panels, can I still take part?
Yes. We may need to undertake extra development work to integrate your current controls to the Thinking Energy Smart Homes system, but this would be resolved on a case by case basis.
I can’t make either of the recruitment dates but I would like to find out more – what do I do?
Tick the “I am very interested but cannot attend any of the listed events” option and we will be in touch with details of other dates, as and when they are arranged. There is, however, a limit to the number of households that can take part, and we are keen to sign up suitable homes as quickly as possible.
I have a pre-payment meter, does that matter?
For this trial we can accept households with either a credit meter or a pre-payment meter.
Who is E.ON? Who is NEF?
E.ON UK are one of the UK's leading energy suppliers and the second largest electricity generator in the UK. We are part of the E.ON Group; the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company, which has its headquarters in Germany. E.ON New Build & Technology is the 'technology centre' of the E.ON Group, providing highly innovative efficiency and future-proofing solutions for the electricity and gas-sector.
The National Energy Foundation (NEF) is a Milton Keynes based independent British charity, established to encourage the more sustainable use and generation of energy.
Where can I find out more?
Come along to the recruitment event, where there will be an opportunity to put questions to the project team. Alternatively, if you have a specific question you need answering beforehand, you can phone or contact:
How will my information be used?
You will be fully protected under all data protection rules, and we will not pass any of your information on. Any information about the energy savings and outcomes of the project that is used, will not be able to be identify a particular property.
E.ON have asked The National Energy Foundation (NEF), Milton Keynes Council (MKC) and an independent market research agency to carry out the research. Your details will only be used for the purpose of carrying out these trials. NEF, MKC and the agency will conduct these trials in accordance with the 1998 Data Protection Act and the Market Research Society Code of Conduct. NEF, MKC and the agency will not pass on any of your personal details to anyone. All responses to the trials will be kept confidential and used in aggregate form to anonymously report back to E.ON. No-one will try to sell you anything during or after these trials, nor will your name and address be passed on to any other third party.
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