USmartConsumer

You are a Smart Consumer (USmartConsumer)

USmartConsumer is an European project, strongly wanted by the European Commission, funded by the IEE - Intelligent Energy for Europe (Intelligent Energy Europe - Contract No. IEE-13-590) to support the EU policies (EU Directive 2012/27/EU) as well as the national one (Plan for Energy Efficiency of 2011), who want a more informed and conscious consumers about their energy consumption through smart meters in order to reduce household energy consumption which currently represent 28%.

Launched on the 1^st of March 2014, USmartConsumer lasts three years (February 2017).

Project Objectives

USmartConsumer proposes to stimulate the energy market through the efficient use of energy smart meters.

The project, through actions directed both to consumers and energy operators, aims to promote the correct use of smart meters by consumers and the development of new services related to smart meter by operators energy.

In particular, USmartConsumer addresses:

- consumers, to promote greater awareness about smart meters, especially on their role as information and monitoring tool of household energy consumption,

- energy operators, to encourage the development of new services related to smart meter in response to the real needs of consumers.

USmartConsumer involves 10 organizations from 8 European countries, where AISFOR is the Italian partner of the project.

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USmartConsumer Partners

AISFOR srl (AISFOR) - Italy - Marina Varvesi - varvesi@aisfor.it

Escan, s.l. (ESCAN) - Spain

Central Finland Energy Agency (CFEA) - Finland

Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) - United Kingdom

Austrian Energy Agency (AEA) - Austria

NL Agency (NLA) - Netherlands

REE-Management (REEM) - Germany

WEMAG (WEMAG) - Germany

Polish Consumer Federation National Council (FK) - Poland

The Polish National Energy Conservation Agency (KAPE) - Poland

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Planned Activities

USmartConsumer envisages a work plan in three steps to achieve the promotion of the efficient use of smart meters both by consumers and by energy operators:

Phase 1 – Energy market analysis

Phase 2 – Communication campaign aimed at both domestic consumers and operators in energy sector

Phase 3 – Promotion of new services offered for smart meters

In particular, during the three years of UsmartConsumer, different actions will be realized:

- Execution of a survey in all European countries about implementation level of smart meter (roll-out plan) and services offered - Landscape Report

- Assessment of consumers knowledge on their energy consumption and their needs and expectations in terms of services and energy efficiency - Market analysis and segmentation

- Creation of factsheets on the services offered by the smart meter, in Italy and in the other partner countries

- Development of an information campaign aimed at consumers to increase their awareness level about energy efficiency in general and about smart meter in particular

- Production of information materials (factsheets, brochures, guidelines, etc.) to describe the smart meters and the services provided

- Organization of round tables between stakeholders to discuss the services currently offered by smart meter and the results from the market analysis with regard to market demands for new services

- Support the realization of a pilot project to test the implementation of new services by smart meters.

All activities aim to promote the efficient use of smart meters and to reduce household energy consumption by increasing:

- information and knowledge of Italian consumers about their consumption and their potential savings;

- synergies between energy operators and consumers, to increase number and quality of smart meters services to offer to consumers.

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Expected Results

- Direct involvement of about 220,000 families in Europe in the 8 pilot projects on smart meters, for an average reduction in household energy consumption by 10% by the end of the project (with a total savings of over 125,000 MWh/year)

- Achievement of about 750,000 families from the 8 information campaigns in the various countries of the project

- Realization of 8 market analysis on needs, expectations and acceptance level of the smart meter by consumers, including 8 market segmentations

- Identification of at least 40 services provided in Europe related to smart meters, described in the report on the current situation in Europe of the smart meter and related services (Landscape Report)

- Promotion of dialogue and synergies among more than 1,800 European players in the energy market