What is the EDA network?

Anyone working with energy data in Austria will sooner or later come across three letters: EDA . The abbreviation stands for Energiewirtschaftlicher Datenaustausch (Energy Data Exchange) and refers to the central infrastructure through which energy data is exchanged between market participants in Austria.

For energy service providers, building managers, and software developers, the EDA network is the key to accessing smart meter data. This article explains how the network is structured, who participates, and what it means for companies that want to use consumption data.

What does EDA stand for?

EDA stands for Energiewirtschaftlicher Datenaustausch (Energy Data Exchange). It is a system developed by the Austrian energy industry for the standardized, secure exchange of data between energy market participants. This includes in particular:

• Consumption data from smart meters (quarter-hourly values in kWh)
• Master data such as metering point identifiers and grid area assignments
• Process data such as supplier switches, registrations, and deregistrations

The EDA network is not a single company or a single piece of software. It is a protocol standard and a communication infrastructure used by all participating market players.

Who participates?

All key players in the Austrian electricity market participate in the EDA network:

• Grid operators — over 120 Austrian distribution grid operators that operate smart meters and collect consumption data
• Energy suppliers — electricity providers that need consumption data for billing and forecasting
• Service providers and third parties — companies that may access data with the consumer's consent (e.g., energy consultants, building managers, software companies)

Consumers themselves are not direct participants in the EDA network. However, they grant the consent that allows third parties to retrieve their data.

How does the data flow?

The data flow in the EDA network follows a clearly defined path:

1. Smart meter measures — The meter at the consumer's premises records electricity consumption in 15-minute intervals.
2. Grid operator collects — The data is transmitted from the smart meter to the responsible grid operator, typically via the power grid itself (PLC) or mobile networks.
3. Data in the EDA network — The grid operator makes the data available through the EDA network. Authorized recipients can retrieve it via standardized protocols.
4. Recipient receives data — Energy suppliers, service providers, or other authorized participants receive the data in a defined XML format. Data delivery does not happen in real time but with a delay of typically one day . The consumption values from the previous day are therefore available the following day.

Technical communication runs through encrypted endpoints that must be operated by each participant. Message routing is handled by a central hub (SIA), which is based on the Ponton X/P communication software.

Consent management: The CCM process

A central element of the EDA network is consent management , known as the CCM process (Customer Consent Management). It ensures that third parties can only access a consumer's data with their explicit consent.

The procedure is clearly regulated:

1. A service provider submits a consent request for a specific metering point.
2. The request goes to the responsible grid operator .
3. The grid operator forwards the consent request to the consumer (typically through the grid operator's smart meter portal).
4. The consumer approves or declines .
5. Upon approval, data delivery to the requesting service provider begins.

It is important to note that consent is always tied to a specific metering point and a defined time period . The consumer determines which data categories are released — typically quarter-hourly consumption values — and for how long the authorization should apply. Once the period expires, the consent must be renewed. The consumer can also revoke their consent at any time , after which data delivery is discontinued within a few business days.

This process is GDPR-compliant and fully auditable. In practice, it takes between 1 and 5 business days, depending on the grid operator.

Why is all this so complex?

What sounds straightforward on paper is in practice a considerable technical challenge. There are several reasons for this:

• Over 120 grid operators — Each grid operator runs its own infrastructure. There are differences in response times, data formats, and standard implementation.
• Regulated protocols — Communication uses specific, regulated protocols (not standard REST APIs). Specialized software and certificates are required.
• Biannual releases — The EDA network is continuously being developed. Twice a year there are protocol changes that all participants must implement.
• Encryption and certificates — Each participant must operate their own communication endpoints and secure them with valid certificates.
• Monitoring and error handling — Messages can fail, consent requests can be rejected, data can have gaps. All of this must be handled.

What does this mean for businesses?

For companies that want to use smart meter data — whether for energy services , building management , or software development — the EDA network means two things:

For businesses, it is the only official way to access smart meter data in Austria in an automated fashion. There is no alternative API, no workaround. Anyone who wants to use consumption data programmatically and at scale must go through the EDA network.

Direct access is demanding. Building your own EDA connection requires specialized infrastructure, regulatory knowledge, and ongoing maintenance. For most companies, this effort exceeds the actual benefit — especially when energy data is just one component of a larger product.

This is exactly where services like energiedaten.at come in: They handle the entire EDA complexity and provide the data through simple, standardized interfaces — via API , webhook , or CSV .

Summary

The EDA network is the essential infrastructure for energy data in Austria. It enables the secure, standardized exchange of smart meter data between grid operators, suppliers, and authorized third parties. Access is regulated, GDPR-compliant, and technically demanding.

For companies that want to use energy data without building the entire EDA infrastructure themselves, there are solutions that abstract this complexity and simplify data access through modern interfaces.