報告書番号

Y11018

タイトル（和文）

欧州諸国における電力小売自由化の影響と教訓 －家庭用需要家の電気料金、供給者変更状況および顧客サービス－

タイトル（英文）

Impacts and Lessons from the Fully Liberalized European Electricity Market -Residential Customer Price, Switching and Services

概要 （図表や脚注は「報告書全文」に掲載しております）

日本では、東日本大震災以降に電力需給のひっ迫状況が深刻化、長期化する中、家庭用需要家までの電力小売自由化範囲の拡大やスマートメーターの活用などに注目が集まっている。電力自由化をはじめとするエネルギー政策の議論では、需要家にとってメリットがあるのかどうかという視点を忘れてはならず、電気料金や顧客サービス、満足度などを定量的、かつ総合的に把握しておくことが重要である。その際、自由化の面で実績のある欧州諸国の動向が参考になると期待される。そこで、本報告書では、欧州諸国を対象に、自由化後の家庭用需要家の電気料金や供給者変更の実態、電気事業者に対する満足度、電気事業者の顧客サービスの現状、スマートメーターの導入状況などを明らかにし、日本へのインプリケーションを得た。

概要 （英文）

In discussions of energy policy, including topics such as electricity liberalization, it is crucial to quantitatively and comprehensively understand factors such as electricity rates, supply reliability, service and satisfaction. In this respect the trends and experiences of liberalised electricity markets in European countries serve as useful reference points. The purpose of this research was to clarify the situation in European countries after liberalization - e.g., the actual state of electricity rates and changes in suppliers, satisfaction with electric power companies, the current state of customer services provided by electric power companies, and the development of customer focused smart energy offerings -and thereby obtain clues for implementation in Japan.
1. Post-liberalization electricity rates in Europe are volatile, diverse and appear largely unrestricted by competition between electricity suppliers. Rates rose by 20% or more from 2009 to 2011 for instance, due largely to increasing fuel costs. Rates were highest in Denmark at 0.305 euro/kWh and lowest in Greece at 0.13 euro/kWh, reflecting significant variation between countries in terms of factors such as power sources, market concentration, and to a large extent energy and value added taxes as well as price regulation. Rate comparison is however highly complicated by a wide variety of rate plans available in Europe such as special rates for different time slots, wholesale market-pegged rates, rates which do not depend on wholesale electricity prices, dual-fuel plans where customers sign a contract with the same company for gas and electricity, and green electricity.
2. With regard to residential customer switching between electricity suppliers after liberalization, the trend has been for switching percentages to increase due to a variety of factors, including especially the diversification of rate plans, growth in price differences between suppliers, sudden substantial price increases and negative publicity. At this time, various innovations are also contributing to customer switching behaviour including free third-party online services, such as MakeItCheaper in Great Britain, which enable users to easily search on a web page for a supplier suited to their unique needs, and to then switch to a new supplier on that same site. Many electric power companies are also actively offering customers the opportunity to switch supplier online, either via their own web sites. Surprisingly though, it was also found that there is no significant relationship between the supplier switching percentage and either price levels per se, or the number of suppliers in the market.
3. Smart energy services, supported by smart metering infrastructure, are seen as a key emerging element of competition in Europe. The introduction of smart meters is progressing, with goals such as promoting energy conservation, and making meter reading work more efficiently. In Italy and Sweden the installation of smart meters for all customers has been completed, and the aim is to introduce smart meters in other countries by 2020. Backed by this smart meter rollout, many energy companies are developing and trialling solutions and offerings for customers that it is expected will provide them with means by which to differentiate themselves, increase customers' satisfaction and loyalty, and increase revenue and customer lifetime value. At present regulations surrounding these developments and functions such as meter reading intervals, communication into the home and the protection of personal information vary greatly between countries however, restricting the potential for customer adoption. It was shown however, that in-home displays which use smart mete

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