Stylish touch-screen displays showing households how much energy they are using will be rolled out to British Gas customers' homes.

The energy displays are the first of a new generation which are small, stylish, fully portable and, by linking directly to smart electricity and gas meters, capable of showing detailed information of a customer's energy use in pounds and pence in real time.

Customers will be able to compare their gas and electricity use by the hour, day, week and year. They will be able to set their own energy targets and a traffic light system will warn households when they are using large amounts of electricity.

The new energy display - developed for British Gas by global smart metering leader, Landis+Gyr - will be rolled out to homes at the same time as British Gas's next generation smart meter. Installations will begin next month.

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According to the Energy Saving Trust, smart meters can help households save up to 10% on their bills - a cash saving of £105 a year.

Use of smart meters and displays will mean that customers will only pay for the energy they use and will no longer get estimated bills. The meters will help customers unlock new technologies such as solar panels and fully electric cars.

All UK homes will be fitted with a smart meter by 2019. British Gas already has the largest roll-out of smart meters with nearly 400,000 in homes and businesses across the UK. The new next generation smart meter has a number of upgraded systems designed to help British Gas customers to be the most informed and empowered energy users in the country. Customers will receive their smart meter as part of a phased roll out across the country.

Dean Keeling, Managing Director of British Gas Smart Homes, said: "We want people to understand the energy they use and make informed choices about when to use it and how to save it. The new smart meters and energy displays are the foundations for doing this. That's why we're rolling out these user-friendly, sleek display units to British Gas homes."

(CD)