The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a report calling for specific measures to encourage renewable self-generation and consumption. Delivering a New Deal for Energy Consumers highlights the obstacles that prevent consumers from taking full advantage of the ongoing energy transition to better manage their consumption and lower their energy bills. As a solution, it outlines a three-pillar strategy to overcome the hurdles: To provide clearer information on energy bills (prices, consumption and taxes); improve price comparison and encourage people to switch suppliers. It also calls for facilitating demand response by making energy markets send stronger price signals to consumers; fostering decentralized power generation; guaranteeing consumer protection from unfair commercial practices; and tackling the problem of energy poverty.To make smart homes and networks a reality by, among other things, deploying an advanced metering infrastructure (smart meters) as a necessary first step towards integrated smart home energy management systems that make full use of smart appliances. The EU has a role to play here in ensuring common standards, technical interoperability and consumer access, as well as financing research on smart energy systems and new technologies. To pay special attention to data management and protection ...Den vollständigen Artikel lesen ...