Safeguarding EU Policy Aims and Requirements in Smart Grid Standardization

Exploring the regulatory challenges of a possible rollout of smart water meters in the Netherlands

“…and how these goals should be reflected in the technical aspects of the SWM. As explained by Hoenkamp (2015) in the context of electricity smart meters, the functionalities of such devices (determined via standards) ought to be coherent with the goals they are intended to serve. In her analysis of the rollout of electricity smart meters in the Netherlands, she explains that the functionalities initially established for the electricity smart meters did not allow to materialize the European Union policy aim of encouraging end-user energy efficiency, which was supposed to be the main motivation behind the rollout of the smart meters.…”

“…This was the case because the adopted technical standard did not include functionalities (e.g. a display) to increase the consumption awareness of consumers (Hoenkamp, 2015, p. 31). In addition, a clear indication of the goals to be pursued with SWM is necessary to exclude unwanted functionalities (Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij, 2017).…”

“…Since the metering currently serves the 21. The privacy concerns related to smart meters caused a great debate in the Netherlands when the legislation to support the rollout of electricity smart meters was being drafted (Cuijpers & Koops, 2013;Hoenkamp, 2015). The initial proposal presented by the Dutch government to the Parliament in 2008 included, among others, that the installation of the meter was mandatory (refusal by the consumer constituted an economic offence) and that the meter readings would be sent to the Distribution System Operator every 15 minutes (Cuijpers & Koops, 2013).…”

“…and how these goals should be reflected in the technical aspects of the SWM. As explained by Hoenkamp (2015) in the context of electricity smart meters, the functionalities of such devices 23. For example, the Danish Energy Agency (Energistyrelsen) issued a communication in January of 2018 according to which the processing of personal data carried out via devices which allow for remote readings of water and heating utilities (smart meters) may have as legal basis the provisions in Article 6, paragraph 1, points (e) and (f) of the GDPR, that is, respectively, that the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest and that the processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the controller or by a third party (Energistyrelsen, 2018).…”