Here, another key conclusion from the report is that even though smart meter data is personal data and therefore cov- ered by the GDPR, it is possible for data privacy and energy-effi- cient district heating to co-exist – and the Danish interpretation of Article 6 proves it. In other words, the necessary investment in smart meters also represents a unique opportunity to look beyond the EED demands to ensure that you get the founda- tion in place to enable the utilisation of smart meter data for optimisation and to support further digitalisation in the future.
The steps are more important than the goal
When it comes to digitalisation in European district energy utilities, it is more about the journey than the destination. It can seem overwhelming for a utility professional in a less mature market to fully digitalise the operations and the way of work. But as the report concludes, the key thing is to get started – because no matter where you are on your journey, the next step will always be the most important. This makes it essential for less experienced utilities to have real- life case stories and experiences from their peers to lean on – which is why the second half of the report is dedicated to digitalisation in practice. Here, utility professionals from coun- tries including Denmark, Italy, and France share their stories, perspectives, and the concrete lessons they have learned. These cases underline what is perhaps the most important takeaway of all: that getting started on benefitting from dig- italisation does not necessitate a fully digitalised value chain from day one. But even with a minimum amount of data, a smart system can deliver insights that can help predict the future or improve the impact of the utility’s efforts and invest- ments – and you can build from there. When it comes to digi- talising district heating, it is less about how far you have come and more about whether you are moving in the right direction. International collaboration at its best The new report is written by an international DHC+ working group, where authors and contributors come from different countries, positions, and companies – including Kamstrup. To some extent, international collaboration may be considered a given in just about any industry today. Nevertheless, there is something unique about the closeness and almost family-like mindset in European district heating – especially considering the fact that while it holds enormous potential, it remains a relatively small, albeit soon fast-growing, industry. As a result, rather than focusing only on mature markets, best-case scenarios, and the industry players and utilities that have come the furthest, this new report is written with an international and more nuanced perspective of the current situation. As the cases in the report show, developments in the district heating and cooling industry are no longer limited to more mature markets such as Denmark. This not only calls for more international collaboration to explore all corners towards digitalising district heating. Sharing insights and perspectives with other industry players is a unique opportunity to pick up even more speed by contribu ting to the conversation and breaking down barriers.
"As part of the Future Green Heating project, DIN Forsyning in Esbjerg, Denmark, has achieved a significantly lower return tem- perature in the utility’s network by digitalising end-user engage- ment on faulty heat installations" - Case from the report on DIN Forsyning and the Digital Low-temperature Assistant
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