By Christina Vogt, Ecopower
As a cooperative project developer and energy supplier, the Belgian citizen energy cooperative Ecopower supports its members to save energy: good for the planet, good for the cooperative, and good for members’ electricity bill. The first step in saving energy is understanding your current consumption pattern. Ecopower and EnergyID developed a tool that allows clients to keep track of their expenses and regain control of their consumption. Christina Vogt from Ecopower takes us back to the beginning and explains the benefits.
An energy monitoring system is a tool that integrates, visualizes and analyses data and helps consumers regain grip. Ecopower collaborates with EnergyID, a Belgium-based cooperative active in several European countries to provide its members with free access to the Premium version of EnergyID, a cooperative monitoring tool. This version includes extended functionalities and tools that have specifically been developed for Ecopower clients, such as a power planner indicating the favourable moments for consumption, or a simulation tool featuring a decision support on dynamic prizes.
Wanted: an energy monitoring service that supports vulnerable households
In the context of the POWER UP pilot in Eeklo, in which the Belgian citizen cooperative joined forces with the municipality of Eeklo, the following challenge emerged: members with limited financial resources not only wanted to keep track of the kWh consumed, but also to know what this meant for their electricity bill. This is even more the case for households who came from the emergency supplier (DSO) and were used to working with prepaid meters, giving them instant control over expenses.
From pilot to roll-out: the Ecopower budget monitor
To fill this gap, Ecopower and EnergyID developed a tool that allows clients to keep track of their expenses. First, they enter a monthly budget limit. Once they are about to exceed this limit, they receive a push notification. This enables them, if possible, to adapt their consumption for the remaining month. The tool is purely informative, which means that there are no consequences whatsoever of exceeding the monthly budget. After the initial test in Eeklo, the tool has been rolled out across all Flanders, counting more than 1000 users by now.
Please mind the digital gap
Working with an app, configuring an account, integrating digital meters – not everyone knows how to do that. Even a clear documentation on the cooperative’s website with step-by-step manuals and how-to videos is not enough to enable everyone to get started. This is why Ecopower created a cooperative buddy system: members who have experience with EnergyID are matched with members looking for individual support in their neighbourhood. The system has been launched mid-December and the feedback received from the first buddies is very positive.
What’s in it for you?
If you are part of a cooperative, a local authority or another organisation wondering how to inclusively work on energy monitoring in your country, this Flemish experience can encourage you to dare to take the plunge. Smart energy consumption is a skill that we need more citizens to develop. Let’s not make (again) the mistake to leave those in financial trouble out. Take the opportunity to make your service accessible to as many citizens as possible, and you’ll see that people will find their way.