The Energy Community (EnC) contracting parties are lagging behind in most areas of the digital transformation of the electricity networks. That is why Energy Community Secretariat has published a study which maps the current situation of smart grids and smart meter penetration in the Energy Community contracting parties by listing ongoing and planned projects, based on responses to questionnaires prepared by the Secretariat in consultation with members of the Energy Community Distribution System Operators in Electricity (ECDSO-E) coordination group.
Having in view the current technological development in the contracting parties, the study pinpoints energy digitalization areas of most relevance and proposes concrete regional projects that could be eligible for technical and financial assistance. These include, among others, smart meter roll-out, implementation of a wide area monitoring system and demand side management.
Smart grids can help to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the energy system today, including higher levels of intermittent renewables connected to the grid, integration of storages and phase-out of nuclear and fossil fuelled generation units. The study aims to encourage investment into smart grid projects, by underlining their benefits and raising awareness of the support and assistance offered by International Financial Institutions and donors, which remain underutilized.
