Date: 14.12.2009
Location: Marriott Brussels Hotel, Rue Auguste Orts, 3-7,1000 Brussels
Following ERGEG's work on smart metering which was presented at the 2nd Citizens' Energy Forum (Sept. 2009), ERGEG will work in 2010 on Guidelines of Good Practice (GGP) on the Regulatory Aspects of Smart Metering. The GGP will serve as guidance for the industry and governments on intelligent meters (as defined in EU legislation): what is required so that smart metering systems actually assist the active participation of consumers in the electricity and gas retail markets and what requirements must be fulfilled to comply with EU legislation in terms of reporting frequency and interoperability. This ERGEG workshop is an integral a part of the process of developing the GGPs. Speakers included representatives from the European Commission, regulators, consumer bodies, supplier/retailers, network operators as well as the smart metering manufacturers, software companies and other stakeholders. Some of the key discussion focused on:
• implications of 3rd Package;
• the findings of the ERGEG (2009) Status Review Report of smart meter roll-out in European countries (E09-RMF-17-03), and of the different cost-benefits analysis conducted in France, Norway and Italy;
• the need to define minimum functionalities at least at a national (possibly EU) level;
• the work mandated by the European Commission to the European Standards bodies to enable interoperability of utility meters and the important clarification that standardisation in this context does not mean imposing identical solutions on all projects in all Member States;
• the fact that standards are important pre-requisites for interoperability but standards on their own will not ensure interoperability;
• the importance of "smart regulation" (e.g. demand response measures) as well as smart metering to help consumers change behaviour, reduce energy consumption and empower them to be more active in the market;
• the work being done at EU level on smart grids (e.g. ERGEG's current public consultation and the European Commission's new task force for implementing smart grids).