Transcript
Elster-Instromet Profiles 2/2011 Products 3 Delivering the building blocks to meetthis challenge had to start somewhere,and in October 2008 the UK GovernmentDepartment of Energy and Climate Change(DECC) mandated the installation of 46million smart gas and electricity meters,together with a consumer In Home Dis-play “IHD” in every residential propertyin the UK by 2019.The aim of this smart meter programmeis to provide consumers with the toolsto understand and reduce their energyusage, and subsequently their carbonfootprint, as well as facilitating the infra-structure to deliver a UK “smart grid”supporting, as a minimum, active leadmanagement and generation.While this is no easy task for any country,the competition-based structure of theUK utility sector, and the complexities of existing prepayment billing systems, havenecessitated a unique architecture to bedeployed. A central Data CommunicationsCompany (DCC) will be procured andlicensed (and installed by 2014) with com-peting energy suppliers being responsiblefor deploying meters which provide inter-operable data against defined protocols,supporting a sustainable platform forcompetition in the future.Elster has played a pivotal role in deliver-ing these requirements, both by support-ing the ongoing DECC UK standardsworkshops and as a founder memberof the Smart Specification Working Group(SSWG), where key industry participants As with a number of the EU member states, climatechange and decarbonisation have come to thecore of the UK’s energy policy, with governmentpassing legislation setting a target to reducegreenhouse gas emissions by 34% by 2020,and proposing a second target reductionof 80% by 2050. UK smart deployment gathers pace –and Elster is in the driving seat are working togetherto create interchange-able and interoperable com-mand sets to support smart HomeArea Networks (HANs) based on ZigBee'sSmart Energy Profile (SEP) and a WideArea Network (WAN) based on DLMS andZigBee gateway protocols. General Elec-tric, Germany’s SAP, Trilliant Inc., Itron andSensus recently joined the alliance formeda year ago by Elster, Secure Meters Ltd.and Landis+Gyr.For short range communication, ZigBeeSmart Energy Profile has been selected.Six technologies had been short-listedand evaluated against different weightedcriteria. ZigBee Smart Energy scored high-est in the evaluation and is a preferredstandard in the UK for smart meters andhome area networks, allowing over-the-airupgrades of firmware as well as securedata communication. In this respect,ZigBee is able to provide customerswith the latest improvements and newfunctionalities. Since data security & privacy is a matterof national security (not only in the UK),this topic has had a major impact on theindustry. Elster gas and electricity solutionsare able to support the latest mechanismsfor data protection and system security.Elster is one of the few organizations thatcan provide an end-to-end solution frommeters, through home area networksand wide area communications, intohead ends and meter data managementservices in the back office. In terms of In homedisplayHANLAN/WANGas meterElectricity meterMeter data managementsystem (MDMS)Head end 4 Products Elster-Instromet Profiles 2/2011 open communications standards, com-mencing late 2011. Elster has alreadyannounced (June 2011) that one of the bigsix energy retailers, Scottish and SouthernEnergy Supply Limited (SSE) has selectedElster as its Smart Metering partner for thefirst phase of its smart metering deploy-ment to be completed by mid-2012.SSE is the UK’s second largest energysupply company, supplying electricity, gasand other services to more than 10 millionsecurity, Elster is at the forefront of dataprotection techniques and can look at theend-to-end security issues that manyother vendors cannot. An essential partof any security solution is simplicity andintegrity.Initial smart trials, with proprietary technology,have been ongoing for some time. However,the near completion of UK standards willnow see the first deployment of compliantand interoperable smart meters usingcustomers throughout the UK, and willdeploy the latest additions to Elster’s SmartMeter portfolio: the next generation AS300electricity meter and the BK-G4E gas meterwith its UMI modular communicationsinterface and innovative, safety-conscioussmart valve (an integral remotely operatedisolation valve is a mandated requirementfor all residential smart gas meters withinthe UK).Our solution to the UK requirement isscaleable to cover either metering as acomponent to a defined architecture, oralternatively, a managed end-to-endcapability including head end and MDMS.Elster’s solution is based around the follow-ing premises, making Elster the ideal choicefor UK roll-out:ãTechnical interoperability and inter-changeabilityãAsset life protectionãSecurity & privacy Smart-ready – asset protectionfor the here and now While initial smart deployments in the UKdevelop between now and 2014 (imple-mentation target for DCC and massdeployment), the industry will still continueto support a requirement for traditionalresidential credit meters (G4/U6). However,the last 2 years have shown a dramaticreduction in the volume of demand forthese meters as both utilities and meter-ing asset owners, become increasinglyaware of the risk that these meters willbe removed and replaced as part of thesmart deployment model, effectivelystranding their initial investment.In terms of capital investment, this is asound decision, but this perspective putsincreased pressure on the roll-out by reduc-ing the number of active meter installersrequired, at a time when these resourcesactually need to be expanded to copewith smart technology – Elster may havethe answer.The modular design used by Elster withinour smart portfolio allows our fully com-pliant smart meters to be installed withouta communications module, thereby oper-ating in traditional credit meter mode. Ata later date, the meter can be initialisedinto its full smart capability in situ, byconnecting and pairing the integral com-munications module (UMI) when the smartelectricity meter and/or WAN communica-tions are installed at the premises.Smart gas meter – key benefits ãEvolution of market-leading BK-G4ãSupplier Smart Metering Working Group (SSWG) andDepartment of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)response compliantãUMI modular HAN/WAN communications (ZigBee, M-Bus,GPRS), in-field exchangeableãOptimised for long battery lifeãPatented smart valveãFull local prepayment to SSWG spec load profile dataãExtensive securityãTamper-resistant designãMID, EN 1359 and ATEX compliant AS 300P modular smart electricity meter – key benefits ãSSWG and ‘DECC response – Mar 11’ compliantãFlexible modular communications (GPRS, longrange radio, PLC, ZigBee, M-Bus)ãMenu driven display (3 lines 16 characters)ãFirmware downloadãSmart Grid capability (instrumentation & PQM)ãFull local prepayment inline with SSWG definitionãIntegrated disconnect switchãDLMS protocolãLoad profiling – 13 monthsãExtensive security dataãExternal meter register storage In home displays – range and key benefits ãCompliant with DECC response – All support prepayment functionalityãAD200 – entry level – Analogue and text displaysãAD300 – As AD200 plus colour enhancement – Option for mini plugs – Internet connectivityãAD400 – Full colour graphics – Touch screen – Real time info – Home controls Elster-Instromet Profiles 2/2011 Products 5 Benefits for a smart-ready solution:ãNo stranding risk against the initial capitalinvestment; a smart-ready meter willnot be replaced, only initialised, whena residence is upgraded to full smart.ãReduced installation costs (only installingone gas meter, not two)ãSupports acceleration of the smart meterprogramme, and development of theinstallation workforce for mass deploy-mentãCan be upgraded to full smart in-situ,when the communications / electricitymeter is installed within a residenceãUK smart prospectus and SSWG compliantãFirmware upgradeable once the com-munications module has been initialisedFor more information, please contactElster Stafford (UK) on +44 (0) 1785 275200or visit www.elstermetering.co.uk Steve CaseMatthew HallchurchCarsten Lorenz
[email protected] Elster’s BK-G4E full smart/smart-ready gasmeter with modular integral communications
