New EEBUS electrician tool helps electrical trade businesses set up controllable consumption devices under § 14a EnWG

Jul 14, 2026 | 2026, Press Release, Pressemitteilung

A graphic showing an electrician, the logos of EEBUS and ZVEH and the text "EEBUS Handwerkertool"

A new tool developed by the EEBus Initiative e.V. for the ZVEH enables electrical trade businesses to establish the communication link of controllable energy installations during commissioning – and to verify and document that the setup was successful.

The digitalisation of the energy transition is well underway, and with it comes a new requirement: heat pumps, air-conditioning units, charging stations, battery storage and photovoltaic (PV) systems must be made controllable under Section 14a of the German Energy Industry Act (EnWG – for installations of 4.2 kW or more) or Section 9 of the German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). That task falls to electrical trade businesses – and with it the challenge of proving that the devices they install can successfully communicate. This becomes particularly relevant when the smart metering system – the Smart Meter Gateway (SMGW) or control box – has not yet been installed when the controllable device is set up, leaving the device without its communication partner. Even then, businesses need to demonstrate that the installation can be reached at the defined transfer point.

Documentation and legal certainty

This is where a new tool from the EEBus Initiative e.V. comes in. Developed as part of the DigiWEMS research project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), and in cooperation with the German Association of Electrical and Information Technology Trades (ZVEH), the “EEBUS Handwerkertool” (EEBUS Electrician Tool) helps tradespeople set up, try out and confirm the digital communication link when commissioning controllable energy installations. The tool is currently available as a beta version; the final version with an extended feature set is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026.

“The electrical trades are the key partner in the energy transition: they recommend the right systems and are responsible for implementing them at the customer’s premises. That is why, together with the ZVEH, we have developed a tool that supports installers right at the point of commissioning – it checks whether the installation can be reached and provides clear proof for businesses, customers and grid operators. This is how we make complexity manageable,” says Dr Gunnar Steg, Chairman of the EEBus Initiative e.V.

How the “EEBUS Hanwerkertool” works

All businesses need is a Windows 11 laptop with an RJ45 port; a camera is also recommended for quick device identification via QR code. The application connects to the device via the RJ45 port in the installation-side connection area (AAR) of the meter cabinet. It then simulates a control box or CLS adapter and determines whether a communication link to the installation can be established. This puts into practice the digital-interface communication test described in the VDE FNN guidance note “Inbetriebnahmeprozess der Verbindung zwischen Steuerungseinrichtungen und steuerbaren Einrichtungen” (commissioning process for the connection between control units and controllable devices).

Installers can therefore prove that the installation is reachable before they leave the site. Once the trial is complete, the tool automatically generates a PDF report that serves as proof of the initial verification and can be handed over to the customer – who can then pass it on to the distribution system operator or metering operator.

Benefits for the electrical trades

The tool does more than guide businesses through the commissioning process defined by the VDE FNN: it also fulfils their documentation obligations and provides legal certainty. Should a customer modify the installation at a later date, there is clear proof that, at the time of handover, the business set up and confirmed the communication link at the defined transfer point in line with regulatory requirements.

“The digitalisation of the energy transition needs secure and reliable interfaces between the grid and the customer installation. The electrical and information technology trades make sure this connection works. The ‘EEBUS Handwerkertool’ gives us a powerful way to test these interfaces in practice and actively drive the energy transition forward,” says Bernd Zeilmann, head (Obermeister) of the Bayreuth Guild for Electrical and Information Technology and technical expert at the ZVEH.

The “EEBUS Handwerkertool” helps businesses establish the communication link of controllable energy installations and confirm it directly on site:

  • The EEBUS Use Cases “Limitation of Power Consumption” (LPC) and “Limitation of Power Production” (LPP) let installers set power limits and observe how the device responds – exactly as required for grid-oriented control under § 14a EnWG and feed-in limitation under § 9 EEG.
  • The tool continuously monitors the stability of the communication link.
  • The Use Case “Monitoring of Power Consumption” (MPC) displays the live consumption data of the device directly in the tool.
  • Every step and all recorded data are logged automatically and compiled into a PDF report.
  • Feedback from the field feeds directly into further development and can be sent to software@wfe.zveh.de.

The free beta version of the “EEBUS Handwerkertool” is published on behalf of the EEBus Initiative e.V. through the ZVEH platform “Mein E-Handwerk” – download link for guild members: www.mein-ehandwerk.de/eebus-handwerkertool

 

Press contact

EEBus Initiative e.V.
Lara Marie Andres
Communications Manager
E-Mail: andres@eebus.org