Germany said it probably won’t follow smart-meter guidance from the European Union — which has recommended that 80 percent of homes install the devices by 2020 — because such a move would be too costly for consumers.

The EU proposal is “inadvisable” for Germany, the Economy Ministry said in a statement, citing a study it commissioned from consultants Ernst & Young. For users with low power consumption, the installation cost would be greater than the achievable energy savings, it said.

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To contact the reporter on this story: Stefan Nicola in Berlin at snicola2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reed Landberg at landberg@bloomberg.net