Brussels – 27 June 2013 – ESMIG, the European Smart Metering Industry Group, and EDSO, the European Distribution System Operators for Smart Grids and coordinator of the Meter-ON project, hosted a High Level Policy Conference on the progress made so far in implementing smart metering technologies across Europe.

The conference, set during the EU Sustainable Energy Week, focused on the status of implementation of smart metering in Europe, and the technical and regulatory barriers currently endangering the uptake of smart metering solutions. Intermediate key findings, half way through the Meter-ON project, were presented.

Per-Olof Granström (Secretary General of EDSO for Smart Grids) highlighted, “A successful deployment of smart meters is crucial for reaching the EU energy objectives and obtaining the full benefits of the energy market. I am proud that EDSO is coordinating this important project; metering is core business for DSOs and sharing knowledge, experience and lessons learned from existing roll-outs is crucial for all stakeholders in the smart metering field.”

ESMIG marks five years of its operations promoting the adoption of smart metering and Maher Chebbo (Vice-President of ESMIG) commented, “Smart Metering is clearly well-matched to the EU’s ambitious 20-20-20 goals [*], and therefore to the EU’s Sustainable Energy Week goals: the achievement of the 20-20-20 goals depend on the reconfiguration of the European electricity grid into a “smart grid” combined with changes in consumer’s behaviour. Smart metering is at the core of the strategy to meet these challenges.”

Key presentations were made by Jan Panek of the European Commission’s Energy Directorate, Robert Denda, Smart Metering Project Manager of ENDESA and representatives of the Meter-ON project.

* [20% increase in energy efficiency, 20% reduction of CO2 emissions, and generating 20% of energy from renewable sources by 2020]

Notes for editors
About ESMIG
The European Smart Metering Industry Group (ESMIG) is the European industry association that provides knowledge and expertise on Smart Metering and related communications at a European level. ESMIG's members are the leading companies in the European Smart Metering Market: meter manufacturers, IT companies, communications product and service providers, home energy management product and service providers and system integrators. ESMIG covers all aspects of Smart Metering and related services, including electricity, gas, water and heat measurement. By giving support to European Union institutions, member states and standardisation organisations, the industry group aims to assist in the development of national and European-wide introduction, roll-out and management of Smart Metering and related solutions.

ESMIG is an Official Associate of the Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign: www.sustenergy.org

About EDSO for Smart Grids
EDSO is gathering leading European Distribution System Operators for electricity, covering more than 70 percent of the EU points of electricity supply – cooperating to bring Smart Grids from vision to reality. EDSO is promoting the reliability, the optimal management and the technical development of the electricity distribution grids while reaching the European targets of energy efficiency, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and higher share of renewable energy sources. EDSO is working as a key-interface between distribution system operators and European Institutions, actively promoting members’ demonstration projects, coordinating European projects and collaborating with standardisation authorities and consumer associations.

About Meter-ON
Meter-ON is an FP7 coordination and support action to steer the implementation of smart metering solutions throughout Europe. The project aims at speeding up and optimising the adoption of smart metering technologies and infrastructures in Europe by effectively collecting the most successful experiences in the field and highlighting the conditions that enabled their development. The Meter-ON consortium is led by EDSO and comprises CEIT and EnergyLab (university-linked foundations), RSE (technological institution) and ZABALA (Communication Expert). http://www.meter-on.eu