British Gas says it expects to create 2,600 new skilled jobs over the next three years as the UK moves forward with its planned nationwide rollout of smart energy meters.

The announcement came as British Gas opened its new Energy Academy in Leicester, which will train the engineers of the future — including the smart energy experts who will install British Gas smart meters in millions of homes.

“British Gas is committed to making our customers’ homes the greenest in Europe — cutting their carbon emissions and fuel bills,” said Phil Bentley, managing director of British Gas. “Today’s announcement of 2,600 new jobs by 2012 shows we are creating skilled green jobs in Britain and training the experts who will help customers become more energy efficient in the future.

New smart-energy experts will install smart meters and also help householders understand how smart meters give them the control to cut their energy use, reduce their carbon footprint, and save money on their fuel bills.

Among the services they will provide:

• Advising customers on the range of tariffs available — such as time-of-use tariffs, which reward customers for using energy at off-peak times;
• Conducting energy efficiency audits of customers’ homes;
• Giving tailored advice on measures that could cut energy use, such as insulation;
• Helping customers learn about ways to generate their own energy; and
• Installing and maintaining the low-carbon microgeneration technologies of the future.

The new smart-energy jobs are in addition to 1,500 new green jobs British Gas announced earlier this year.

Tags: smart meters