Net2DG · Project

Smart Grid Monitoring for Small Electricity Distributors Using Existing Meters

energyTestedTRL 6

Imagine you run a local electricity company serving a small city, but you're basically flying blind — you have no idea what's happening on the wires between your substation and people's homes. Net2DG figured out how to tap into the smart meters and solar inverters already installed in homes to give these smaller grid operators a live dashboard of their low-voltage network. Think of it like giving a delivery company real-time GPS tracking when before they only knew a package left the warehouse. The system spots voltage problems, diagnoses outages faster, and even automatically adjusts power flow to reduce losses.

By the numbers

< 100,000 clients

Target DSO size — small and medium-sized distributors below this threshold

EUR 3,591,872

Total EU research investment

8 partners

Consortium size across 4 European countries

2 DSOs

Real distribution system operators in the consortium for validation

13 deliverables

Total project outputs including software, reports, and field deployments

3 SMEs

Small and medium enterprises involved in development

The business problem

What needed solving

Small and medium-sized electricity distributors serving fewer than 100,000 customers have virtually no visibility into what's happening on their low-voltage networks. They can't detect voltage problems, diagnose outages efficiently, or optimize power flow — because the monitoring tools available today are designed for large utilities with big budgets. This blind spot costs them money through energy losses and slow outage response, while also creating regulatory risk around voltage quality standards.

The solution

What was built

The project built a proof-of-concept monitoring and control platform that extracts grid intelligence from existing smart meters and DER inverters in low-voltage networks. Concrete deliverables include actuation and control coordination software (D4.2), simulation-validated control schemes (D4.1), and integrated lab and field prototypes with preliminary deployment results (D5.1), totaling 13 deliverables.

Audience

Who needs this

Small and medium-sized Distribution System Operators (fewer than 100,000 customers)Smart meter manufacturers seeking to add grid analytics featuresSolar/DER inverter vendors looking to offer grid servicesEnergy IT companies building distribution management systemsMunicipal utilities upgrading to digital grid operations

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Electricity Distribution

SME

Target: Small and medium-sized Distribution System Operators (DSOs) with fewer than 100,000 customers

If you are a regional electricity distributor struggling with blind spots in your low-voltage network — this project developed a proof-of-concept monitoring system that uses your existing smart meters and inverters to provide real-time grid visibility. The solution was built specifically for DSOs with fewer than 100,000 clients who lack the budget for expensive SCADA extensions. It uses off-the-shelf computing hardware, meaning you don't need custom infrastructure to get started.

Smart Meter Technology

mid-size

Target: Smart meter manufacturers and vendors looking to add grid analytics value

If you are a smart meter vendor looking to differentiate your product — this project demonstrated how meter data can be leveraged for voltage quality monitoring and outage diagnosis beyond basic billing. The consortium included smart meter and inverter vendors alongside 2 real DSOs from 2 European countries, validating the approach in actual field conditions. Adding grid observability features could unlock new revenue streams from your existing installed base.

Renewable Energy Integration

any

Target: DER inverter manufacturers and solar installation companies

If you are a solar inverter manufacturer or installer dealing with voltage quality complaints from grid operators — this project built control coordination software that uses inverter actuation capabilities for voltage quality enhancement and loss minimization. The system was tested in lab and field deployments across the consortium's 8 partners in 4 countries. This could turn your inverters from a grid headache into a grid management asset.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement this solution?

The system was designed around off-the-shelf computing hardware and existing communication technologies, which keeps costs down compared to custom grid monitoring solutions. The project's total EU funding was EUR 3,591,872 across 8 partners over 3.5 years for R&D. Deployment costs for an individual DSO would depend on existing smart meter coverage and IT infrastructure.

Can this scale to larger distribution networks?

The project specifically targeted small and medium-sized DSOs with fewer than 100,000 clients, which was a deliberate design choice. Scaling to larger networks would require additional validation, but the underlying approach of leveraging existing smart meter and inverter data should be applicable at larger scales.

What about intellectual property and licensing?

This was an EU-funded Research and Innovation Action (RIA) with 8 consortium partners including 3 SMEs and technology companies. IP is shared among consortium members under Horizon 2020 rules. Interested companies should contact the consortium to discuss licensing or collaboration opportunities.

Does this work with our existing smart meters and systems?

The solution was designed to correlate smart meter data with information from existing DSO subsystems, using existing communication technologies. The consortium included smart meter and inverter vendors specifically to ensure compatibility. However, integration with your specific systems would need validation.

What has actually been tested in real conditions?

The project delivered lab and field prototypes with preliminary deployment results, as documented in their integrated deployment deliverable. Actuation and control coordination software was implemented and tested through simulation experiments first, then deployed at lab and testbed environments.

Does this help with regulatory compliance on voltage quality?

Yes — one of the three core applications is voltage quality monitoring and enhancement in low-voltage grids. The system provides observability that can help DSOs detect and document voltage quality issues, and the control coordination approaches actively work to improve voltage quality using existing DER inverter capabilities.

How does outage diagnosis work?

The system leverages smart meter data and intelligent electronic device measurements to diagnose outages in low-voltage grids. Based on available project data, this is one of three core observability applications alongside voltage quality and grid operation efficiency monitoring.

Consortium

Who built it

The Net2DG consortium of 8 partners across 4 countries (Austria, Germany, Denmark, Italy) is unusually well-balanced for commercialization, with a 62% industry ratio — 5 industry partners including 3 SMEs alongside 2 universities. Critically, the consortium includes 2 actual small/medium-sized DSOs from 2 different European countries, meaning the solution was developed and tested with its target customers at the table. The presence of smart meter and inverter vendors in the consortium ensures the technology was built around real hardware constraints. Led by Aalborg University in Denmark, the project had strong academic backing for the data analytics while keeping the development grounded in real grid operator needs.

AALBORG UNIVERSITETCoordinator · DK
RESILTECH SRLparticipant · IT
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIENparticipant · AT
FRONIUS INTERNATIONAL GMBHparticipant · AT
STADT LANDAU A.D. ISARparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

Aalborg University, Denmark — reach out to the electrical engineering or energy systems department

Order a report on this consortium See AALBORG UNIVERSITET profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to connect with the Net2DG team to explore licensing their grid monitoring technology for your DSO or smart meter product? SciTransfer can arrange the introduction.

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