ANKARA
Electricity consumers are becoming more demanding for information on energy consumption as they become more technologically-aware, Marie-Jose Nadeau, chair of the World Energy Council, WEC, said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the Sixth World Forum on Energy Regulation, sponsored by Anadolu Agency in Istanbul, Nadeau said that consumer's growing awareness and demands for information is a challenge to the electricity distribution companies as they need to develop technology to cater for this more discerning customer.
According to Nadeau, consumers want to know how much energy they use and to have access to information immediately. "Consumers are becoming active users of electricity grids and this situation requires a new industry which is designed specifically for such individuals," she said.
"We need a new energy regulation system which focuses on the future if we want to face new and future problems and changes in the energy market," Klaus-Dieter Borchardt, director at the European Commission's Directorate B on the Internal Energy Market said.
"We need smart energy in the form of smart houses, smart grids and smart meters as new mechanisms," he said, and added that energy markets which use "smart energy" to balance both electricity systems and regulations will be successful.
“Smart energy” is the application of digital information technology to optimize the electrical power system.
"Changing and developing technology should be adopted on the energy markets while security of energy supply is a must. We need fundamental changes," he said, and emphasized that the "energy market needs a regulation system which is modern and forward-looking, and of course for this we need to work on technological suitability."
The forum, hosted by the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA), is held in Istanbul and the main focus is on energy regulation.
The forum aims to develop a common approach to energy regulation by bringing together regulatory heads and representatives from developed and developing countries.
