28th March 2012 General Assembly Minutes (10:00-16:00 CET)

Venue: Hotel Sofitel Brussels Europe, Place Jourdan 1, 1040 Brussels

Attendees

AitorGaldos: Landis & Gyr

Ali Haider: SEDC/VaasaETT

Alicia Carrasco: eMeter/Siemens

Andreas Stamatiou: Nation-E

Antonio Matamala: Kisters

Bernard Delpech: EDF

Bertrand Deprez: Schneider Electric

Celine Herion: CECED

Chris King: eMeter/Siemens

Daniele Cognolato: Digi International

Dennis Quinn: Joule Assets

DiederikApotheker: Vattenfall

Guillaume Foggia: Alstom

James Pace: Silversprings Networks

Jessica Strömbäck: SEDC/VaasaETT

John Harris: Landis & Gyr

Judith Ward: Sustainability First

LeslawWiniarski: PSE Operator

Marco Signa: CECED

Marina Lombardi: Enel

Markus Becker: GE

Molly Webb: The Climate Group

Oliver Stahl: Entelios

Oskar Almen: Vattenfall

Philippe Raffin: Schneider Electric

Raymond Foley: United Technologies

Said Abboudi: BPL Global

Stephanie Muller: EDF

Teus de Zwart: Echelon

Thomas Mikkelsen: GEO

Thomas Vermeil: EDF

Thomas Weisshaupt: Cinterion

YannickPhulpin: EDF

  1. Welcome of SEDC Members by Chris King and a short presentation on the Green Button initiative in the USA
  1. Jessica provided an overview of the SEDC’s activities in its first year 2011-2012:
  • For a full account of this report please see the SEDC 2011 Annual Report which can be downloaded from the SEDC website
  • German Committee
  • A short presentation was also provided by Oliver Stahl on the work performed within the German Committee and the progress made there.
  1. Presentation on the SEDC’s EU Strategy for 2012/13
  2. Ali provided an overview of the SEDC’s advocacy strategy at the EU level and the range of policy and regulatory processes that the SEDC is engaged in or could engage in.
  1. ENTSO-E Network Codes
  • A discussion was held on the ENTSO-ENetwork Code development process.
  • The point was raised that this is not a democratic or political process and goes relatively directly into law.
  • Discussion focused on the fact that ENTSO-E wants to have all appliances automated to turn off in response to frequency signals without paying or asking consumers.
  • Points brought up:
  • Standards would have to comply to rule
  • CECED: business case could be called into question
  • There could be technical issues: Damage to appliances, unwanted cutoffs
  • Consumer backlash against big brother control
  • We should cooperate with BEUC and other consumer groups on the issue

Decision:

  • It was decided that an ENTSO-E working group should be formed to respond to these and other codes ENTSO-E may develop.
  • The first stakeholder workshop will take place on the 18th of April in Brussels.
  • The Working Group Members:
  • Alicia Carrasco: eMeter
  • Celine Herion: CECED
  • Chris King: eMeter
  • Marina Lombardi: EDF
  • Oliver Stahl: Entelios
  • Philippe Raffin: Schneider Electric
  • Bertrand Delpech: Schneider Electric
  • Said Abboudi: BpL Global
  • YannickPhulpin: EDF
  • Marco Signa: CECED
  • Oskar Almen: Vattenfall
  1. Discussion on how to impact the Council of the EU
  2. Jessica brought up the issue of how to influence the Council of the EU, which answers only to national governments, if the SEDC does not form contacts or work in any European national market.
  3. She brought up the suggestion of forming contacts in at least the largest states in order to be able to have some impact on the decisions taken at this level and passed onto the Council.
  4. Members were concerned that such initiatives would cause trouble both between SEDC members and also for individual company representatives within their own companies.

Decision:

  • It was decided that research should be disseminated to national governments through Member contact but that the SEDC should maintain the policy of becoming involved on a national level on a case by case basis only and with the expressed agreement of SEDC Members
  1. Standards Activities
  2. Bertrand Deprez introduced the decision to expand and activate the Standards Working Group. (This group was discussed earlier but never fully activated)

Decision:

  • It was decided that the aim of the Standards Group would be as follows:
  • Create a set of overarching aims to promote
  • Build consensus in Brussels on direction we would like standardization to take
  • Provide information and insight to SEDC Members
  • Standards Working Group Members:
  • AitorGaldos: Landis and Gyr
  • Ali Haider: SEDC
  • Alicia Carrasco: eMeter
  • Antonio Matamala: Kisters
  • Bertrand Deprez: Schneider Electric
  • Celine Herion: CECED
  • Chris King: eMeter
  • Daniele Cognolato: Digi International
  • James Pace: Silver Springs Networks
  • Molly Webb: Climate Group
  • Oliver Stahl: Entelios
  • Raymond Foley: United Technologies
  • Said Abboudi : PBL Global
  • Teus de Zwart: Echelon
  • Thomas Mikkelsen: Green Energy Options
  • Thomas Weisshaupt: Gemalto
  1. 2012 Research Papers
  • A discussion was held on which white papers should be written within this next year.
  • The SEDC will draft the following three White Papers during the year:

1)Demand Response and energy efficiency: for Industrial, Commercial and Residential. This will cover the issues of ‘time of consumption’, regulatory structures, and definitions

2)Residential DR Snap Shot: In this paper we will work to clarify best practice and look for repeated barriers and opportunities for residential programme development. Main areas will be:

  • What programmes are successful, which now
  • Regulatory enablers and barriers
  • Technological enablers and barriers
  • Create a business case for the consumer
  • Captive power

Residential Snap Shot Working Group:

  • AitorGaldos: Landis & Gyr
  • Ali Haider: SEDC/VaasaETT
  • Alicia Carrasco: eMeter/Siemens
  • Bertrand Deprez: Schneider Electric
  • Celine Herion: CECED
  • Chris King: eMeter/Seimens
  • Daniele Cognolato: Digi International
  • James Pace: Silversprings Networks
  • LeslawWiniarski: PSE Operator
  • Marina Lombardi: Enel
  • Stephanie Muller: EDF
  • Teus de Zwart: Echelon
  • Thomas Mikkelsen: GEO
  • Thomas Weisshaupt: Gemalto

3)Commercial Building Potential and Requirements: This paper will explore the potential of activating commercial buildings, the current status of this market and how they can be activated and enabled through regulation.

  1. Commercial Building Potential Paper
  2. Stephanie Muller: EDF
  3. Oliver Stahl: Entelios
  4. Adam McCarthy: JCI
  5. Bertrand Deprez: Schneider Electric
  6. Daniele Cognolato: Digi International
  7. Raymond Foley: United Technologies

7) Website and Paper Review Process

A discussion was held on how to improve the website and also the paper review process which especially the larger companies have found difficult to handle in a short time span.

Decisions on the website:

  • Only three Members had their passwords to the Members section of the site. They need to be contacted and provided their passwords again.
  • There is currently a Google calendar on the site. This is to be kept up to date with call times and meeting dates
  • Members are having a hard time finding call meeting and other meeting minutes
  • Put SEDC media articles on the site
  • Put content of meeting with main policymakers on site
  • Continue to send out invitations to main meetings directly to Members.

Decisions on the paper review process:

  • For position papers Members should have 10 days to review each draft of a position paper.
  • For shorter information and other non-official requests for information, less time is required
  • Add a sentence on all publicized documents stating “The views expressed in this document represent the views of the SEDC as an organisation but not necessarily the point of view of any specific SEDC member.” This will make the review process easier especially when a paper is distributed into many countries

8) Public Events and Meetings:

The following were the events agreed upon for 2012

  • May 3: DG INFSOWorkshop on Smart Grid (SEDC participation)
  • Discuss with Paul Hodson on SEDC involvement in Sustainable Energy Week
  • September 27: SEDC Consumer Engagement Breakfast Demand UK
  • September 28: General Assembly
  • During this meeting Members will provide short presentations on current developments and issues
  • Break-out group discussions will be held on particular issues
  • The conclusions of the group will be published.
  • October 8: Metering Europe pre-conference workshop
  • There may be a clash of times and dates with ESMIG. This should be discussed
  • Working group:
  • Alicia Carrasco: eMeter/Siemens
  • Chris King: eMeter/Siemens
  • Dennis Quinn: Joule Assets
  • Judith Ward: Sustainability First
  • Marina Lombardi: Enel
  • Oliver Stahl: Entelios
  • Stephanie Muller: EDF
  • Thomas Weisshaupt: Gemalto
  • Marko Svetina: Cyber Grid
  • Matthew Gordon: Honeywell

29th March 2012 Board Meeting Minutes (09:00-13.00 CET)

Venue: Hotel Sofitel Brussels Europe, Place Jourdan 1, 1040 Brussels

Attendees

Alicia Carrasco

Ali Haider

Bertrand Deprez

Chris King

Oliver Stahl

Philip Lewis

Jessica Strömbäck

John Harris

Marina Lombardi

Matthew Gordon

Noel King

Bernard Delpech

Said Abboudi

Stephanie Muller

Thomas Mikkelsen

Philippe Raffin

Andreas Stamatiou

Dennis Quinn

Corey Lane Benson

Guillaume Foggia

  1. Review of decisions made during General Assembly
  2. It was agreed during the General Assembly that the SEDC would convene the following events during 2012:

•May 3: DG INFSO Workshop on Smart Grid (SEDC participation)

•September 27: SEDC Consumer Engagement Breakfast Demand UK

•September 28: General Assembly

  • During this meeting Members will provide short presentations on current developments and issues
  • Break-out group discussions will be held on particular issues
  • The conclusions of the group will be published.

•October 8: Metering Europe pre-conference workshop

  • Additionally the SEDC will examine the possibility of taking part in Sustainable Energy Week which takes place 18-22. June in Brussels.
  • The SEDC will draft the following four White Papers during the year:
  • Research paper on the relationship between energy efficiency and DR. This will cover the issues of‘time of consumption’, regulatory structures, and definitions
  • Residential DR Snap Shot
  • Commercial Building Potential and Requirements
  • In addition to the aforementioned White Papers, the SEDC will work on researching and presenting more advanced data for Commission on the costs and benefits of realizing DR programmes on a European scale – this would factor in environmental benefits.
  1. DR Project map
  2. It was agreed that the interactive DR project map would be further developed with different colours for residential and commercial pilots, and would make a distinction between pilots and operational programs. SEDC members were encouraged to to contribute by forwarding any additional data or programmes they know of that are not included in the map to Jessica or Ali. It was also suggested that the map highlights which functionalities (e.g. pricing, control, etc.) are included in a DR programme.
  1. Event in Israel
  2. Andreas Stamatiou (Nation-E) encouraged members to attend the "EV & Energy Storage, Oil-Free B2B Initiatives" which will take place in the Daniel Hotel, Herzelia, Israel on May 30st, 2012. The event is organized by the Prime Minister's office, Office of the Chief Scientist at Ministry of Industry, Trade 7 Labor, MATIMOP, Ministry of Industry, Trade & Labor and Shmuel De-Leon Energy.
  1. Refining the structure of committees – roles and responsibilities
  2. Establishing a vision for the SEDC was mentioned. While it may difficult to come up with a single target model given the heterogeneity of the membership, the SEDC could list a set of core principles upon which the future European electricity market could be built to allow demand to participate fully and effectively.

Decision:

  • It was decided that we could have three Working Groups/Committees focused on the following areas:
  • Research
  • Policy
  • Promotion
  • The Research and Promotion Committees will be handled on Board calls
  • The Policy team will be open to Associate members
  • The Board could propose topics of Research to the Research Group.
  • White Papers will be handled by the ad-hoc Working Groups.
  1. Rules of governance and establishing SEDC goals for 2012
  2. EDF’s legal team will review the SEDC’s anti-trust provisions to ensure compliance.
  3. Members reviewed 2011 budget which was comfortably in the black.
  4. The surplus cash will be rolled over into the 2012 budget and could be used to fund events and other initiatives, however it was agreed that maintaining a financial buffer is important given that some members may leave.

Decision:

  • Last year the SEDC paid c. 46,000€ in VAT to the State of Finland. VaasaETT shouldered this and it was agreed that the SEDC would seek to reimburse VaasaETT during the year (contingent on a favourable financial situation)
  • To avoid paying VAT in Finland it was agreed that the SEDC will bill its members for ‘services’ as opposed to ‘membership fees’. Also the SEDC would explore the possibility of migrating its registration to Belgium.
  • On the subject of Public Relations, Thomas Mikkelsen agreed to prepare a PR plan for the Board.
  • It was decided that the review process for positions papers would be refined so that more time is given to members to look over and submit comments. Recognising red-line issues, mutual respect and consensus were flagged as key aspects for putting together position papers.
  • It was also decided that press releases will be reviewed in much the same way. They will be posted on the website and will be accompanied by a standard SEDC boilerplate that mentions the SEDC’s support for the EU’s central energy policy objectives (promoting sustainability, competitiveness, and security of supply). This will be discussed on the next Board call.
  • The process for accepting new SEDC Members was reviewed. It was decided that:
  • Prospective members need to have an interest in seeing the European DR market move forward
  • The Board should be notified by email of any new prospective members
  • SEDC positions should be made clear to prospective members before joining
  • New memberships will be approved by the Board during calls
  • Currently there are 18 Board members. It was felt that the Board was reaching its limits and would not be able to grow in number much more. It was decided that remedial action would be taken when the number of Board members exceeded 20.