<p>Talking to the Electrical Services & Technology Association conference in Birmingham, Mr Asher urged businesses to use smarter metering to take control of their energy bills.<br /><br />How much more will council taxes and tuition fees have to rise, the prices of consumer products increase as schools, primary care trusts, businesses, and universities are denied the possibility of reducing energy costs through efficiency measures because of the lack of accurate energy consumption data? Mr Asher asked.<br /><br />The head of the gas and electricity consumer watchdog stressed that the need for carbon savings is now so urgent that there is no more time for the usual slow revolving door of consultations and inevitable pilot schemes before suppliers are required to act. He is urging large business consumers to act now to set their own energy agenda.<br /><br />Ultimately, the watchdog head believes that the benefits of smart metering for the non-domestic sector are clear – better energy management information, more accurate bills, lower prices for some sites, lower consumption and thus lower carbon emissions. These will flow through to lower retail prices and more efficient use of taxpayers money.</p>
