Europeans can lower energy bills by using electricity more intelligently
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European households can help stabilize the continent's aging power grid by adopting smarter consumption habits rather than simply reducing their total electricity use.
Niklas Persson, the CEO of grid integration at Hitachi Energy, says consumers can become active participants in the energy ecosystem. By using technologies such as smart electric vehicle charging, flexible heating systems, and solar power with battery storage, residents can reduce strain on the grid during peak periods.
These methods allow households to access cheaper electricity and potentially sell renewable energy back to the grid when demand is highest, such as in the evenings. While many of these technologies require high upfront costs, some households can join demand-response programs using smart meters. The adoption of these devices varies across the continent. Denmark and Sweden have high usage rates, while Germany has only 5.9 per cent of electricity connections equipped with smart meters.
The energy think tank Ember reports that grid bottlenecks currently put more than 120 GW of anticipated renewable energy at risk. Persson argues that governments and utilities must work with technology providers to create simple incentives for consumers. He suggests that the grid should be treated as critical infrastructure, like railways or airports, to ensure that clean energy can reach consumers and support the growing demand from data centers and electrified economies.
