Grid connection portals

Efficient grid connection processes for you and your customers

Digital application management for grid connection requests

Meet regulatory requirements and automate internal processes

The significant increase in heat pumps, charging stations and photovoltaic systems is leading to a sharp rise in the number of grid connection requests or grid connection extensions. This increasing number of business processes poses great challenges for the operators of energy supply networks. Meeting the deadlines according to Section 8 of the German Renewable Energy Sources Act is becoming increasingly difficult. In addition, grid operators are increasingly under legal pressure to offer a digital application process for grid connection requests via their website as of 1 January 2024.

Another driver for a holistic, digital and workflow-controlled mapping of the grid connection or expansion process is the increasingly demanded customer orientation, and the situation is no different at grid companies. Offering customers an interdisciplinary, transparent process bundled across the various connection media creates a basis of trust and service quality that can be significant competitive advantages for the company as a whole.

For this reason, grid connection portals with integration and automation of internal processes are the next logical step in order to meet regulatory requirements and achieve a new quality of service, all while reducing costs for grid operators.

Requirements for grid connection portals

There are three crucial components that help make all processes completely digital and thus ensure optimal efficiency and performance. They must be combined when implementing a highly efficient solution for the grid connection processes.

1. Functionality for the end customer

Customers can use the customer portal component to submit the grid connection application digitally and using their choice of media. The documents required for the process can be uploaded conveniently, and they are automatically subjected to a plausibility check. Status messages about the progress of the process keep customers informed and give them security and a good feeling that things are moving along. It is no longer necessary to field status queries from customers by phone or email. It means a win-win situation for both sides.
2. Internal processes regarding the grid connection

Most solutions available on the market neglect the major cost driver in the process of connecting to the home: the internal processes at the grid operator – a complex and multi-stage process across different divisions such as electricity, gas, water, telecommunications and heat, etc., as well as across different teams and SAP modules. A holistic workflow control is required in order to be able to realise efficiency increases and automations. It can enable scaling and high-quality in-time processes.
3. Subcontracting

Last but not least, most grid operators work with subcontractors in the process of connecting to the home. The targeting of work orders and feedback on completion must be automated and ideally bundled for different trades. The interdisciplinary organisation of the trades is still the task of the stakeholder looking for a grid connection in many grid areas today. We enable you to provide a higher quality of service.

The modular structure of our grid connection portal

Our solution for your grid connection portal consists of the three modules

1. Grid connection portal

Provides the digital application process for your customers across all lines of business for both supply and feed-in

2. Installation technician portal

Allows you to manage approved installation technicians and manage jobs and completion notifications. It allows customers to select the installation technician they want or find an available one.

3. Account manager portal

Acts as the SAP-based backend for handling your grid operator processes relating to connections to homes. With SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) using state-of-the-art workflow and automation technology.

Optionally, individual and separate application processes can be added for feed-in customers and consumers.

SAP and the SAP BTP form the technical basis for it. In this manner, the solution can be easily adapted to legal changes or other specific changes.

The modular structure of our grid connection portal

Our solution for your grid connection portal consists of the three modules

Your customers will benefit from this

Easy operation through a guided process
Immediate completeness check of data
Personal account for overview and management of own data
Automatic notification about the processing status

Advantages for grid operators

Increase in customer satisfaction
Reduction of support requests through increased transparency in the processing procedure
More efficient processing through real-time availability of all information without media disruptions
Fulfilment of statutory obligations from 2024 according to sect. 14(e) of the German Energy Industry Act (exclusively electricity)

With adesso, you have a strong partner at your side

Our grid connection solution not only digitalises the application processes in both directions, but also the internal processing procedures at the grid operator and across all the SAP modules involved. Workflow control ensures that account managers receive the right information at the right time. The account managers are supported by a high level of automation and no media disruptions.

This offers the main leverage in terms of efficiency in the grid connection process.

We bring a level of professionalism and technology expertise to the table with our many years of experience in the energy industry and with SAP technologies and help you develop a viable strategy for you and your customers.

We look forward to your enquiry