Energy transition for all

40,000 smart meters in Brussels

Metering data is the cornerstone of the energy transition. For Sibelga, it makes it possible to manage bidirectional energy flows on the network and to target priority investments. The data is also essential for each Brussels customer to be able to optimise their energy consumption or to participate in energy communities, or to allow the emergence of new energy services on the market, while guaranteeing customer privacy. In this context, the deployment of smart meters in Brussels and the remote reading of their data are crucial, for customers, for market players and for Sibelga.

An important step towards this deployment was taken in April 2022 with the publication of the new ordinance on the organisation of the gas and electricity markets in the Brussels-Capital Region. This sets out a new framework and lists the situations in which Sibelga can or must install smart meters. For example, when a new connection is made, following the installation of solar panels or an electric vehicle charging station, or at the customer’s request.

By 31 December 2022, Sibelga’s network had 40,000 smart meters. “We have seen an increase of around 25% in the number of new prosumer customers, i.e. customers who produce part of their own energy, compared with previous years,” comments Thomas Defawe, Metering expert at Sibelga. “In recent years, we have been installing an average of 10,000 smart meters per year. This rate will accelerate to 50,000 meters/year in 2024 and 65,000 meters/year in 2026. “

In addition to the actual installation of smart meters, Sibelga must also integrate the gathering of consents for the remote reading of meters and the processing of metering data into its operational processes and put in place the procedures and tools that will make it available to suppliers. “This would allow the implementation of dynamic pricing and the development of flexibility services,” explains Daniel Raes, Market & Access Manager at Sibelga. “In 2022, we defined our needs in close cooperation with Sibelga’s IT department. We will, of course, ensure that this data is processed and shared securely, within a well-defined framework. “

An app to better monitor your energy consumption

In 2020, Sibelga developed a mobile app for monitoring energy consumption as part of a pilot project with the CPAS of the City of Brussels. The aim? To provide households in fuel poverty situations with a practical tool to better monitor their energy consumption on a daily basis and compare it with their budget.

In 2022, the new ordinance on the organisation of the gas and electricity markets in the Brussels-Capital Region confirmed that the provision of consumption data is part of our public service mission. Sibelga therefore capitalised on this pilot project to prepare a mobile app for monitoring energy consumption for all Brussels residential customers.

“To do this, we started to develop the digital infrastructure and in particular the module for collecting data in a secure manner, protecting access to data, managing changes of address, etc.,” explains Sandrine Wanet, Customer Experience Manager at Sibelga. “This is what we have been working on in 2022, with the aim of launching the app at the end of 2023. “

A charging point nearby for everyone

Since October 2021, Sibelga has been responsible for facilitating and coordinating the deployment of a public network of charging stations for electric vehicles, in collaboration with Brussels Environment, Brussels Mobility, Brugel, the VUB and the offices of the Ministers of Energy and Mobility.

By the end of 2022, this network will have no fewer than 1,380 publicly accessible charging points, i.e. 10 charging points per km². “All customers in Brussels now have a charging point within 250 metres of their home. The objective for 2023 is to reduce this distance to 150 metres by installing a second batch of almost 1,200 charging points,” says Nicolas Spilleboudt, Project Manager Green Mobility at Sibelga.

In addition, Sibelga participated in a working group set up by the Centre d’Informatique pour la Région bruxelloise (Paradigm, ex-CIRB) in order to develop a regional platform for managing data on charging points. “This platform will allow municipalities to evaluate the frequency of use of the various terminals,” explains Nicolas Spilleboudt. These data are already used by the website electrify.brussels launched by Brussels Environment to inform the inhabitants of Brussels about the Region’s electric mobility strategy and to enable them to easily find a charging station nearby.