Municipal utilities

Automated submetering by municipal utilities and local energy suppliers

Automated submetering offers municipal utilities and local energy suppliers an attractive way to expand their service portfolio, open up new market segments and generate additional revenue. The technology provides new possibilities for the remote reading and billing of heating and water costs. This service not only represents an opportunity to generate new sales potential, but also greater customer loyalty and regional added value. As an expert in smart metering and smart submetering, Elvaco is your market-leading partner in the implementation of digital submetering solutions. 

Get in touch now!

Cost allocation and energy efficiency through modern submetering

What is automated submetering?

Automatic submetering is the process of digitally recording detailed energy consumption within individual units of a larger building or complex. Instead of just measuring the overall consumption of the building, digital submetering enables the separate measurement of consumption in individual apartments, commercial units or public areas.

This offers the advantage of a more precise and fair allocation of water and energy costs on the basis of individual consumption. Automated submetering is used in apartment buildings, office buildings and industrial plants, for example, to promote energy efficiency and to allocate costs fairly.

Why should local energy suppliers introduce automated submetering?

Over the coming years, established heat metering services will penetrate the areas of energy supply and meter operation. In the future, these tasks may no longer be exclusively in the hands of energy suppliers. Municipal utilities can diversify their sales and business models by entering the submetering business segment. Introducing such a service provides an opportunity to build up new business relationships, expand the range they offer and generate additional sales. 

As a result, submetering not only strengthens the position of municipal utilities on the market, but also their loyalty to existing customers. In addition, it enables municipal utilities and energy suppliers to deepen their expertise in billing and establish themselves as a comprehensive provider of metering and submetering. 

The portfolio of municipal utilities, which already includes the regular billing of heat, water, gas and electricity consumption through invoicing, dunning and customer support, can thus be expanded in a meaningful way. In terms of content, submetering hardly differs from the traditional utility business, as it includes: 

• Installation and operation of measuring devices
• Reading of energy consumption
• Transfer of data
• Billing of consumption

Automated submetering by municipal utilities – current legal background

An important backdrop to automated submetering for municipal utilities is the EU’s Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), which obligates EU member states to use meters that can be read remotely and to provide regular consumption data. The aim is to achieve transparency that supports consumers in times of global energy crisis and changes of apartments or tenancy  during the year. 

Note: Automated submetering helps municipal utilities to comply with legal regulations and guidelines relating to energy efficiency and consumer protection.

Expanding the service portfolio of municipal utilities

By taking over the submetering service, there are numerous benefits for municipal utilities and local energy suppliers. These benefits include: 

• Increasing efficiency by analyzing the energy consumption of all customers more precisely
• Strengthening customer loyalty through innovative services
• Expanding the range of services and opening up new market areas
• Competitive advantage over local competitors
• Expansion of existing billing processes

These benefits underline how smart submetering can increase the efficiency and competitiveness of municipal utilities and local energy suppliers. By implementing modern measurement and billing technologies and digitising corporate processes, submetering can make a significant contribution to optimising energy management and billing.

Elvaco – Submetering products for municipal utilities

Digital submetering is a strategically valuable addition for municipal utilities and local energy suppliers to remain competitive in a rapidly changing energy market. With the right tools and comprehensive support, these organizations can not only strengthen their market presence, but also make a valuable contribution to energy efficiency and environmental protection. 

• With the Elvaco Edge as a central gateway, municipal utilities can monitor consumption meters in real time. Elvaco Sense sensors provide detailed data on CO₂, temperature and humidity, while meter modules such as the CMi4170 and the CMi4111 enable the seamless integration of various heat meters.

Elvaco is the reliable partner for municipal utilities and local energy suppliers looking to expand the scope of their services through submetering. We not only support you with highly functional products, but also provide comprehensive assistance for skills development in the field of submetering. Contact our team of experts for no-obligation advice.

Get in touch now!

FAQs about automated submetering by municipal utilities

What is automated submetering by municipal utilities?

Digital submetering enables municipal utilities to measure individual energy consumption in apartment buildings or commercial properties, transmit data automatically via remote reading and do the billing. Municipal utilities can generate accurate and transparent bills based on actual consumption

What are the benefits of automated submetering for municipal utilities?

Automated submetering enables municipal utilities to open up new business areas and generate additional revenue streams by providing precise and user-specific energy consumption data for individual billing.