Deputy Environment and Energy Minister Alexandra Sdoukou said on Wednesday that smart electricity meters should also be allowed in Greece’s households so that consumers profit from power surplus and cheaper prices.
Addressing the Ecomobility Conference in Athens, Sdoukou noted that energy providers in Europe are offering electricity rates that are up to three times cheaper during hours when there is a power surplus (for example, at noon in summer when photovoltaic production is at its peak) and this should also be happening in Greece by extending the use of smart electricity meters.
Consumers were totally confused end of 2023 as they were informed about the new electricity pricing plans as of 1.1.2024 based on a color0coded billing system.
- The fluctuating ‘green’ plan, automatically applied to those who don’t select an alternative
- The ‘blue’ plan featuring a fixed rate.
- The ‘yellow,’ a variable plan with end-of-month settlements
- The ‘orange,’ contingent on having a smart meter [mostly businesses].
Despite the ongoing reversal of meters for the new billing plans, most consumers seem undecided on which color scheme to opt for.
Electricity bills wit the new color-pricing have not be issued yet on Jan 24, 2023.
Sdoukou said that the legislative framework is already in place and is one of the most important requirements so that the increasing use of electric vehicles is accompanied by an optimal use of the electricity distribution network.
“The charging of electric vehicles should take place when prices are low and stop when demand is high. This can be achieved through the digitization of the network, with smart meters and the introduction of dynamic rates in electricity bills so that consumers have an incentive to adapt their charging hours, something that happens in other European countries, such as Denmark and the UK,” she said.
Sdoukou underlined that the national energy plan envisages that 500,000 electric vehicles will be in circulation on the Greek roads by 2030.
She also announced that, apart from road transport, the first electric ferry boat is being planned for the Galatas-Poros line, in the context of including the island of Poros in the GR-eco islands initiative.
This is what UK smart meters are doing (excerpt from a paper today) – “for example, people being billed for energy used by properties hundreds of miles away, or meters going rogue, resulting in huge bills which customers then must fight to get cancelled.”
Sdoukou underlined that the national energy plan envisages that 500,000 electric vehicles will be in circulation on the Greek roads by 2030.
Is he aware that insurers won’t (anymore) insure ferries to transport evs?