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Smart meters that can help households keep track of and cut down their energy use should be rolled out across the UK's homes sooner than planned, according to a report.
The devices, which monitor energy use and allow households to decide when to use energy and take control of their energy bills, are scheduled to be introduced into homes in 2010 under government plans.
By 2020, the government aims for all homes to have smart meters, which as well as tracking the energy use of a household indicate current energy prices.
However, the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr), which was monitoring British Gas' Green Streets competition, said that this process should be speeded up.
Matthew Lockwood, senior fellow in the climate team at ippr, said: "Nine in ten of the homes we will live in by 2020 have already been built, so we will need creative approaches to keep carbon reduction front of mind during a recession."
The government recently announced plans to give all homes in the UK an energy efficiency makeover by 2050.
Costs related to new technologies would be covered by savings in energy bills.
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