Stockholm, Sweden, March 26, 2014 – Maingate and Norwegian NTE are collaborating on a pilot project to ascertain how clients relate to floating energy prices in real time.
A smart addition to the electric meter collects, analyses and redistributes usage minute by minute and allows users to take control of and manage their electricity consumption.
The pilot project is a part of Demo Steinkjer, a national Norwegian project where new solutions for measuring and use of energy are tested. The result will be the basis for the development and modernisation of Norway’s energy grid. Demo Steinkjer was started by the energy utility company NTE and the Norwegian Smart Grid Centre.
As a first step in the pilot project, 35 test households have installed the new system where they can continually control their energy consumption.
“The goal is to see how the client reacts to energy prices in real time and how they relate to the economic thresholds they themselves have defined. By visualising the relationship between energy consumption and cost, we believe we can contribute to keeping the customer more informed and energy conscious,” says Torbjørn Opland, Department Director at Nord-Trøndelag Elektrisitetsverk Nett AS.
The project aims to create net tariffs that contribute to more consistent electricity consumption over the year. By reducing consumption peaks in the morning and afternoon, customers can save money, while at the same time the load on the grid is reduced. This requires fewer net reinforcement measures and infrastructure investments in the electrical grid landscape.
Previous tests have shown that households can save up to 15% on their electricity consumption without compromising on comfort. If all the households in Sweden saved 15% of their electricity consumption it would equate to 2.3 billion kilowatt hours, and as many billion Swedish kronor – a big win for both the economy and the environment.
“We are looking forward to the results of Demo Steinkjer. As one of Europe’s leading ICT companies, we are convinced that one of the keys to unlocking future energy challenges lies in smart M2M solutions,” says Baard Eilertsen, CEO of Maingate.
NTE’s smart meters
Maingate provides the service platform Maingate mvio™ Home, which enables communication of information from NTE’s smart meters. The platform also provides the customer with control over the consumption of individual appliances through NTE’s electricity meter. Visit website
