Background

This case study describes the work that Engage Consulting scoped and delivered to support the definition of smart metering roll-out options on behalf of the Energy Retail Association (ERA). The ERA is the trade organisation which represents all major domestic suppliers of electricity and gas in Great Britain. A major component of its work is the preparation and execution of policy on a range of key issues for the sector, including selling, billing, transfers, regulation, energy efficiency, social issues and new technology.

Engage had been selected on the basis of their expertise and track record in the industry, the successful delivery of a number of other ERA initiatives and particularly to build on the successful delivery of the Supplier Requirements of Smart Metering (SRSM) project.

Problem

Early in 2007, the ERA Board commissioned work to investigate the options for smart metering roll-out to look to inform lobbying for the Energy White Paper and to seek to propose potential solution options to the industry issue of how smart metering could be rolled out in the likelihood of a Government mandate. In the autumn of 2007, this work was further progressed in response to the Government consultation on metering and billing. Engage was commissioned to facilitate and provide input into this work.

Solution

Engage facilitated a number of workshops to identify the key criteria for smart metering roll-out and to develop potential roll-out options for smart metering. These workshops identified a number of potential operational models for smart metering and assessed at a high level the benefits of each model. This informed a preferred roll-out model and policy position for the ERA to use in lobbying for smart meter roll-out.

Following the issue of the Government consultation on metering and billing, Engage facilitated further workshops and provided input to help to draft an ERA response to the formal consultation. This resulted in a full response to Government with agreed ERA answers to all relevant questions.

Why Engage

Engage consultants were chosen for these roles because of their knowledge of the industry, smart metering specifically, and their experience in managing multi-stakeholder projects. Through previous projects with the ERA and other industry bodies they had demonstrated their ability to deliver difficult and complex projects on time, to quality and to budget.

Engage’s Involvement

Engage consultants have facilitated a number of workshops, provided technical input and subject matter expertise and delivered a number of reports and briefing papers to inform ERA policy in the area of smart metering roll-out. Following a number of workshops, the ERA team drafted a formal response to the Government consultation on metering and billing that was agreed with all ERA members and submitted on time to Government.