Page 20 - European Energy Innovation - autumn 2019 publication
P. 20
20 Autumn 2019 European Energy Innovation
COMMUNICATION
Smart technologies are key
to making Europe’s energy
transition work
The European Energy Union strategy aims to guarantee accessible, affordable, secure,
competitive and sustainable energy for all Europeans.
To achieve these objectives and meet a low supply or when there is high consumers to receive accurate and
our carbon targets, the European demand. The number of prosumers timely information, to enable them
energy market must undergo will grow, along with the flexibility of to acknowledge and change their
fundamental changes. We need to consumption increasing. However, consumption patterns, to encourage
rapidly move from a market driven this will only be possible if customers them to engage in energy generation,
by fossil fuels designed around have access to systems that work demand response, and to protect
big central controllable generation for them. It is crucial to prevent their rights and privacy.
units to a ‘demand-driven’ energy unplanned downtime that could
system, integrating renewables and impact the flexibility and energy Smart metering represents
more local generation and storage supply. the greatest tool for consumer
solutions where customers are at the empowerment to reach the energy
heart of the system. Smart metering systems and access industry in the last 100 years. For the
to real time energy data are both first time, consumers will be able to
The timing of electricity management, indispensable to empower the see exactly how much energy they
related to when and where electricity consumer and to ensure a good consume, when they consume it
is needed on the grid, will matter far management of the whole system. and how much it costs. The ability to
more in coming decades due to an monitor and control consumption is
increasing reliance on distributed WHY SMART TECHNOLOGIES ARE the pre-requisite for market-based
energy resources and the integration CRUCIAL TO ACHIEVE THE ENERGY pricing and network optimisation.
of large and small renewables. TRANSITION
For a fundamental change to Smart metering benefits such as
Moreover, consumers will have happen in Europe’s energy system, savings on energy bills and reduced
the right tools to increase their the policies need to be formulated meter reading costs are a welcome
consumption during supply peaks with the consumer in mind. The economic relief, but in the long run
and reduce it when the system is on system needs to be designed for an invaluable benefit will be the
transition of our outdated energy
system to a smart, demand driven,
flexible and greener one.
The successful deployment of this
technology across the EU is the first
step in achieving this aim. The next
steps require additional services
and technologies that need to be
available and to work with the smart
meter data.
HOW CAN POLICY-MAKERS HELP IN
MAKING THE NEW ENERGY MARKET
A REALITY?
Achieving the full benefits of
smart meters means considering
the associated impact of
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