Re: Germany
Re Germany's actions on smart meters, a quick search on t'web found this 2 year old summary:
https://www.navigantresearch.com/news-and-views/unraveling-germanys-smart-meter-strategy
Which follows on from a new law that got passed in 04/2016:
https://www.twobirds.com/en/news/articles/2016/germany/july/germany-launches-smart-metering-roll-out
Quote: " Contrary to other areas of energy policy, such as renewable energy, the German government has been wary of the costs associated with this task.", which I have to say sounds like a prudent view.
From the EU directive:
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2. Member States shall ensure the implementation of intelligent metering systems that shall assist the active participation of consumers in the electricity supply market. The implementation of those metering systems may be subject to an economic assessment of all the long-term costs and benefits to the market and the individual consumer or which form of intelligent metering is economically reasonable and cost-effective and which timeframe is feasible for their distribution.
Such assessment shall take place by 3 September 2012.
Subject to that assessment, Member States or any competent authority they designate shall prepare a timetable with a target of up to 10 years for the implementation of intelligent metering systems.
Where roll-out of smart meters is assessed positively, at least 80 % of consumers shall be equipped with intelligent metering systems by 2020.
The Member States, or any competent authority they designate, shall ensure the interoperability of those metering systems to be implemented within their territories and shall have due regard to the use of appropriate standards and best practice and the importance of the development of the internal market in electricity.
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Reading the first article, I'd say the German view just echoes that of many of the previous contributors here: "Not worth it, freund", so they targetted it at the higher users.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
