Nearly two-thirds (63%) of UK residents are confused about smart meters and what they do, according to new research from E.ON, a European energy company.

The U.K. government is requiring that every property have a smart meter installed by 2019, so this survey indicates that the government must clarify its vision for what smart meters will mean to consumers…

A little over a third (37%) of respondents could correctly describe the functionality of smart meter — although the U.K. government has not yet fully defined the details of such functionality.

Some U.K. respondents even said that they believe a smart meter is an electronic device which lets you make face-to-face calls with your energy retailer, or a gadget that lets you turn off electricity in part of your home.

In fact, smart meters can support automated home energy management — but only if used in combination with smart appliances.

SmartGridWatch has a simple vision for smart meters:

1. Information to save energy. Smart meters can give consumers useful, specific information about how they use energy, which empowers them to manage it better. In the E.ON poll, 53% of respondents said they would save power if they could understand their usage better.
2. Price options to save money. Time-based electricity pricing options such as off-peak discounts and peak time rebates can help consumers save money — although this kind of pricing should always be voluntary. In a Washington, D.C. pilot program, 91% of participants saved money this way.
3. Automation to make it easy and convenient to save. Consumers should have access to a vibrant market of automated thermostats, appliances, and office equipment. These enable “set and forget” automatic energy conservation via time-shifting demand and reducing consumption.

What’s next for E.ON? The company will install its first million smart meters in the U.K. within the next 30 months.