Fifteen thousand people across the nation are soon to get smart meters as part of an energy savings trial. Smart meters will tell consumers exactly how much electricity their power hungry gadgets are using and how much they cost to run.

The £20 million trial funded by the government and the energy industry is aimed at encouraging households to curb their use of gas and electricity and reduce Britain's emissions of greenhouse gases.

With smart meters, householders can see on a screen how much energy each appliance is using at any time. The government sees smart meters as a key tool for cutting energy waste. "Changing consumer habits is vital if we are to cut our energy use and reduce the impact of climate change," said Business and Enterprise Secretary John Hutton. Smart meters provide the cutting edge technology to enable this to happen."

It is intended that the trial, which is set to run for two years, will provide invaluable evidence to prove that smart meters help consumers reduce their energy consumption. If successful, it could speed the future rollout of smart meters across the nation.