Seamless commissioning of §14a-compliant energy assets with a HEMS

Plug’n play: Ensure a smooth setup process for §14a EnWG assets

Commissioning household energy assets alone can cause headaches for installers and distribution system operators (DSOs), without the added challenge of making them §14a-compliant. But our Grid Signal Processor, complete with the locally-installed energy gateway, the gridBox, acts as the perfect pain relief by eliminating this complexity. After plugging in and setting up the gridBox and sending the limitation of power consumption (LPC) signal to the smart meter, the energy management system limits the power consumption of all 14a-compatible devices. This spares headaches and the need for overcomplicated installation processes. 

Roles and responsibilities in the §14a EnWG commissioning process

Multiple stakeholders are involved in the setup phase to ensure the HEMS meets the regulatory requirements for §14a and stabilizes the grid. Let's take a look at who has which responsibilities: 

Homeowners/asset owners 

Homeowners benefit both directly and the most from a 14a-compliant HEMS, and are also most affected by the regulation. End users must take the initiative to buy a holistic solution that maximizes value, while also minimizing complexity and doing the research to understand how it impacts them. However, they shouldn’t be alone in this process.

Installers

Installers are the technicians that install energy devices and the energy gateway, connecting the HEMS to the assets. They ensure that everything is working properly and that the system can respond to grid demands in line with §14a. 

Distribution system operator (DSO)

A DSO sends the grid signals that must be integrated into a HEMS to ensure the energy assets behave in a grid-friendly manner. 

Metering providers

Metering providers supply the metering infrastructure by operating, installing and maintaining the meters. Depending on the market and regulatory framework, they can either be a department of the DSOs or act as a separate entity. In Germany, homeowners can decide if they want to work with a default metering operator, who is responsible for the specific grid area in which the house is located, or if they want to cooperate with a competitive metering operator. The latter can also provide specific value-added services for the homeowner, such as energy management systems or real-time consumption monitoring. 

It is important to note that some energy scale-ups can fulfill all the multiple roles of different stakeholders and can act as metering service providers, gateway administrators, installers and energy suppliers.

New installations

For new installations of energy assets (e.g. PV system, heat pump, household battery, EV charger), a HEMS and the assets are typically set up by the installer. The metering service provider then handles the installation of the smart meter and the §14a-compliant control box. The installer sends a Subject Key Identifier (SKI) to connect and enable the communication for the HEMS-gateway (e.g. a gridBox) to the control box of the smart meter gateway (SMGW) infrastructure. 

An SKI is a unique digital identifier that securely connects and facilitates communication between encrypted systems. For example, the SKI of a gridBox gets displayed when the onboarding wizard – a software tool that facilitates the configuration process in a step-by-step manner for users or installers – scans for displayed assets. In order to do this, the gridBox needs to be added as a trusted device by the metering provider or the gateway administrator, who will also provide the SKI. Once the device is trusted, it can connect to the control box, which will then appear in the asset list in the XENON dashboard.

Retrofit installations 

Retrofitting refers to the process of adding new software, components or assets into an existing system to maximize its functionality. In essence, bringing it up to current standards without fully replacing the current system. The installation steps here are very similar to those above, with the added step of configuring the energy gateway of the gridBox to be operable with the existing equipment.

Retrofitting an already existing setup with a HEMS for 14a is especially beneficial by either connecting a 14a-compliant asset via relays or digitally with EEBUS. If there are some older assets, which are not able to “speak” EEBUS, the gridBox is able to take that signal from the smart meter control box and translate for all the assets that do not speak EEBUS. This process is called protocol mapping and also allows older setups to become 14a compliant. 

Technical process 

Setting up a HEMS can either be done during the installation of the assets, or it can be integrated retrospectively, i.e., as a retrofit into an existing system, where some assets, such as the control boxes, are already installed. In both cases, the installer starts the process by scanning the local network for connected assets (including the control box), ensuring that they are all recognized by the energy gateway, which must be configured to be compatible with the control boxes. During installation, the wizard automatically scans the system for all connected devices. Once the system has been recognized by the control box, the installer sends the SKI to the metering service provider, as mentioned earlier. Once the SKI is approved, the gateway administrator updates the SMGW to recognize the HEMS gateway as a trusted device so that it can communicate with the assets as previously mentioned.

Paragraph 14a delivers benefits for everyone: consumers, grid operators, and the energy transition itself. We are proud to support the market with the necessary certified control solutions.

- Ruwen Konzelmann, Managing Director Theben Smart Energy

Benefits of complying to §14a together with the gridBox and a HEMS

Homeowners aren’t the only ones who benefit from a §14a-compliant, holistic and intelligent HEMS – installers and metering providers do too! 

Thanks to gridX’s user-friendly wizard, the integration of the gridBox and control box is carried out effortlessly, even if some components are added later on in the process. Metering providers benefit from the strong position gridX holds with control box manufacturers. gridX offers a solution that is trusted by key control box providers, such as Theben or PPC. This makes it easier for HEMS providers to align with metering providers and offer a holistic and seamless solution, as the control box is already integrated and easily commissioned. 

The key to XENON’s advanced §14a capabilities is the local optimization. Users ensure that their consumption adheres to all §14a requirements, while also gaining full transparency of how their consumption might be affected, compensating with locally-generated solar power and significantly lowering their costs. This is only possible with a future-proof local gateway such as the gridBox, due to its low latency, offline functionality and its widespread compatibility with manufacturers and their APIs. In the future, the HEMS can be adapted to evolving regulations and energy requirements, such as §9EEG, which mandates controllable feed-in systems. Stay tuned for more on that in 2025.