Data management
We manage a lot of energy data, from consumption data of households and companies to related data, such as addresses, technical data, relocation info, and the energy contracts of each customer. Fluvius ensures that each energy supplier receives the right information to draw up their annual final invoices. This behind-the-scenes task is crucial to the operation of the energy market.
Flanders and Europe award Fluvius for its exchange of digital meter data
In November 2021, we received the award for 'API of the year' on the Digital Flanders meeting day. We received the award for the exchange of consumption data between us and external energy service providers via the digital power meters. This means that every Fleming can get tailor-made energy advice: an important step towards more economical, smarter, and greener use of energy. This is important for the energy transition. We also won prizes at the European E.DSO Awards.
An API (Application Programming Interface) handles the automatic data connection exchanged between the customer portal my.fluvius.be and external databases. As of March 2021, certain companies have been able to access customers' digital consumption data. Of course, only after the latter’s explicit approval. This is how we as a network company have opened the gate to a new generation of (online) energy services and tailored advice. By the end of 2021, a total of 26 companies were already connected to the system.
Accelerated roll-out of digital meters
In early 2021, a ruling by the Constitutional Court overturned the principle of the reversing meter for households with solar panels (PV installation). This decision sent shock waves, especially among those who generate their own energy (prosumers). We halted the roll-out of the digital meter for a few months because the legislative framework was unclear after the ruling. Customers without solar panels were also suddenly reluctant to use the meter, so the roll-out of the digital meter in Flanders was significantly delayed.
Nevertheless, we still aim to install a digital meter in 80% of the Flemish population by the end of 2024. Everyone must have a digital meter in their home by the end of June 2029.
In the spring of 2021, we will take it up a notch with a geographic conversion process. We will replace the meters municipality by municipality, district by district, and street by street. Three groups of contractors set to work to help realise this 'acceleration'. On 23 September, we reached the milestone of one million digital meters in Flanders.
To bolster the support base for the energy transition and digital meters in Flanders, we launched the communication campaign 'Go with the flow', on 21 October 2021 in collaboration with the Flemish government.
Finally, since the summer, we have also been making inroads on all requests for the retroactive investment premium. This is the premium that the Flemish Government grants to a large group of solar panel owners who lost the right to the reversing meter. The payment is made by VEKA, the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency.
How many digital meters will Flanders have by the end of 2021?
My Fluvius: free online access to your digital consumption info
We launched My Fluvius at the beginning of 2020. This online app enables every household to check their usage details online free of charge and so gain a better picture of their energy consumption. The digital meter sends these data to My Fluvius. Once the digital meters are installed, the application provides the consumption history information per day as standard, both for electricity and gas. And customers can also request detailed data, per hour for gas and per quarter of an hour for electricity. The free provision of this information is an important step in making every Fleming more aware and conscious of the more economical, smarter, and greener use of energy.
Almost two years after the launch of My Fluvius, we surveyed its use and the profile of its users. By the end of 2021, 115,000 families were already actively using the online application. Interestingly, no less than 67% of these users have solar panels, and in 25% of cases, external energy service providers provide customised advice.
