Smart metering: data protection for heat and cooling meters

Find out all about data protection in smart metering for heat and cold meters – everything from challenges to practical tips!

The gradual digitisation of the energy industry means intelligent measuring systems, known as smart meters, are increasingly being installed in residential and commercial buildings. These heat and cooling meters provide a range of benefits, such as eliminating the need for manual meter readings and making energy management more efficient.

Instead of an old-fashioned postcard or on-site reading by a meter reading service provider, smart meters will enable automated remote reading in the future. While this automates several processes, smart metering also raises a number of questions about data protection and consumer data security.

Collecting heat and cooling data responsibly

Data protection in smart metering, especially for heat and cooling meters, is based on several important security measures for the physical and digital integrity of the data.

Heat and cooling meters are protected by mechanical housing security features, such as seals and special locks, which prevent unauthorised physical access to internal components such as memory, CPU and connections. In addition, any attempt to exert unauthorised influence is immediately reported to the back-end system by integrated sabotage or manipulation alarms.

Expert tip: Meters that can be read remotely must be interoperable and guarantee data protection and data security. Interoperability must be ensured so that another party taking over the reading of the meter is able to do so remotely. Meters that can be read remotely must be state of the art.  

Encrypted data transfer as an effective means of data protection

Multi-layered data encryption is used in digital transmission for data protection in smart metering at different levels, depending on the specific requirements. For example, this can be at 

• application level
• file system level
• network level
• hardware level

Particular attention is given to end-to-end security: The data sent via LoRaWAN and NB-IoT is encrypted and only decrypted in the back-end system, using technologies such as network and application keys or DTLS for independent key management. Although transmission via wireless M-Bus includes the encryption of user data, it relies on external systems for full end-to-end encryption.

Last but not least, the operating platform and software are equipped with comprehensive access controls to ensure the security and integrity of the data processed. These comprehensive security measures are essential for protecting the privacy of users and ensuring the trustworthiness of the smart metering system. 

The meter operator, which is subject to strict security certification, can evaluate this data and, if necessary, forward it to the network operator or directly to the consumer in order to provide a detailed overview of the electricity consumption. The security certification ensures that the meter operator also handles the data confidentially.

Data protection in smart metering: who has access?

Automated data transmission is at the heart of smart metering for heat and cooling consumption. Communication can only take place between the named authorised recipients. This means that only the relevant supplier with a direct connection to the end customer will have access to the data.

Whereas the supply of electricity has a neutral gateway administrator that monitors and controls all communication between the meter and the IT system, including associated hardware, there is nothing like this for the supply of district heating or district cooling. This is mainly because the number of market participants in this sector is limited, enabling direct data transmission. 

Data processing takes place in a 1:1 relationship, with the supplier receiving the data directly from the customer. This structure enables the easy and secure processing of data as there are fewer parties involved in the process, reducing the risk of unauthorised access and improving control over data processing.

Purpose limitation and anonymisation: data protection provisions in smart metering

In order to comply with the strict data protection provisions that apply to smart metering, energy suppliers, building managers and other stakeholders must take certain precautions. The most important of these is purpose limitation. This means that data can only be collected that is covered by the purpose of the supplier/public services. 

This includes data for consumption billing and possibly data for network optimisation. Any use of personal data beyond this requires the express consent of the consumer. It is therefore important that consumers and meter operators clearly define and agree the intended uses of the consumption data in advance. 

It is also vital that the smart meter data is transmitted, wherever possible, without personal reference. The anonymisation,pseudonymisation or aggregation of data before transmission to the meter operator or network operator ensures a high level of data protection.

Elvaco provides optimal data protection for smart metering

Smart metering is an innovative technology that helps energy be used and managed efficiently as part of the energy transition. By accurately measuring energy use and providing equally reliable data transmission, smart metering is the key to energy-efficient residential, commercial and industrial buildings. 

However, as sensitive personal data is processed in the course of smart metering, it is subject to dedicated data protection provisions, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Legal regulations, technical standards and security measures such as purpose limitation, encryption and anonymisation are essential for the security and protection of personal data. 

The widespread implementation of these measures makes smart meters a safe and trusted component in the digital energy infrastructure. Contact the Elvaco team for more details on data protection in smart metering.

Elvaco recommends consulting the company’s internal or external data protection officer when evaluating solutions.

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FAQs about data protection in smart metering

What are the key data protection measures for smart metering for heat and cooling meters?

Data protection in smart metering includes the physical security of the meters, such as seals and protection of the meter housing against unauthorised access, as well as digital security measures such as end-to-end encryption in data transmission. Sabotage and manipulation alarms are also used to report security breaches immediately.

How secure is data transmission in smart metering?

Data is transmitted using secure protocols such as LoRaWAN, which provides the latest standard of encryption, and NB-IoT, which uses DTLS for secure data transmission. Wireless M-Bus also uses encryption, ensuring end-to-end encryption through additional external systems.