Smart Meter System based Internet of Things applications programme: successful projects
This programme funded the development, trial and demonstration of Smart Meter Systems based IoT sensor devices and their proposed technical applications.
Documents
Details
The Smart Meter System based Internet of Things applications programme ran from 2022 to 2025. See further details of the competition guidance.
The programme committed up to £1.8 million to support innovation projects to further develop, trial and demonstrate Smart Meter Systems based IoT sensor devices and determine their commercial and technical feasibility.
Products funded by the programme helped to demonstrate:
- an alternative route for monitoring via an already ubiquitous platform with universal interoperability
- easy integration with smart meter energy data
Programme structure
The programme consisted of 2 phases:
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Phase 1 - up to £250,000 funding for feasibility studies, identifying applications and establishing the feasibility of solutions comprising of IoT sensors and supporting data management tools suitable for operation within the Smart Meter System and DCC network.
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Phase 2 - up to £1.55 million funding for the further development of the proposed technical solutions including the build, trial and demonstration of the systems and prototype IoT devices, with the potential for commercialisation.
Programme completion
The Smart Meter System based Internet of Things Applications Programme concluded at the end of March 2025. The competition funded five feasibility studies and supported two projects through to prototype development, trial and demonstration. Both prototypes reached testing stage with one prototype securing Zigbee and DLMS certification.
The programme formed part of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s innovation portfolio, supporting the transition to net zero.
An SMS-based IoT monitoring solution would support the Smart System and Flexibility Plan’s policy principles of interoperability, data privacy, grid stability and cyber security, by providing a single secure and interoperable platform for current and new IoT applications, in a range of domestic, business and industrial environments.
Final project summary report (Phase 2):
Background
The Internet of Things (IoT) describes electrical / electronic devices (or groups of such devices) that are embedded with sensors, processing ability, software, and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the internet or other communications networks.
The GB Smart Meter System (SMS) is home to rich energy usage data; data which is currently held on consumers’ smart meters. The SMS has existing capability also, to act as a return path for additional simple data items such as temperature, humidity, sub meter readings etc.
By itself, or when combined with existing energy data, such additional data acquired by an SMS and communicated through the Data Communication Company (DCC) network could provide significant benefits related to the monitoring and management of Internet of Things devices, at minimal additional cost.
The IoT applications of interest focus on the optimisation of assets in line with the low energy use and measurement requirements of the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework4.
In addition, efficient use and protection of the distribution network will play a vital role in the adoption of energy-efficient technologies including the electrification of heating and transport. This will entail IoT-based monitoring and management for local thermal constraints and system balancing, with commensurate cyber security protection requirement
This programme was part of the Flexibility Innovation Programme which sought to enable large-scale widespread electricity system flexibility through smart, flexible, secure, and accessible technologies and markets. The Flexibility Innovation Programme funded innovation across a range of key smart energy applications, and sat within the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP).
Updates to this page
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Published final project report.
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Added list of Phase 2 projects.
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First published.