The Utilisation of Smart Meter Technology to Increase Energy Awareness for Residential Buildings in Queensland, Australia

Abstract

The paper aims to sensitise electricity subscribers on the significance of adopting smart meters in managing the energy consumption of residential buildings in Queensland, Australia. This paper examines the power consumption of residential buildings and the time-of-use energy tariffs across four climatic conditions. The analysis also involves applying statistical tools to understand the energy profiles of the study areas. The results show habitual and significant energy consumption of the study areas during the period under study. For instance, energy use during the spring and winter seasons peaked around 30 MWh as residential buildings consumed considerable electricity during the peak periods when the energy tariffs are high. The results also show that the time-of-use of energy consumption can impact the electricity bills as well as the electricity use of customers. Furthermore, there is a correlation between energy use and energy consumption time of the case study areas. Our results present the need to create awareness on the essence of adopting smart meters that will provide real-time information and energy tariffs at a different time of the day in order to optimise electricity consumption and expenses in Queensland. The intelligent machine alongside other technologies can broadcast electricity consumption and display real-time energy prices at frequent intervals thereby supporting energy consumers to make informed choices about deploying their electrical devices when the energy tariffs are affordable and economical.