Whitepaper: International Comparison of Smart Meters and their role in Demand-Side Flexibility Use Cases

To guarantee the stability and cost-efficiency of the future energy system, with a high penetration of volatile power sources, targeted shifts in consumption will be necessary. Two main mechanisms are conceivable:

• Consumers can independently adjust their consumption to minimize their electricity bill. For example, they can optimize the consumption of their self-generated PV electricity or respond to dynamic tariffs;
• Actors in the energy system, such as distribution network operators, can gain direct access to flexible loads and control them in critical grid conditions.

To implement these mechanisms, digital infrastructures and communication channels between energy market actors are necessary, enabling the following functionalities:

Recording and communicating consumption with high temporal resolution for billing dynamic tariffs and determining the grid status.

This need was identified by the European Union 15 years ago, and accordingly, the development and rollout of a smart meter infrastructure were mandated.

Secure communication channel for transmitting control commands to the household.

Some countries, such as Germany, have chosen to integrate this functionality into their smart meter infrastructure. Other countries have allowed or developed different digital infrastructures for this purpose.

Both the developed smart meter infrastructures and their role in leveraging demand-side flexibilities vary significantly between European countries. In our whitepaper, we provide a detailed analysis of the smart meter infrastructure in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, summarized as follows:

Additionally, our whitepaper provides a detailed overview of relevant regulations, as well as recommendations for manufacturers and providers of innovative flexibility solutions planning to enter other European markets.

Please contact us if you would like more information about the respective smart meters, are interested in the technical framework conditions of other European countries, or generally seek support in planning your entry into other European markets.