Calisen at Labour Party Conference: Powering the Next Phase of the Smart Meter Rollout

We're really excited that Calisen will be exhibiting for the first time at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool (27-30 September) - and there's no better moment for the UK's largest smart meter provider to be in the room. 

Energy remains one of the biggest challenges facing households, businesses and government. The UK is working to deliver cheaper bills, greater energy security and the transition to cleaner home-grown energy sources. Smart meters have a key role to play in all three.  

Around three quarters of homes now have a smart meter, meaning the rollout has reached an important turning point. The question is no longer whether we can install them, it's instead how we make the most of their potential. That means using near real-time data to strengthen grid resilience and crucially, help people access cheaper and more flexible tariffs while supporting the growth of low-carbon technologies such as electric vehicles and heat pumps. 

Our recent research with LCP Delta,  ‘Switching Up the Smart System’ made this precise point. The report argues that the UK's smart meter network is a woefully under-utilised piece of critical infrastructure. By making better use of near real-time data, we can unlock lower costs for consumers, reduce pressure on the grid and support a smarter, more flexible energy system. That's a message that lines up directly with the government’s ambitions on energy security, affordability, and decarbonisation. 

We're also seeing first-hand how smart technologies can support vulnerable households. Through our field force, Calisen visits around 4 million homes every year. Those visits provide valuable insight into how better data and smarter services can help identify customers who need additional support and connect them with the support available. 

As the industry looks ahead to the next generation of smart energy infrastructure, Calisen is already helping deliver it. We played a leading role in the DCC-led Initial Pallet Validation pilot, installing nearly 20% of the 1,000 trial 4G communications hubs deployed across England and Wales. We're proud of the role we're playing in today's rollout and excited about helping shape what comes next. 

The Labour Party Conference gives us an opportunity to bring these threads together: the policy conversation happening in government, the practical reality of delivering smart infrastructure and the views of consumers in homes across the country.  

Our CEO and leadership team will be there, so if you're heading to Liverpool, we'd love to meet. Whether you're in energy policy, a supplier customer, or just curious about how smart meters can be utilised to reduce energy bills, get in touch and let's grab a coffee at our stand!