The latest in energy-tracking technology is coming courtesy of Google’s PowerMeter Web application and Blue Line Innovations’ PowerCost Monitor. The software helps track and monitor home-energy use from a PC or smartphone via Wi-Fi and the user’s home broadband service. CNET/Green Tech blog (12/19)
Archive for the ‘metering’ Category
Google app uses Wi-Fi to track electricity use
Thursday, December 23rd, 2010ZigBee Smart Energy Certified Products
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010As the industry leader, only ZigBee offers an established, competitive marketplace providing the core technology for monitoring, controlling, and automating the delivery and use of energy and water. ZigBee Smart Energy is the affordable and easy way to improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
The following ZigBee Smart Energy Certified Products were tested to ensure they meet all of the Alliances strict specifications and perform as promised. These products represent solutions across the entire efficiency ecosystem energy services portals, meters, displays, thermostats and load controllers. Each product may wear the ZigBee Certified logo and the green ZigBee Smart Energy icon so that they may be easily identified in the marketplace.
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CoP10 Metering
Friday, April 2nd, 2010Cop10 – Code of Practice specifically applies to metering of energy via low voltage circuits for Settlement purposes.
Metering Equipment compliant with this Code of Practice can be traded either elective Half Hourly (Measurement Class E) or Non-Half Hourly.
Crib Notes:
No supply capacity limitation’s now defined under this CoP10 document.
The limitations of use are now only the CT’s ratios selected / installed and the meters CoP10’s MOP configuration for customer use.
CoP10 can be include import and energy export metering facilities.
Cop10 can be used as Half Hourly (Measurement Class E) or Non-Half Hourly MOP use.
Only one requirement, it has to be a low voltage circuit being measured.
HV metering using Cop5 or Cop7 metering facilities.
For HV metering using CoP5 or CoP7 metering facilities
Currently the CoP10 can not be used as a replacement in this instance.
CoP5 Metering
Friday, April 2nd, 2010Code of Practice 5 defines the minimum requirements for the Metering Equipment required for the measurement and recording of electricity transfers at Defined Metering Points where the Maximum Demand does not exceed 1MW.
Current Transformers
Where required, one set of current transformers to IEC Standard 185 with a minimum standard of accuracy to Class 0.5, shall be provided per circuit. Preferably, the current transformers shall be dedicated for Settlement purposes, but the CTs may be used for other purposes provided the overall accuracy requirements are met.
However, it may be easer to add a second set of CT’s for other functional measuring use, than to demonstrate overall accuracy of revenue metering remains intact.
Where CT test certificates are not available and the CTs can be verified as class 0.5 or better and are installed on an LV installation, the extreme errors for the accuracy class shall be assumed.
Voltage Transformers
Where required a voltage transformer to IEC Standard 186 with a minimum standard of accuracy to Class 1 shall be provided for the metering of a circuit.
Similar to CTs, VT’s can be used for other purposes but need to demonstrate overall accuracy of revenue metering remains intact.
But, it may be easer to add a second set of VT’s for other functional measuring use, than to demonstrate overall accuracy of revenue metering remains intact.
Remember similar to Cop5 CT’s, they are effectively adopted by the MOP and sealed to prevent customer tampering etc.
MPAN Request (Meter Point Administration Number Request)
Sunday, March 28th, 2010If you are trying to obtain your MPAN to enable you to transfer electricity supplier(s) you can do this in number of ways:
MPAN from existing energy bill : If you have an existing electricity bill for your property you should be able to find your MPAN. MPANs are often printed at the bottom of the first page of your bill or on the reverse of the front page.
MPAN from a DNO MPAS Service: You can obtain your MPAN from the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) who is responsible for the distribution network for your area.
If you telephone the Distribution company for your area they will be able to provide you with the 13 digit MPAN core over the telephone. In most cases this should be enough information to arrange the transfer of your electricity supply, it is also worthwhile asking that they send the information to you – that way you will also receive the full MPAN.
The telephone numbers for each Distribution Company’s MPAS service is noted below.
North Scotland
SSE Power Distribution
0800 300 999
South Scotland
SP Power Systems
0845 272 7999
North East England
CE Electric (NEDL)
0800 668 877
North West
United Utilities
0800 195 4141
Yorkshire
CE Electric (YEDL)
0800 375 675
East Midlands
Central Networks
0800 056 8090
West Midlands
Central Networks
0800 328 1111
Eastern England
EDF Energy
0800 783 8838
South Wales
Western Power Distribution
0800 052 0400
Southern England
SSE Power Distribution
08457 70 80 90
London
EDF Energy
0800 028 0247
South East England
EDF Energy
0800 783 8866
South West England
Western Power Distribution
0800 365 900
North Wales, Merseyside and Cheshire
SP Manweb
0845 272 2424
HV Air Insulated Metering Unit’s – AMU
Monday, March 15th, 2010For HV metering applications, an AMU is designed for use with the latest HV Ring Main Units, including the extensible units.In its standard format the AMU is designed to connect to remotely mounted tariff metering.
Key Features:
Compact and lightweight design
Up to 12kV, 95kVp
Up to 630A
Indoor or outdoor application
Can be supplied as an RMU/AMU combination
VT isolation as standard for HV testing
Dual VT and CT ratios available
Additional Options
- Marshalling Box options:
- Can include meters within larger Marshalling Box
- Either left-hand or right-hand mounting
- Trip-lock out relay for RMU/AMU combinations where emergency tripping required
- Cable Boxes and Gland Plates:
- Single core cable arrangement – short 450mm cable box
- 3-core cable arrangement – long 630mm cable box
- For voltages above 12kV and ‘special’ Transformer/Current Transformer (VT/CT) configurations, refer to the oil metering unit range technical detail. This includes all 5-limb Voltage Transformer (VT) requirements.
Timetable set for ‘fairer’ bills
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009
![]() The changes come after an Ofgem investigatio |
A timetable has been set by the energy regulator for new rules to come into force that ensure the fairer treatment of consumers.
All energy customers will be sent their first annual statement by their supplier by December 2010, Ofgem said.
Changes that allow pre-payment meter customers to switch suppliers even if they have a debt on bills of up to £200 will be in place by January.
The changes come after an investigation by the regulator into household bills.
Bills clarity
Ofgem started the investigation into the state of the energy market in the UK in February 2008.
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Andrew Wright, Ofgem |
In its initial findings a year ago, Ofgem said that there was no evidence of collusion between the “big six” suppliers in setting prices and the market was “working well” for most consumers.
But it raised concerns over the difference in prices for those paying in different ways.
At the start of September, the first of the new rules – which ensured different payment methods reflected the cost to the supplier of offering those methods – was brought into force.
The new annual statement, which customers will start to receive from July, will provide customers with details such as their energy tariff, consumption and a reminder of the customer’s right to switch.
Other new rules include the provision of written quotes for doorstep sales, which must be supplied from 18 January 2010.
The same date has been set for the requirement that small businesses be given clear contracts, and more notice of when a new contract can be negotiated.
“The new standards define the spirit of the new rules to go with the letter of the laws,” said Ofgem’s Andrew Wright.
“They call on suppliers to be clear, fair and courteous and to take the confusion out of comparing products.”
From BBC Web site
£12m for display meters for more sustainable schools
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009
Partnerships for Schools 26 November 2009
The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, the Rt Hon Ed Balls MP, today announced a £12m investment in new energy display meters providing schools with real-time digital information about their electricity use from January next year.
From January 2010, primary and secondary schools across
Partnerships for Schools will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of the new display meters project, working in partnership with British Gas, as the selected private sector partner.
Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships for Schools, said: Pupils across
Research by the Carbon Trust shows that display meters and wider behavioural changes in using energy could see 10 to 15 per cent cuts in fuel bills meaning the average one-form primary school could save up to £700 a year and the average 900-pupil secondary school more than £3,000 a year on fuel bills alone.
But the use of this technology is also a great way to harness young peoples interest in the environment and embed behaviours which they can use beyond the school gates, and we look forward to seeing the difference that this important investment will make.
Kanat Emiroglu, Managing Director of British Gas Business said: Building on our market leading position on smart metering, this major project is an excellent opportunity to combine British Gass energy services expertise with, our leading environmental schools programme, Generation Green. These display meter displays will provide the opportunity for teachers and pupils to learn about climate change, energy efficiency and carbon budgeting in an exciting and interactive way, whilst also allowing schools to manage and reduce their energy costs.
The display meters project was announced today as part of the publication of the discussion document Securing Our Future Using Our Resources Well.
The meters will be provided with software that allows clear, easy-to-read displays to a nominated PC in a prominent place within the school so that pupils, teachers and wider users of the school can monitor electricity use. Schools will be given instructions for how the meter should be used, and guidance on how it can support teaching and learning and raise awareness. School maintenance staff will also be able to use the data to inform decisions about how to make energy savings.
Notes to Editors:
- PfS is the governments delivery agent for the full suite of capital investment programmes into schools, helping ensure that taxpayers get the best value from every education pound spent.
- PfS is responsible for the delivery of around £8bn investment into education until 2011 through Building Schools for the Future; the Academies programme; the Primary Capital Programme; and the Devolved and Targeted Capital Programmes.
NES Benefits
Thursday, June 4th, 2009NES Benefits Flash
Overview of the complete NES System
Reduce costs, improve operations, and generate new sources of income.
The NES System benefits every aspect of your utilitys operation from metering and customer services to distribution operations and value-added business. We offer an unparalleled return on investment with a payback period for most utilities ranging from two and five years.
Direct Benefits
Metering
The NES System:
* enables completely automated scheduled reads of electric, gas, water, and heat meters
* allows real-time, on-demand reads
* eliminates most meter-reading costs for both scheduled and unscheduled reads, due to wage, insurance, equipment, office space, and vehicular cost savings
Customer Service
The NES system:
- reduces billing errors, complaints, and inquiries, as well as call center staff and related costs
- extends the use of flexible tariffs (available to commercial accounts) to residential customers, allowing new tariff structures to be remotely downloaded into meters, such as:
- time-of-use pricing
- critical peak pricing
- real-time pricing
- prepayment without card
- offers remote connect and disconnect features useful in high-turnover environments such as apartments that:
- eliminate costs associated with manually managing service connections
- increase customer satisfaction through improved response times
Distribution Operation
The NES System’s detailed per-meter supply quality statistics, broad load-profiling capabilities, and extensive provisions for theft detection enable:
- load-balancing of meters and transformers
- improved energy forecasting and conservation
- blackout and brownout prevention
- comprehensive revenue protection
The system also:
- rapidly detects outages
- verifies service restoration while field crews are still in the area
Operating
The NES system:
- eliminates re-bills caused by incorrect reads or data entry errors
- eliminates the need for estimated bills
- improves cash flow by reducing read-to-bill turnaround and uncollectibles
- reduces unnecessary services calls and field investigations through remote monitoring
- enables load shedding to manage peak energy use by controlling the direct load of appliances such as air conditioners, pool pumps, and water heaters
Regulatory
The NES system offers:
- power quality reporting for any subset of meters or service areas
- historical as well as on-demand outage and connection reporting for accurate calculation of service quality
- remotely configurable meter-reading capabilities by time, period, or service area to comply with changing regulations
Value-Added Benefits
Since the NES System is built on open, internationally recognized standards using existing infrastructures, your utility can add new devices over time anywhere within the electricity network using the same communication infrastructure already installed for electricity metering.
Products such as thermostats, boilers, appliances, air handlers, lights, and load control modules based on our LonWorks technology the backbone of the NES system are available from thousands of manufacturers worldwide. By adding communications and control over these devices, utilities can offer their customers or partners a number of benefits and services, such as:
- remote monitoring and control of in-premise devices such as thermostats and appliances
- predictive warranty services
- consumer use reports
Network Energy System Architecture
Thursday, June 4th, 2009NES System Architecture
The NES System consists of a tightly integrated set of components that provide the infrastructure to deliver networked energy services to your utility. The system architecture includes:
- Intelligent, communicating digital electricity meters
- Powerful IP-connected data concentrators
- Scalable system software
A True Smart Metering Network
The NES system is designed to let your utility use a variety of communications media within your system to minimize cost and complexity, and maximize reliability and security. At the core of this flexibility are data concentrators, which provide the connectivity infrastructure between meters at customer sites and the NES System Software at the utility’s central office.
Data concentrators connect to the secondary side of a distribution transformer and securely communicate with and supervise meters attached to the secondary side of a given transformer. They can be installed adjacent to or collocated with one of the meters at a customer site or collocated with the transformer itself, which may be on utility poles, in underground substations, or in above-ground enclosures.
Data concentrators communicate with meters over the low-voltage power line network. Communication between data concentrators and the NES System Software (which usually resides in the utilitys data center) occurs over any IP-enabled WAN. Because our flexible data concentrators can use any convenient WAN technology such as GPRS, CDMA, GSM, PSTN, and broadband utilities can take advantage of today’s diverse range of wide area communication possibilities, as well as new options offered in the future.
The hybrid RF/PLC/IP architecture of the NES System cost-effectively serves both the IEC and ANSI markets for a variety of geographic terrains from densely populated urban and suburban areas to thinly populated, distant rural locations while retaining all of its functionality.
Advanced Metering
Meters are a utilitys most important asset: They must provide uncompromising quality, accuracy, and reliability. Our internationally certified NES meters offer the industrys best value for a digital communicating meter, turning each metering point into a wealth of readily available information that can be used not only to generate bills as in a traditional AMR system but also to monitor network health, reduce or eliminate on-site visits, improve customer service, and optimize the distribution network.
Since NES provides a complete, always-on, two-way network, each meter is remotely accessible at any time for both data reading and, with proper authorization, remote configuration and control. And because our meters have no serviceable parts, you may never need to send personnel to the field again.
Our NES meters offer a number of features and benefits, including:
- Support for multiple tariffs, which automatically adapt for holiday, weekend, and seasonal changes
- Integrated, automatic gas and water meter reading, which expands the value of the network beyond electricity
- Power quality information such as power outages, sags, swells, and frequency measurements which enable predictive repairs and optimizations
- Extensive load-profiling capabilities to understand customer consumption
- Real-time scheduled or remote load control to prevent brownouts or blackouts
- Remote disconnect of main load, for managing vacant or high-turnover premises (such as vacation homes or apartments) without on-site visits
- Superior tamper and fraud detection, which increase compliance and revenue
- Full remote configuration capabilities, which eliminate the need to visit meters to change tariff schedule, display, or load control
- Standard digital meter installation no special skills or tools required
ZigBee wireless networking powers advanced metering
Thursday, June 4th, 2009
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One crucial aspect that sets advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) apart from automated meter reading (AMR) is two-way communications between the utility and residences. That level of communication is intended, in part, to help all consumers participate in energy management and efficiency programs. But how does that two-way communication reach beyond the electricity meter and into a consumers home?
Several standard technologies exist that consumers are familiar with in their home. Two that consumers are most familiar with over the last decade are Wi-Fi and broadband over cable. These technologies are well suited to carry huge amounts of audio and visual data, but are far more powerful and expensive than what is needed for utility communications at any individual residence regardless of home size.
Another technology reaching consumers in their home and finding great acceptance in the energy industry is ZigBee® wireless networking. ZigBee is a global wireless language that connects different, often everyday devices to work together. It is built on top of the IEEE 802.15.4 wireless networking standard, in much the same way that Wi-Fi is built on the IEEE 802.11 standard. The core benefit of ZigBee is that it is designed for situations that need to communicate small amounts of data while using less energy to transmit that data.
ZigBee supports energy management and efficiency mainly by connecting a utility to an in-home network typically comprised of ZigBee-enabled devices, including appliances, thermostats, water heaters, pool pumps, and more. This network of ZigBee devices is easy to connect and allows users to customize and monitor their energy consumption in an environment where devices communicate to each other and can connect to the outside world to enable remote access and control either by the utility, a third-party service provider or the customer.
As a global, open standard, ZigBee enables interoperability between numerous devices. Open standards like ZigBee provide everyone in a market a common point of reference to build upon. This way, utilities and consumers gain a competitive marketplace for products and services. Vendors like meter and thermostat manufacturers benefit, because open standards create a competitive semiconductor marketplace in which they can purchase wireless networking ZigBee chips, also known as ZigBee Compliant Platforms.
The ZigBee Alliance is a global ecosystem of technology companies creating wireless solutions for use in energy, home, commercial and industrial applications. ZigBee Alliance members work together to develop public application profiles for various applications to foster device interoperability, regardless of manufacturer. ZigBee certification and compliance tests ensure ZigBee solutions offer reliable and robust wireless networking.
Only ZigBee has multiple suppliers providing the core technology used in wireless solutions for home, commercial and industrial applications. Companies join the ZigBee alliance for access to the best intellectual property for their products. The ZigBee Alliance is five years old and has 250 member companies.
The Alliance and its members continue to deliver energy management and efficiency solutions. In November, the alliance released its ZigBee Home Automation public application profile. Completion of ZigBee Home Automation paved the way for a rapid completion of a planned profile for advanced metering and energy management. Last month, an array of vendors gathered in San Diego to test the interoperability of their devices running this new profile, to be known as the ZigBee Smart Energy profile.
New smart energy profile delivers efficiency and savings
Thursday, June 4th, 2009
The ZigBee Smart Energy public application profile has been completed, offering utility companies a global open standard for implementing secure, easy-to-use wireless home area networks for managing energy.
ZigBee Smart Energy enables wireless communication and control between utility companies and common household devices such as smart thermostats and appliances. It improves energy efficiency by allowing consumers to choose interoperable products from different manufacturers, giving them the means to manage their energy consumption more precisely using automation and near real time information. It also helps utilities implement and support advanced metering, demand response, load control, pricing, and customer messaging programmes.
With the global energy crisis, many countries are facing energy supply and demand imbalances that will require alternative energy management and efficiency solutions like ZigBee Smart Energy. For example, North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) reported that electricity demand in the United States is expected to increase by 135,000 MW in the next decade yet only 77,000 MW of new resources have been identified, creating a shortfall of 58,000 MW an amount equivalent to 110 large power plants. Energy management and efficiency solutions can bridge the gap. For example, the US Department of Energys Pacific Northwest National Laboratory recently released the results of a year-long study showing that households with digital tools controlling temperature and price preferences saved on average 10 percent on utility bills. The study also showed that if households have digital tools to control temperature and price preferences, peak loads on utility grids can be cut by up to 15 percent.
A number of Alliance members are currently building products that will be certified by the Alliance to support ZigBee Smart Energy. These companies include: Cellnet+Hunt, Ember, Freescale Semiconductor, Itron, Tendril and Texas Instruments, who are ZigBee Alliance Promoter member companies and members of the Board of Directors which is responsible for setting the Alliances direction in the energy sector. Some of the other members building ZigBee Smart Energy products include: Alektrona, Computime, Comverge, Control4, Corporate Systems Engineering, Daintree Networks, Digi International, Elster, Energate, Frontline Test Equipment, Golden Power, Greenbox Technology, LS Research, PRI Limited, Radio Thermostat Company of America, Riga Development, Trilliant Networks and Wireless Glue Networks.
Why ZigBee, and why now?
Thursday, June 4th, 2009
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Over the next ten years in the United States, the nation needs to build one large power plant every month in order to meet its projected energy needs.
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) reports that electricity demand in the United States is expected to increase by 135,000 MW in the next decade. And yet, only 77,000 MW of new resources have been identified, creating a shortfall of 58,000 MW an amount equivalent to 110 large power plants. Clearly we all want to keep our iPods and big screen TVs running, not to mention our offices, factories, and hospitals.
Completing a major power plant every month for years on end is a daunting task. Communities can spend years debating where to locate a power plant and the necessary transmission lines to attach it to the grid. About half of the electricity in the U.S. is generated by burning coal; with large domestic reserves and the current infrastructure, coal is likely to remain the dominant fuel source for electricity. Natural gas contributes a sizable portion of power as well. Burning more coal and gas to supply the additional power that is needed will contribute to carbon dioxide emissions at a time when there is a desire to decrease those emissions, not increase them.
How will we make up this energy gap in the coming years given the constraints the energy market faces?
While it is not the only solution, energy management and efficiency can play a role in reducing energy consumption, thereby helping to close the supply and demand gap. While solar, wind and other alternative sources of energy generation get much attention, energy efficiency should also be considered as a source of energy. The Edison Electric Institute calls energy efficiency the fifth fuel. It represents an alternative to coal, natural gas, hydropower and nuclear fuel. Supporting this fact, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory recently released the results of a yearlong study showing that households with digital tools controlling temperature and price preferences saved on average 10 percent on utility bills. The study also showed that if households have digital tools to control temperature and price preferences, peak loads on utility grids can be cut by up to 15 percent, translating into $70 billion dollars saved over a 20-year period on new power plants and infrastructure expenditures.
To achieve this level of savings, energy efficiency and management must become much more ubiquitous. The technology to support ubiquitous energy efficiency and management needs to be affordable, easy to install and use, secure and able to scale into systems with millions of devices.
ZigBee® is one such technology. It is the leading wireless technology that can bring widely diverse devices into a single home area network for energy management. ZigBee is an open global standard based on the IEEE 802.15.4 wireless networking specification for low power consumption and medium range data bandwidth and transmission distances.
ZigBee makes communication possible between the devices inside the home and the utility from outside the home. That connection allows full two-way communication between utility operations and individual consumers. Through this communication, consumers can now learn more about their energy usage and how to reduce it. Feedback programs, such as Internet-based or in-home usage displays, have been found to reduce total consumption by an average of 11 percent. Two-way communication also allows the utility to automate energy efficiency for the customer according to whether customers have opted into energy management programs offered by the utilities and what parameters the consumers established for their own energy and comfort levels.
Two-thirds of the energy consumption in a typical U.S. household comes from lighting, heating, and cooling. Making these uses of energy more efficient can go a long way towards closing the energy supply and demand gap. A megawatt of energy gained through efficiency is much cleaner than a megawatt generated since the energy derived from efficiency is energy that does not have to be generated in the first place. Installing energy efficiency devices and programs that give consumers the tools to make intelligence energy use decisions will be exponentially faster than building major power plants. So just maybe we can have our energy and continue to enjoy our rising standard of living along with the latest electronic gadgets and not need to feel guilty.
‘Smart’ appliances empower users to save money
Thursday, June 4th, 2009
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Six months into Louisville Gas & Electric Companys (LG&E) pilot program that uses smart meters, smart or demand response appliances, and a tiered-pricing program, results reveal participants are choosing money saving options.
The program tests the use of smart appliances to help offset energy costs when higher prices are implemented during peak usage times, generally from 3-8 p.m.
Pilot participants were a select group of GE employees living in the LG&E Louisville market. They were provided with a suite of GE smart appliances or demand response appliances to replace their standard appliances. In most cases, this included a refrigerator, range, microwave, dish washer and laundry pair. In addition, LG&E installed a programmable HVAC thermostat in the participants homes, as well as a smart utility meter.
The smart appliances receive a signal from the utility companys smart meter which alerts the appliances, and the participants, when peak electrical usage and rates are in effect. In the pilot program, the signal word eco comes up on the display screen. The appliances are programmed to avoid energy usage during that time or to operate on a lower wattage; however, participants can choose to override the program.
This pilot program gives us the opportunity to incorporate our customers feedback on how to manage the very critical issue of peak energy demand and supply, said Chris Hermann, senior vice president, Energy Delivery at LG&E. We believe we are learning a lot from this pilot about how to accomplish our objectives. This will result in managing our energy better and reducing the need to construct more power generation facilities which is better for us, our customers and the environment.
Some of the examples of savings are that the refrigerator delays the defrost cycle from occurring during peak hours and goes into energy saving mode, microwave ovens power down slightly by reducing wattage used when operated during peak hours, and the smart dishwasher and laundry can delay starting the cycle to off peak times.
Notably interaction with the dishwasher and laundry appliances has been noted as the most challenging by the participants.
ZigBee and ESMIG to work towards interoperable smart metering in Europe
Thursday, June 4th, 2009
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The ZigBee® Alliance and the European Smart Metering Industry Group (ESMIG) are working together to define interoperable communications standards for smart metering technology across the European Union (EU).
The ZigBee Smart Energy public application profile is the first open standard to be endorsed by ESMIG.
The ZigBee Alliance and ESMIG will collaborate and identify where ZigBee Smart Energy can be rolled out across the 27 member states of the EU. The two organizations will evaluate ways to maximize the benefits of a standardized smart metering program for consumers, utility service providers and the environment.
ESMIG believes that a handful of proven and open standards, like ZigBee Smart Energy, will play a key role in EU smart metering projects because they deliver the most value for all parties, and allow utility service providers with flexibility in choosing standards that fit their specific requirements, said Howard Porter, managing director at ESMIG. The ZigBee Alliance is both a valuable and experienced partner who can provide ESMIG with expertise and solutions for smart metering in Europe.
There are an estimated 2,000 electric, water and gas utility service providers in the EU. Each has unique needs that will require standardized approaches to deliver the numerous efficiency, cost savings and environmental benefits expected from smart metering.
ZigBee Smart Energy was designed to work in any country, said Bob Heile, chairman of the ZigBee Alliance. It can play a strong role in helping Europe achieve its smart metering goals today.
ZigBee Smart Energy enables wireless communication between utility companies and common household devices such as smart thermostats and appliances.
ESMIG is an alliance of companies supplying utility metering products or services within Europe and covers the entire value chain from meter manufacturing, software, installation, consulting, to communications and system integration.
Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI)
Thursday, June 4th, 2009AMI solution and utility dashboard released
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SAPs advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) solution, AMI Integration for Utilities software, and a packaged dashboard developed in cooperation with enterprise document presentment solution provider StreamServe that displays cost-to-serve modeling and related carbon emissions impact, are now generally available, the company has announced.
AMI Integration for Utilities links sales, service and billing processes within SAPs Customer Relationship and Billing for Utilities package to the capabilities of AMI technology.
With the availability of AMI Integration for Utilities, SAP also announced significant progress in the business integration of smart meters in the core processes of utility companies. The solution enables the efficient acquisition of metering data through meter data unification and synchronization systems and the management of bi-directional communication processes between smart devices and SAP® Business Suite software.
The packaged dashboard provides utilities with the ability to monitor their costs to service their customers, modeling how to reduce these costs and the related environmental impact with reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
The plan to revolutionize the nation’s electric grid will demand a serious commitment to upgrading the way utilities and consumers interact with one another, said David Laker, senior vice president and general manager, Utilities Practice of SAP America, Inc. These developments reflect our commitment to that goal as well as helping the nation’s utilities find ways to run leaner and more efficiently.
Based on established benchmarks, these solutions enable utilities and their customers to improve cost efficiencies and become far less reliant on the earth’s resources, added Dennis Ladd, president and CEO of StreamServe.
What is ADDAX IMS?
Thursday, June 4th, 2009ADDAX Integrated Metering System (ADDAX IMS) is a modern automated system designed for remote metering and management of different resources consumption. The System can integrate meters designed for different resources, thereby, ADDAX IMS can perform metering of several kinds of resources simultaneously.
System Application Domains
– Electrical Energy Metering
– Gas Metering
– Water Metering
– Heat Metering
– Street Lighting Management
– Demand Management
System Potential Users
– Utilities
– Municipal Services
– Power Services of Enterprises
– Cooperative Consumers
Scalability, Flexibility and Openness
ADDAX IMS is a scalable system that can be easily extended in accordance with customers requirements. Systems size can range from a separate building to a multi-million city.
ADDAX IMS is a flexible system that can be easily adjusted, both structurally and functionally, to particular application conditions.
ADDAX IMS is an open system, compatible with other systems, for example, billing system, supporting standard protocols and generally accepted data formats.
Systems Structure
ADDAX IMS has a 3 level architecture.
Lower Level. This level includes terminal devices that are installed directly at metering points. They can be ADDAX-devices (meters, controllers), or devices produced by other manufacturers, supporting interfaces applied in System (DLMS/COSEM protocols).
Middle Level. The middle level represents data transmission via any from accessible physical environments: GSM (GPRS), Ethernet, PL (MV), PL (LV), RF, wire (several variants).
Upper Level. This level refers to data collection into Processing Center. The Center software includes:
– MS Windows 2000 SP4 / XP SP2 / 2003 Server SP1
– MS SQL Server 2005 Express Edition
– MS Office 2000 / 2003+
– ADDAX (ADDAX IMS) Application Soft
Basic Technology
ADDAX IMS is manufactured on the base of ADDAX Technology, developed and owned by ADD GRUP.
System Manufacturers
– ADD GRUP
– Licensed ADDAX Manufacturers
System Evolution
ADDAX IMS is a constantly upgraded system. Upgrade is influenced by our customers requests, as well as by accumulated experience and high level of ADDAX technology, achieved today.
Implementations
ADDAX IMS is implemented in a series of countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. Total number of installed metering points is about 800 000.
Flash Creators Reveal App for Saving Money on Energy
Thursday, May 28th, 2009Greenbox, a startup founded by the creators of Flash, announced the roll-out of its power consumption monitoring application today.
Installed along with networked electrical meters to a limited number of homes by Oklahoma Gas and Electric, the new trial is Greenboxs first move into a market thats quickly become crowded with competitors like Tendril, Agilewaves, and DIY Kyoto.
All these applications allow their users to see how much energy theyre using and, if they want to, reduce it.
“We believe we can make specific [energy-saving] recommendations based on your situation that are far more valuable than any of the general tips on websites.” said Matt Smith, the chief marketer for Greenbox.
Regardless of which application consumers end up using they all provide similar functionality the concept makes sense for consumers. But whats in it for utilities?
The shrinking gap between how much power utilities can produce and how much Americans will consume is driving the old-line industry to try to drive down demand for the product they sell.
As can be seen in the embedded chart, based on data provided by Peggy Suggs, an analyst at the Edison Electric Institute, the amount of slack in the nations electrical grid is shrinking. Without breathing room, the risk of blackouts increases and expensive (and dirty) backup power plants called “peakers” have to be fired up more often.
Electric companies could just build more power plants, but the permitting process is difficult and high-commodity prices are making construction increasingly expensive.
Thats led many utilities to turn to energy efficiency, which is sometimes called “the fifth fuel”. Most of the programs, though, remain in the trial stage. To make use of Greenbox or its competitors, utilities have to install some kind of smart meter for your household.
These meters can run up to $100, which multiplies out to many millions of dollars over a utilitys area of service.
This cost has slowed adoption. As a result, demand-response programs only reduced peak-load by 27 gigawatts in 2006, according to the Energy Information Administration. Thats not much, considering that more than 4,000 gigawatts of power were produced by those other four fuels.
Once the meters are in place, a big key to getting “demand response”
programs to work is introducing a variable rate structure in which consumers are charged more for energy during peak times and less in the off-hours. In Oklahoma, theyre calling that variable system the Smart
Power TOU.
The utilities figure that consumers will respond rationally to this price signal and cut their usage during the period by eliminating it or shifting it to a cheaper time.
But perhaps its the irrational drive of competition that could push consumers to save energy. Adrian Tuck, CEO of Tendril, another energy monitoring startup, said that his company has found that people who know how much electricity the Joneses consume try to keep up by driving their usage down.
“The most potent driver of change is beating your neighbors,” Tuck told Wired.com.
These applications are the beginnings of the new world Clive Thompson described about a year ago in which energy conservation isnt just visible, its a public point of pride (or shame).
“Imagine if your daily consumption were part of your Facebook page and broadcast to your friends by RSS feed,” he wrote. “Youd work harder to conserve so you dont look like a jackass in front of your peers.”
For now, though, energy monitoring services are probably a year or two away from your desktop.
“From what the meter manufacturers say, the volumes will ramp up next year,” Greenboxs Smith said. “Thats going to work out pretty good for us. If it was happening right now at this moment, wed feel a little bit behind. Were not quite ready.”
Images. 1, 3, 4: Screenshots from Greenbox. 2. Chart from EEI Data.