Press release: Breakfast debate on “Smart Metering in the Energy Efficiency Directive” in the European Parliament
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12 January 2012 – Brussels In view of the Energy Efficiency Directive review which is currently going through the first reading in the European Parliament, ESMIG (the European Smart Metering Industry Group) held a breakfast debate this morning on “Smart Metering in the Energy Efficiency Directive” – How to unleash the full energy savings potential of Smart Metering.
The event was hosted by MEP Fiona Hall, shadow rapporteur on the Directive, who welcomed the participants. Andreas Umbach – CEO Landis+Gyr and President of ESMIG – opened the debate and launched the new ESMIG position paper entitled “Smart Metering in the Energy Efficiency Directive”. The position paper’s main findings are largely based on the recently published “Empower Demand” report, researched and written by the global energy think-tank VaasaETT. This report concludes that significant reductions in the energy used by consumers, and the times of day they use the energy, can be achieved by the appropriate smart metering installations. The display of almost real-time energy consumption data on in-home devices (IHDs) led on average to an 8.7% reduction in energy consumption. The different types of dynamic pricing mechanisms used in the pilots and roll–outs have all shown that energy loads up to 16% can be shifted (“peak clipping”) for the benefit of consumers and utilities.
The report clearly demonstrates why the proposed obligations on metering and billing in the EED (article 8 and annex VI) are crucial to increasing Europe’s energy efficiency by 20% by the year 2020.
Fiona Hall underlined that "these new metering and billing measures in the Energy Efficiency Directive are essential because they establish the fundamental principle that consumers have a right to information about how much energy they are using. It is only when people have such knowledge that they can start to adapt their behaviour and choose energy-saving options."
The Smart Metering provisions of the draft Energy Efficiency Directive are complementary with the direct feedback provisions, namely a mandatory consumer interface and informative billing, being crucial to empower consumers.
Several MEPs from the Industry and Environment Committees attended the breakfast debate, among them Anna Rosbach, Bas Eickhout and Lambert van Nistelrooij. European Commission officials from DG Energy as well as DG Research and Innovation were present.
It was a lively and informed debate, also including DSOs and consumer organisation representatives.
Andreas Umbach thanked the participants and concluded his presentation by saying “The most efficient and secure way to deliver direct feedback information to consumers, e.g. via displays, informative billing and dynamic tariffs, is advanced smart metering solutions.”
Download position paper and presentation here.
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 and system integrators. ESMIG covers all aspects of Smart Metering, including electricity, gas, water and heat measurement. Member companies cover the entire value chain from meter manufacturing, software, installation and consulting to communications and system integration. 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 solutions.
ESMIG is an Official Partner of the Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign: www.sustenergy.org
For further information contact:
ESMIG Secretariat
Phone: +32 2 7068257, Fax: +32 2 7068253
Email: secretariat@esmig.eu
European Smart Metering Industry Group
Boulevard A. Reyers 80, 1030 Brussels, Belgium