2008 I 2009 Sustainability Report - Econsense

In 2007, the Schachts were one of around
1,000 selected "power pioneers" who tested
the new electricity meter during a one-year
trial phase aimed at determining its practicality.
"We were able to cut our electricity
costs by around 20 to 25%", Julia Schacht
estimates. This new transparency on the
energy consumption front prompted the
Schachts to start using energy-saving bulbs
in the house and to generally only turn the
washing machine and clothes dryer on after
8 p.m. Alongside the intelligent electricity
meter, EnBW namely also supplies a comprehensive
package containing not only the
software for real-time data and the Internet
portal but also a monthly bill complete with
energy efficiency tips and a special electricity
tariff. People who systematically resched-
ule their energy consumption to the
evening and night-time hours can save
money. A further service is designed to improve
safety: the customer can ask to be
sent a text message warning if electricity
consumption exceeds a predefined level.
This is particularly practical when customers
go on holiday. "The classic case is
when I ask myself whether I unplugged the
iron when we're already 50 miles down the
motorway", says Julia Schacht.
The intelligent electricity meter has been
available to all EnBW customers since October
2008, and the demand is huge. But this
is only the beginning for EnBW; in the coming
years, the new meter is to become the
centrepiece of a new energy management
platform which will allow regulation of intelligent
end-user appliances, energy storage
and decentral generation.
www.enbw.com
› Intelligent electricity meter ‹
25