Germany’s smart meter rollout set to be ‘realigned’
Image: Leipziger Stadtwerke
In a cross-party agreement in Germany’s Bundestag, the smart meter rollout, due to accelerate nationwide this year, is set to be realigned.
In essence what this realignment amounts to is what has been termed a ‘control rollout’, with the installation of a control device alongside the smart meters in all cases in which there is a controllable self generation system or home energy management system present.
Up to now only the smart metering systems were installed, with control devices having to be obtained separately as an additional service.
While the proposal, reached between the Social Democratic Party and Alliance 90/Greens and the CDU/CSU union parties, is still to pass through the Bundesrat, it and the other legislative changes agreed, are likely to be approved.
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“The agreement is good news for the energy transition. With enormous commitment and speed and a show of strength by all those involved, central energy laws were launched – a strong signal for the energy supply,” Kerstin Andreae, Chairwoman of the Executive board of the German industry association BDEW, was quoted in a statement.
“The realignment of the smart meter rollout towards a ‘control rollout’ is an important step for the secure grid integration of renewable energies.”
Other changes agreed include measures to dampen PV feed-in peaks, extension of the CHP Act in order to secure current CHP projects and enable investments in district heating expansion and extension of the transitional regulation for charging stations of de minimis companies – in particular applicable for smaller municipal utilities – which should improve planning and strengthen electromobility.
The cross-party document states there is a need for short-term adjustments in order to make the digitalisation system oriented and set up more robustly.
It also references the role of controllability of smart meters in the rollout of a smart grid and the need for monitoring of the rollout in order to be able to react quickly to any undesirable developments.
