Smart Grid Solution to Benefit Thousands of Belgian Consumers

Landis+Gyr (Switzerland), offering energy management solutions, has won a deal to supply Belgian municipality Régie de Wavre with hard and software that will enable a smart grid environment in the province of Brabant-Wallon. This decision comes as a response to changing market dynamics and the clear need for smart metering infrastructure to bring benefit to end-consumers.

Stephan Vandecasteele, Country Manager Landis+Gyr Belgium says, ” With the new ripple control system and receivers, energy retailers that use the electricity network of Régie de Wavre will be able to compete effectively in the liberalised energy market. Up until now, Régie de Wavre has used ripple control signals from the country’s grid operator, ELIA, in order to switch the public lighting and rates (high/low) in their meters. However, with ongoing changes such as market liberalisation, unbundling, increased distributed generation and environmental considerations, the need for the municipality to manage their network in a more flexible way was a high priority, including the ability to manage the network themselves. In other words, the need for installing a smart grid was born.”

“The decision to acquire and implement a load management system from Landis+Gyr was based on the real time possibilities that it offers and the proven reliability of the system,” says Roger le Bussy, CEO at Régie de Wavre, “Régie de Wavre will progressively replace its entire park of approximately 10,000 ripple control receivers used for street lighting, enabling the retailer to provide variable tariffs, as well as emergency remote switching. The work is due to start in 2012.”

Categorised under load management, ripple control is a key method to achieve energy efficiency without needing to make significant investment into generation capacity. Utilities use load management infrastructure to promote dynamic regulation of consumption within their distribution area and to optimise peak time purchasing and network investments. The infrastructure also helps a utility to maintain expected service levels for the end-consumer.