Monday, 08 December 2025

Robin Whitlock

European smart energy companygridXhas published its first Retrofit Report, highlighting retrofitting’s growing importance for Europe’s energy transition and also presenting practical ways to tap into new revenue and upselling potential.

Courtesy of grid-X.

For retrofitting, gridX distinguishes between two scenarios. Retro-connect involves connecting an already-installed energy asset to a home energy management system (HEMS), with either a hybrid HEMS, consisting of a local gateway (gridBox) and cloud platform (XENON), or via an entirely digital cloud-to-cloud connection. If an existing installation is enhanced not only with a hybrid HEMS but also with new hardware – for example, a home battery – this is referred to as retro-expand.

As more ‘analog’ distributed energy resources are integrated into the power grid – without their flexibility being intelligently optimised by a HEMS – the more unstable the grid becomes. In the UK, for example, the number of wallboxes is expected to increase almost 16-fold by 2030 and the number of heat pumps to almost 8-fold by then.

In light of this trend, gridX asked 265 respondents in Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, all of whom already have at least one energy asset in the home, about their willingness to retrofit. Overall, two-thirds (66 percent) of respondents planned to purchase at least one additional asset in the next two years. Of those with only a rooftop solar PV system installed, 44 percent claimed that they wanted to add a home battery in the next two years. 88 percent considered the compatibility of their existing asset(s) with a potential new asset to be rather or very important, and 81 percent of respondents said they were rather or very interested in integrating their asset(s) into a HEMS.

The survey highlights the importance of financial factors in HEMS adoption: while 45 percent saw savings potential as the main advantage of a HEMS, just over half of participants (52 percent) were concerned about potential high purchase costs. This suggests a willingness to invest, provided the financial benefits are proven. Specifically, respondents have high expectations for the return on investment: 78 percent would like to see the investment in a HEMS pay for itself within five years. gridX confirms that such a break-even point well before this is realistic with XENON.

According to calculations by gridX, an average three-person household in Spain with an analog rooftop solar PV system (6 kWp) can reduce its energy costs by 467 euros per year if it adds a home battery (8 kWh), a HEMS and a dynamic tariff to this energy-generating system.

Comparable households that instead build on energy-consuming systems, can save even more. For example, if a Dutch household with an electric car adds a rooftop solar PV system (6 kWp), a home battery (7 kWh), a HEMS and a dynamic tariff, it can save 970 euros per year. Starting with a heat pump, UK residents can save £1,492 by retrofitting a rooftop solar PV system (6 kWp), a home battery (10 kWh), a HEMS and a dynamic tariff.

Retrofitting only succeeds when every part of the energy ecosystem works seamlessly together. With close OEM relationships and different connectivity models – either with a local gateway or cloud-to-cloud connectivity – gridX ensures seamless communication between assets of varying brand, protocol and age. By aligning standards, simplifying integration and enabling secure data exchange through a HEMS, gridX and its partners can turn disconnected assets into a coordinated, flexible ecosystem. This collective effort unlocks new services, improves grid stability and ensures end customers get the reliable, future-proof energy experience they expect.

“gridX already offers the simplicity, transparency and savings that end users desire from an energy management system” said Anne Bicking, CEO of gridX. “Now we need to work with stakeholders across the value chain to ensure that these plug-and-play retrofit solutions are rolled out en masse. Our multiple connectivity approaches, extensive partnerships and cutting-edge technology ensure that every household – including those with existing energy assets – can minimise their costs, while contributing to a cleaner, smarter energy system.”

For additional information:

gridX