Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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219. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps he is taking to develop a portal that enables households to use the information from their smart electricity meter to assist them in understanding their solar PV requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17954/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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A smart meter has the capability to collect data on electricity use every 30 minutes. Until recently, in order to fully unlock this functionality, customers needed to switch to a Time of Use tariff or give approval to their supplier to request this functionality be activated by ESB Networks, for the purposes of energy insights.

However, since November 2022, customers have been able to start accessing their smart meter data directly from ESB Networks, following the launch of ESBN’s new Customer Portal. As of April 2023, nearly all of the over 1.2 million smart meters installed have been fully enabled to automatically provide this functionality. This now allows smart meter customers to register for online independent access to their electricity consumption data, in order to better understand their electricity demand profile and be in a position to assess opportunities to reduce their use, move their use to off-peak periods, or compare tariff options from other Suppliers. This in turn can reduce the carbon footprint of their electricity use and potentially save them money on their bills.

This data is also beneficial to those considering the installation of a solar PV system. The suitability and type of such systems will depend on a number of factors which should be considered, before discussing options with Solar PV installers. These include :

- The amount and profile of electricity you use throughout the day

- The time of day you are at home and flexibility you have in your use of electricity

- The orientation of your roof and available roof space

It is advised to discuss solar PV options with at least 3 installers, who should all discuss the factors above and provide suitable options that best suit a householders budget.