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127 Pages·2013·1.81 MB·English

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Submitted to Sabine Sedlacek

Biljana Trajanovska
1122010

Utrecht, 31 May 2013

AFFIDAVIT
I hereby affirm that this Master’s Thesis represents my own written work and that I have used
no sources and aids other than those indicated. All passages quoted from publications or
paraphrased from these sources are properly cited and attributed.
The thesis was not submitted in the same or in a substantially similar version, not even
partially, to another examination board and was not published elsewhere.

Date Signature

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ABSTRACT
Over the past decades, the many technological advancements has given the western world a
high quality of life, a good health system and for most of the people, a comfortable home to
live in. These technological advancements however need to be fuelled with energy. By looking
at our past energy consumption, a continuing trend of increased energy consumption can be
seen and it is expected that this trend will continue further to increase even more in the
coming years. Consequently, the issues such as environmental awareness and sustainability
have risen to the top of many governmental agendas as well as to many companies and the
reduction of energy consumption is becoming a high priority. Nevertheless, the media fills us
every day with warning information about climate change and global warming. This also refers
to the increased usage of energy consumption, which is also connected to the increase of the
negative environmental side effects. Therefore, in the past few years, the European Union has
adopted few energy directives to help with the problem of energy consumption and to achieve
energy savings and reduced costs. One way of achieving this goal is to provide the household
with smart meters that will enable the users to gain an updated insight in their energy
consumption pattern and with that to adapt their energy savings and reduce energy cost that
is believed to lead to sustainable energy consumption and energy efficiency.
Key words: Smart meters, EU and Dutch Legislation, consumers’ benefits and concerns,
security and privacy, deployment and roll-out, energy efficiency and energy savings.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
There are several people that I would like to thank who supported me and helped me during
the writing of the thesis. First of all I would like to thank my parents for their consistent
support and worrying about me during this period while I was writing the thesis, but also for
giving me all the opportunity to be myself, for believing in my capabilities and for never
doubting me.
Next, I would like to thank my boyfriend Martijn Frints, for his patience with me, his
knowledge shared with me and the support he provided me during the entire school year and
while writing the thesis.
I would also like to thank the employees of the grid energy companies that helped me in
supporting me with information for this thesis and a special thanks to the DSO Enexis.
Further, I would like to thank my supervisor Sabine Sedlacek, for her entire support during this
thesis and making sure I finalized the thesis on time and with positive results.
Finally, I also would like to thank my fellow students and friends for their support and
friendship throughout the years at this University. I consider myself lucky for having the
pleasure of knowing you all.

Thank you.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Affidavit ........................................................................................................................................... I
Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... III
Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... V
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. IX
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ X
List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................................... XII
1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Background .......................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Research question ............................................................................................................... 5
1.3 Research categories and sub-questions .............................................................................. 6
1.4 Research approach .............................................................................................................. 6
1.5 Research aim ........................................................................................................................ 7
1.6 Intended audience ............................................................................................................... 8
1.7 Structure of the thesis ......................................................................................................... 9
1.8 Summary ............................................................................................................................10
2 Smart metering a new challenge for policy, suppliers and clients ....................................11
2.1 Smart metering ..................................................................................................................11
2.2 Achieving energy efficiency, energy savings and sustainable energy ...............................12
2.3 Relevant stakeholders’ responsibilities and gained benefits ............................................14
2.4 Regulatory framework .......................................................................................................17
2.4.1 The European Union Energy Directives and the smart meters as part of it ................................. 17
2.4.2 The Dutch Legislation and the smart meters as part of it ............................................................ 19
2.5 Deployment and rollout of smart meters in the Netherlands ...........................................22
2.6 Perceived consumers benefits and concerns in regard to smart meters ..........................25
2.6.1 Perceived consumers benefits of the smart meters ..................................................................... 27
2.6.2 Perceived consumers concerns of the smart meters ................................................................... 34
2.7 Future of smart meters ......................................................................................................40
2.8 Summary ............................................................................................................................41
3 Methodology .....................................................................................................................43
3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................43
3.2 Strategies of inquiry - Case study “Smart meter implementation” ...................................43
3.3 Selection of methodology ..................................................................................................44
VII
3.4 Research method .............................................................................................................. 45
3.5 Data collection and the research instrument ................................................................... 46
3.5.1 Interviews .................................................................................................................................... 48
3.6 Sampling and sample size ................................................................................................. 50
3.7 Data analysis ..................................................................................................................... 51
3.8 Validity and credibility ...................................................................................................... 52
3.9 Summary ........................................................................................................................... 53
4 Interview results and discussions ..................................................................................... 54
4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 54
4.1.1 Research sample results .............................................................................................................. 54
4.2 Analysis and discussions ................................................................................................... 56
4.2.1 Demographics .............................................................................................................................. 56
4.2.2 Energy consumption .................................................................................................................... 58
4.2.3 Smart meters ............................................................................................................................... 66
4.2.4 Desired situation .......................................................................................................................... 70
4.2.5 Perceived benefits and concerns ................................................................................................. 75
4.2.6 Preferred way to communicate with the consumers .................................................................. 78
4.3 General discussions and conclusions ................................................................................ 80
4.4 Summary ........................................................................................................................... 81
5 Conclusion and recommendations ................................................................................... 83
5.1 Summary ........................................................................................................................... 83
5.2 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 84
5.3 Recommendations ............................................................................................................ 86
5.4 Implications for relevant stakeholders ............................................................................. 88
5.5 Future research ................................................................................................................. 89
6 Bibliography ...................................................................................................................... 91
Appendices .................................................................................................................................. 98
Appendix 1: Smart meter chains ................................................................................................. 98
Appendix 2: Interview guide and questions .............................................................................. 106
Appendix 3: Letter of Intent ...................................................................................................... 110

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