Between the Poles: Smart meter deployment accelerating in the EU

Geoff Zeiss

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Open Source Geospatial Foundation OSGEO
OSGeo was created to support the collaborative development of open source geospatial software and promote its widespread use
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July 01, 2011

Smart meter deployment accelerating in the EU

At the recent Utility of the Future conference, smart grid was called "the greatest disruption in the history of the utility industry" and "the world's largest industrial automation project." In the EU smart meter deployment appears to be accelerating.

The EC directive on smart meters mandates that 80% of European homes must have smart meters by 2020. But in several countries smart meter deployment is happening faster than that.

Italy was the first European country to adopt smart grid technology. At the Smart Utility Summit in London earlier this week, I was surprised to hear that Enel (the largest power company in Italy) has installed 32 million residential smart electric meters and is offering time-of-use pricing.

Sweden made intelligent meters mandatory in 2009. In July 2010, Sweden became the first European nation to reach 100% smart meter rollout for all energy customers.

In September 2010, the French government decreed that 95% of French homes will have smart meters by 2016.

Finland and Norway are planning to introduce legislation for smart meter implementation by 2013.

In Denmark smart meter deployment is happening rapidly without any government or regulatory intervention.

Berg Insight says 96.3 million European households will have smart meters by 2014.

Between the Poles

Geoff Zeiss

October 2024

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July 01, 2011

Smart meter deployment accelerating in the EU

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