Energy distribution in Belgium is getting a lot smarter through the efforts of Eandis. The company is responsible for supplying electricity and natural gas around the clock to 234 municipalities across Belgium, and it now handles 50% of the energy distribution in Belgium as a whole and 80% in Flanders.
To better manage energy flows and achieve maximum efficiency, Eandis has invested in developing and implementing the latest energy-distribution technologies, including smart grids and smart metres. CEO Walter Van den Bossche says, “In some countries, a so-called smart metre monitors a customer’s energy use once a day or once a week. At Eandis, we think that a smart metre should provide real-time monitoring of energy use, and we are working to monitor data every 15 minutes.”
The company’s focus on smart technologies is designed to help Flanders meet the EU’s challenging 20-20-20 objectives. These are to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions by 20% and increase energy efficiency and the proportion of renewables in the energy mix by 20%, all by 2020.
Eandis does not generate or sell energy but rather handles distribution. Eandis’s mission is to ensure that electricity and natural gas reach individual and business customers as efficiently as possible, and smart technologies are crucial in helping Eandis reach its goal.
Keeping pace with new developments
The company is committed to keeping pace with new developments in the energy sector. Walter Van den Bossche says, “We are preparing for a convergence between electricity and heating provision and we are also starting to offer energy services for local authorities, for example concerning renewable insulation.”
Eandis enjoys a productive relationship with the Flemish government, has been achieving strong financial results and will continue to play a key role in promoting increased energy efficiency and more sustainable energy use in Belgium. Eandis cannot do its job alone, however. Walter Van den Bossche points out, “We are developing smart metres and smart grids, but what we need is smart users. With all due respect, everyone is telling me that energy in Europe is too expensive. But really, current prices do not provoke a change in the mindset of the average European. To achieve Europe’s 20-20-20 goal of a 20% increase in energy efficiency by 2020, we need a new mindset, and Eandis is doing its part in promoting this.”
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