Efficient Metering: Turning energy data into business advantage

Energy is one of the biggest costs for most organisations – yet many still rely on estimated consumption instead of accurate data. This can mean paying for energy you haven’t used, missing efficiency opportunities, and making decisions in the dark.

Smarter metering changes that. It provides accurate, real-time insight into how your business uses energy, helping you cut waste, control costs and plan with confidence. 

Why Better Metering Matters: 

Accurate energy data allows businesses to manage operations more effectively and make confident, evidence-based decisions. With smarter metering, you can: 

• Control costs → Reliable usage data ensures more accurate budgeting and billing.
• Identify inefficiencies → Quickly spot energy waste, such as machinery running outside operating hours or underperforming sites.
• Improve reporting → Get reliable data for ESG, compliance and sustainability.
• Plan strategically → Make informed decisions on renewables, EV charging infrastructure, energy storage and time-of-use pricing.

For multi-site or energy-intensive businesses, this visibility is essential to remain efficient, competitive, and compliant.

Smart Metering Post-2025

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is reviewing how the smart meter rollout will continue beyond 2025. The aim is simple — to make sure all businesses benefit from accurate, real-time data that supports better energy management.

Under current proposals, from 1 January 2027, energy suppliers will only be able to offer new fixed-term contracts to non-domestic customers who already have, or agree to have, smart or advanced meters installed.

For your business, this means smart or advanced metering will soon become the standard — not just a best practice. Acting early gives you a head start:

• Avoid disruption by upgrading before the 2027 deadline.
• Start gaining insights now to cut waste and control costs sooner.
• Simplify compliance and stay ahead of evolving energy regulations.

Six key benefits of smarter metering
Smarter metering offers far-reaching advantages that go beyond regulatory compliance – it unlocks a wealth of operational and financial insight.

Greater accuracy and financial control
Automated meter readings remove reliance on estimates, reducing billing disputes and unexpected costs. 

Accurate data helps you:

• Track energy spend across multiple sites
• Improve cash flow forecasting
• Build confidence in budgets and reporting

For businesses with tight margins, avoiding unexpected billing issues can have a significant impact on financial performance.

Clearer visibility across your operations
Half-hourly data provides a complete picture of how, when, and where energy is used. That means you can:

• Pinpoint energy waste and benchmark performance across sites
• Detect unusual patterns early before they increase costs
• Identify inefficiencies in systems, processes, or equipment
• Schedule maintenance and interventions using real usage insights

This level of transparency supports proactive energy management and faster operational decisions.

Measurable cost savings through efficiency
Accurate data turns insight into targeted actions. Use it to:

• Shift energy-intensive operations to off-peak periods
• Replace inefficient equipment that consumes too much energy
• Track savings and ROI from efficiency projects in real time

By linking operational changes directly to savings, you can build stronger business cases for further investment.

Smarter energy strategies
Smarter metering gives you a clearer picture of your business’s energy profile — when, where, and how energy is used. This empowers you to:

• Evaluate the impact of different pricing structures
• Align energy use with your key operational priorities
• Plan long-term energy strategies for on-site generation and storage

Working with EDF gives you access to expert support and data-driven recommendations tailored to your business goals.

Reliable installation, maintenance, and support
Smarter meters deliver value only when installed and maintained correctly. Our accredited engineers and business experts ensure:

• Safe, compliant installations
• Consistent, high-data quality
• Fast fault resolution
• Dedicated account management with clear service-levels

You get long-term reliability and performance you can depend on.

Future-ready and resilient
Smarter metering helps businesses prepare for emerging technologies and sustainability demands. It supports integration with:

• On-site renewable generation
• Battery storage systems
• Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure

It also provides trusted data needed for ESG reporting, carbon-tracking, and demonstrating sustainability commitments to customers, stakeholders, and regulators.

Upcoming Change: Market-Wide Half-Hourly Settlement - What It Means for Your Business

From September 2025, the UK energy market will move to Market-Wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS). This means businesses will be billed based on their actual half-hourly energy usage rather than estimates.

For many organisations, this change opens up new opportunities to take control, cut costs, and plan more effectively. By preparing early, you can:

• Reduce costs → Shift energy-intensive activities to times when prices are lower.
• Understand your usage better → Half-hourly data shows exactly how, when, and where energy is used across your sites.
• Improve efficiency → Spot peaks, unusual patterns, and optimisation opportunities in real time.
• Choose the right pricing structure → Work with EDF to make sure your energy plan fits your usage profile.
• Support sustainability goals → Use detailed insights to track and reduce your carbon footprint while strengthening ESG reporting.

Upgrading to smart or advanced meters now ensures your business is ready well ahead of the deadline. Acting early means you can start using the insights smarter metering provides straight away and avoid the last-minute rush for installations.

How to Prepare

1. Check your current setup → Confirm which meters you have and where upgrades are needed.
2. Plan ahead → Schedule installations before demand peaks closer to the MHHS deadline.
3. Start analysing your data now → Use current insights to identify savings, manage costs, and make informed operational decisions.
4. Choose a trusted partner → Work with EDF for accredited installation & maintenance, clear SLAs, and ongoing support to ensure reliable performance.
5. Build for the future → Use smarter metering as the foundation for on-site generation, storage, and automation strategies.

To find out how our Metering & Data Services can support your business:

• Call us on 0845 300 8122, Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm
• Email us at: MOPSales@edfenergy.com