My Smart Energy – Consumers-focused website on smart metering & smart grids launched at EUSEW
Europe’s consumers are increasingly presented with the opportunity to play an active role in a more sustainable energy system where efficiency, decarbonisation and renewable energy are central drivers.
In the short-term, they will be confronted with technological changes necessary to adapt to this new energy paradigm. Before we can expect households to engage in the energy transition, becoming active energy players, stakeholders have a responsibility to help them understand: what is happening in their energy system, why it is happening, and which are the benefits for them and society.
Today marks the launch of My Smart Energy (www.my-smart-energy.eu), a new pan-European portal designed as a first step towards providing everyday household consumers in Europe with easy to understand information addressing these questions, from their perspective.
The website, developed by European Distribution System Operators for Smart Grids (EDSO) and the European Smart Metering and Management Industry Group (ESMIG) provides accessible explanations and materials that, alongside helping consumers, can help local authorities, utilities, national information campaigns and other stakeholders to introduce the changes about to take place in their communities. Awareness and understanding will lead to consumer empowerment and engagement.
Some of the website’s features
- What are smart meters? Why are they installed? What do they mean for me?
- What are smart grids? Why do we need them?
- My benefits
- My country: information on smart meter roll-outs in each member state and links to helpful videos and materials in their own language.
Consultation
The My Smart Energy website is considered Phase I of a potentially farther-reaching consumer awareness campaign. A public consultation was therefore launched in parallel seeking views on the new website as well as considerations for Phase II. Interested stakeholders from consumer groups, local authorities, European institutions, network operators, the smart energy sector, and other, are encouraged to reply to the online survey until July 17 2015. Participants of the launch event taking place within the EUSEW policy conference were given an early opportunity to comment ahead of the discussion in the European Commission today.
Pictures from the launch event are now available here.
Contact
Joana Abreu Jackson, Communications & Policy Officer, EDSO, +32 (0)2 880 3714,
Georgiana Huiban, Marketing and Communications Officer, ESMIG, +32 (0)2 706 8271,
