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Iskraemeco Group
Savska loka 4,
4000 Kranj, Slovenia
Telephone: +(386) 4 206 4000
Email: info@iskraemeco.com

Success stories

Digitalization of the power grid and smart metering in Wiener Netze | Austria

Wiener Netze, Austria’s largest combined grid operator, is at the forefront of digitalizing the power grid and implementing smart metering. This transformative journey, essential for meeting the EU directives and enhancing grid efficiency, showcases innovation, collaboration, and customer-centric solutions.

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Project overview

Customer
  • Wiener Netze, the largest combined grid operator in Austria.
  • In a revised goal, Wiener Netze is confident in achieving the 95% implementation of smart meters in households by the end of 2024.
Goals

Building a resilient power grid and accelerating Austria’s energy transition.

Solution

Smart single and three phase meters that utilize G3-PLC and P2P communication technologies.

Results
  • Advancing energy efficiency with accurate data insights.
  • Improving visibility of energy consumption.
  • Facilitating customer-centric smart metering practices.
  • Maximizing potential for grid optimization.

 

Challenges and strategic responses

01

Data accessibility and regulations

Wiener Netze prioritizes customer access to meter data. Customers can conveniently view data, adjust parameters, and set alarms through a user-friendly web portal and mobile interface. However, regulatory restrictions limit how Wiener Netze could leverage collected smart meter data for analytics and grid planning.

02

Active consumers and evolving customer demands:

Wiener Netze observes a significant shift towards “active consumers”, who control their energy consumption, engage in load balancing, and adopt e-mobility solutions. This trend underscores the evolving role of customers in energy management and necessitates enhanced utility-customer interaction and support.

03

Management of network losses

Wiener Netze recognizes the importance of minimizing both commercial and non-commercial network losses. These losses encompass technical issues like energy dissipation in transmission lines and non-technical issues like theft or meter tampering. While current losses might be manageable, Wiener Netze understands their potential impact on long-term grid health and financial sustainability.

Key partnerships and innovative solution

Wiener Netze began exploring smart metering technology in 2009 with a period of pilot projects and technology evaluations lasting until 2015, after which preparations for a large-scale rollout began.

During the piloting phase, the DSO utilized equipment from different vendors. In August 2017, Wiener Netze announced that it had selected a consortium comprising Siemens, Landis+Gyr and Iskraemeco for the mass-deployment phase of the rollout. Installations began at a smaller scale in November 2018.

The large-scale phase of the rollout began in 2021 and by the end of the year, the number of deployed meters had reached 436,000. By the end of 2022, Wiener Netze had installed 800,000 smart meters, translating into a penetration rate of 50 percent.

Wiener Netze’s decision to partner with Iskraemeco within a consortium of reputable suppliers provided a solid foundation for the project. Iskraemeco’s expertise and commitment to quality aligned with Wiener Netze’s objective of prioritizing quality over price. Rigorous testing procedures ensured that only meters meeting stringent quality standards were accepted, reflecting the Iskraemeco’s dedication to delivering reliable and high-quality solutions.

Solution architecture

Wiener Netze measures quarterly hour and daily energy consumption utilising Iskraemeco smart single and three phase meters using G3-PLC and P2P communication technologies. Iskraemeco meters adhere to industry standards, robust communication protocols, and advanced security features. Utilizing the COSEM/DLMS standards and TCP/IP communication profiles, these meters ensure seamless integration, enhanced data management, and reliable metering operations across diverse environments.

Results

1

Advancing energy efficiency with accurate data insights

Iskraemeco’s smart meter solutions have played an important role in improving energy efficiency by providing accurate and granular data insights. By digitizing the power grid and enabling near real-time monitoring of energy consumption, smart metering facilitated informed decision-making and behavior changes among customers.

2

Improving visibility of energy consumption

Iskraemeco’s smart meters provide the utility’s customers with visibility into their energy consumption, enabling them
to track and understand their usage patterns effectively.

3

Facilitating customer-centric smart metering practices

By offering flexible options for data collection, display functions, and opt-in/opt-out features, Iskraemeco smart metering solutions empower customers to tailor their metering experience according to their preferences while ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.

4

Maximizing potential for grid optimization

While regulatory constraints limit the full utilization of meter data for analytics and grid planning in Austria, Wiener Netze recognizes the importance of harnessing data insights to adapt to evolving grid challenges and ensure
the stability and efficiency of the power grid. Implementing the Iskraemeco solutions maximizes the potential of available data. By fostering a better understanding of grid dynamics and customer behaviors, Iskraemeco solutions support improvements in grid optimization and management.

Interview with Johannes Geist, former program manager smart metering at Wiener Netze

Upon reaching a project milestone, we had a privilege of speaking with Johannes Geist, former program manager smart metering at Wiener Netze. During our conversation, we had the opportunity to delve deeper into the project, shedding additional light on its complexities and significance.

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