Calisen, the UK’s largest smart meter provider, has launched its first international operation in Germany with Energy Metering Germany (EMG).

The partnership aims to accelerate the roll out of intelligent metering systems. EMG is a competitive meter point operator (MPO) set up by Octopus Group.

The operation will be run by managing director Claus Fest, who joins from EnBW, one of Germany’s largest energy suppliers, where he was head of energy business and portfolio management, responsible for smart energy, data and energy provision for businesses.

Under the meter services agreement (MSA) with EMG, Calisen is positioned to deploy up to €100m in smart metering assets nationwide. This agreement lays the foundation for large-scale investment in intelligent metering systems (IMSs), a vital enabler of Germany’s renewable integration, grid flexibility and digital energy transformation.

The announcement follows the conclusion of a pilot scheme launched by Calisen and EMG in February 2025 under which it has installed around 10,000 smart meters to date. This investment sets a standard for cooperation between MPOs and meter asset providers (MAPs). The MSA framework is expected to serve as a blueprint for future agreements as the German market continues to evolve.

“We believe our investment in Germany will bring real benefits to consumers, giving them the opportunity to reduce their bills and connect to low carbon technology like solar and EVs,” said Catherine O’Kelly, CEO of Calisen. “While Calisen has been incredibly successful in the UK and is now the leading provider of smart meters, the German market has its own dynamics and therefore it is important we build a team on the ground. Claus brings deep expertise in energy metering and has a strong network within the German power industry.”

She said the deal with EMG represented innovation and acceleration in evolving the demand side of Germany’s energy system.

“We are seeing suppliers across the UK innovate, tailoring energy to customers’ budgets and needs, all made possible via a smart meter,” she said. “This has seen huge leaps forward in the democratisation of power. UK customers can now plug in their own solar generation and even turn their electric vehicle into a supply and storage mechanism for the grid. They can also reduce their bills by accessing varying wholesale energy prices through flexible time-of-use tariffs. Smart meters supplied in our partnership model – where we finance and install – offers consumers speedy access to this critical tool. This deal opens up a whole new energy world for German consumers.”

Merlind Schatz, EMG managing director, added: “Calisen’s support is a tremendous vote of confidence in the German roll out. It’s up to us to bring smart meters quickly and efficiently to as many households as possible. They are the heart of a digital, flexible energy system and essential for integrating renewable energy. MAP agreements help us as metering operators, but the biggest winners are consumers. It’s a true win-win situation.”

Calisen is the UK’s largest meter asset provider and a full-spectrum metering services company, supporting a range of energy retailers, including Octopus Energy (octopus.energy). The company pioneered the development of MAP service provision in the UK and brings deep operational and investment expertise to the German market.

“We believe the German market has huge potential to accelerate its energy transition and we are establishing a team on the ground to support this transformation,” said Fest. “I am looking forward to working with EMG and proud to support the nationwide roll out of IMSs. With EMG we’ve positioned smart metering as an investable asset, unlocking private sector capital that will be essential to delivering the scale and pace required.”

Calisen (www.calisen.com) has been operating in the modernisation of the smart metering systems for over 20 years, originating in Manchester and Wigan in the UK. It is an owner and operator of essential energy infrastructure assets, with over 15m meters in around 40% of UK homes. The group employs approximately 1500 people, with offices in Manchester, Wigan, London, Market Harborough and Portsmouth.