VIDEO at https://archiv.hn.cz/c1-67839880-chytre-merice-budou-pro-moderni-energetickou-sit-nezbytne

The Czech Republic is far ahead in energy liberalization and market openness, closely following Germany and the Netherlands. However, regarding data on power grid operations, there is still room for improvement. "We need to install smart meters to know what is happening in the grid and to look at the grid as a whole. At some point, a problem will arise: there will be enough energy, but it won't be in the right place, because the timeframe for building new sources like photovoltaics, batteries, and the like is completely different from that of linear structures, such as electricity distribution systems. We can already see today that the system is truly reaching its limits," said Jan Krišpín, CEO of ORGREZ, during a discussion hosted by Hospodářské noviny in early January.

"We have a problem with old 'iron'; wires were dimensioned from the largest sources, i.e., coal and nuclear power plants, to the consumers. Since energy is now produced in many places, digitalization is all the more necessary. Not only so we know how to manage the energy sector, but also how to plan it," Krišpín pointed out. According to Lukáš Dobeš, Director of Tedom ESCO, investments in the transmission system and data from smart meters are also required.

"We need to know exactly how prosumers behave—those who consume in some hours and produce in others. Some of them even have batteries. These withdrawals are invisible to us today. As an energy supplier, we have no idea what is happening behind that meter," Dobeš noted.

Daniel Szántai, founder of Terraverse, noted that a distinction can be made regarding the level of digitalization in the private sector, which is driven not by regulation but by market forces. "Some companies are willing to invest in smart meters just to have a better overview of consumption, potentially lower imbalance costs, and to be able to influence production and consumption over time. De facto, they are outpacing the rollout of smart meters," Szántai remarked.

Lukáš Dobeš provided a specific example of the symbiosis of several energy sources during the debate. The heating plant in Slavičín in the Zlín region is a multi-source energy center that initially had a gas boiler, later adding two cogeneration units, biomass boilers, heat pumps, and photovoltaics. "Today, it is a system that combines a large number of sources and needs to work with data and predictions regarding weather, heat consumption, or electricity in the coming days. Data is absolutely crucial in this case for the system to function economically and ensure a return on investment," Dobeš noted.

Jan Krišpín demonstrated the importance of data on energy flows in the heating industry. "Based on data already available from public sources—the land registry, the statistical office, and so on—we are able to describe the entire project and how the heat management should evolve in the future. For example, a decarbonization plan, a development plan for municipal districts, and the construction of distribution networks," Krišpín mentioned. Knowing precise data about grid activity could also lead to companies adapting their operations or production planning to the energy situation.

The participants also addressed whether digitalization can bring about a reduction in energy prices. "I would not expect a reduction in the price of commodity electricity, but for households, it could be beneficial in other components of the energy price. For the end user, it could lead to a decrease in the price of system services. If energy companies have the ability to effectively measure households, they can apply a smaller markup for imbalance costs (the difference between ordered and consumed electricity – editor's note)," Szántai suggested.

According to experts, purchasing smart meters is worthwhile even for smaller households with lower consumption. "Everyone should have smart meters. Even a small household can adapt. Take, for example, households where someone is normally home during the workday—seniors or parents caring for children. By being home around noon, they can profit significantly from this system," Dobeš stated. They can shift their energy consumption to the hours between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM, when electricity is cheapest.

The discussion also raised the question of whether the digitalization of the energy grid can prevent blackouts. Jan Krišpín described the situation that occurred with the rise of photovoltaics on the roofs of Czech households and businesses. "When clouds move across the sky, the country literally lights up like a Christmas tree. At one moment, energy flows in one direction, then it returns back; sudden power surges occur throughout the distribution and transmission system," Krišpín said.

Mainly in the summer months, certain parts of the system must be disconnected in a controlled manner to relieve it. "Managing this increasingly depends on data. Also, all equipment will have to be dimensioned for the high dynamics occurring in the system. This problem did not exist historically, but it is emerging globally. We have no models at all for what will happen in the system," Krišpín feared.

Daniel Szántai pointed out that the Czech Republic has a specific feature compared to Western Europe: very strong district heating. "The heating industry is the only segment that can now truly effectively use flexibility as a secondary product. We do not necessarily have to go the route of installing new technologies, but rather adapt flexibility with an emphasis on the heating sector," Szántai added. Heating plants are capable of accumulating large amounts of heat, and thus energy.

https://archiv.hn.cz/c1-67839880-chytre-merice-budou-pro-moderni-energetickou-sit-nezbytne