Ahead of the upcoming meeting of the Energy Council, CurrENT Europe, ESMIG, smartEn, and T&D Europe released an open letter  to the Ministre fédéral de l’Energie/Federaal Minister van Energie to  include a call for the development and use of smart grid indicators in the Conclusions of the Energy Council on the 30th of May 2024. To achieve the EU’s climate and energy targets, significant investments are needed in the expansion, smartening, and refurbishment of the electricity infrastructure. Proper and structured monitoring, along with an inclusive process for agreeing on the required smartness and efficiency of the electricity network and its deployment, is essential to facilitate targeted and efficient investments. In the EU Electricity Directive ((EU) 2019/944) smart grid indicators have been established in Article 59 (1) (l), which is an effective tool for monitoring progress towards a smart grid that promotes energy efficiency, the integration of energy from renewable sources, and the empowerment of consumers. Now, 5 years after the adoption of the directive, it is high time to accelerate the development of this tool and implement it across the EU.

Therefore, the letter asks that the Conclusions of the Council meeting: 

• Acknowledge that smart grid indicators are an essential tool to guide investments in the efficiency, smartening and modernisation of the grid. 

• Encourage stakeholders to develop and consider the smart grid indicators in the preparation and deployment of grid investment plans.

We look forward to seeing these recommendations reflected in the discussions
and conclusions, and eagerly anticipate the positive impact SGI’s have on the future
advancement of Europe’s electricity grids.

You can download the full statement here