New power bills could save energy

A sustainability student from Dalhousie University is working with P.E.I.'s City of Summerside electric utility to develop power bills that will help customers save money and energy.

"It's going to be really colourful, easy to understand, and completely personalized, with meaningful tips," says Megan McCarthy.

The bills would deliver more of the information that's being gathered from smart meters already installed for 250 customers with the Summerside utility. The smart meters report hourly on electricity use, showing how much is being used and on what.

McCarthy said the challenge is what to do with all this extra information.

"If we can have just this simple software system, using this technology to its fullest, partnering it with these bills, showing people exactly what they're paying for, how to reduce," she said.

"This is going to be the future of energy usage in Canada."

McCarthy said the government of Norway made this extra information mandatory on bills after seeing five to 15 per cent savings.

Ontario-based Lowfoot.com has been sending its smart meter customers a daily e-mail telling them whether they've hit their reduction target. Founder Steve Hammond calls it a great motivator.

"It kind of drives them a bit nuts," said Hammond. "What happens is they get their message to say you used five too many kilowatt-hours. So they go, 'Why did I use five too many?' Then they look. Then they start to say, 'This is getting a little crazy.' It's like a game. They want to lower it."

Summerside hopes to have 700 smart meters installed within the next two years.