*2.2. Monitoring of Energy Consumption*

Many studies emphasize that the introduction of smart grids and a broader implementation of SM may open new perspectives for consumers in terms of their awareness and control of energy consumption [5,31,32]. The question is, however, if they are interested and ready to control energy consumption and, if yes, what motivates them most: savings, environmental attitudes, social influence, or maybe something else.

The impact of information and feedback about energy consumption on consumers' habits and behaviors have been already studied [17,33,34]. Especially computerized feedback, by means of SM devices, mobile apps, and smart metering platforms have been widely explored [8,9,18,35]. These studies reveal that computerized feedback may lead to some reduction of energy consumption by leading to habitual changes and/or prompting investments in smart and energy efficient home appliances and smart devices (e.g., smart plugs). At the same time, the user-friendliness and ease of

access to the information is emphasized [18,36]. These are critical conditions that the computerized feedback must fulfill to engage consumers, especially as the general level of consumers' interest and knowledge is low [3,4,15,36].


**Table 1.** Incentives and barriers of SM and SMP adoption.

The first step in monitoring energy consumption is its measurement [8], based on the traditional electricity bills and/or SMP. The second step includes observations of the measurements and its comparative analysis [4,8]. Energy monitoring behavior may increase the general awareness of one's energy usage, or the energy consumption of certain home appliances [43]. However, the possibility of monitoring energy by means of SMP may still not be enough to create a habitual behavior. Consumers may need some additional incentives, such as customized feedback [43], or some combination with demand side management and demand response tools, such as dynamic electricity tariffs [26].
