Some more buzz on smart metering........tried my hands with the aging MS Paint but gotta admit it still does come handy.....Well have my best work with paint inline along with some smart metering gyan…
Following diagram represents how a smart meter network is set-up and the actual infrastructure layout will be more or less similar to this set-up:
Here we have taken an example of a layout where power line communication (PLC) is used as the means of communication between the smart meter and the supplier infrastructure. The actual implementation of a smart meter program can adopt any modes of communication like GPRS, Broadband Lines etc. Let us now have a brief look at some of the components in the smart metering infrastructure:
i. Smart Meter Home
Every housing unit with an installed smart meter will be termed as a smart meter home. We will have a brief overview of the components in a smart meter home later in the document.
ii. Communication Centre
At the back of the smart metering infrastructure is a robust, scalable communication centre, also referred to as a head-end system, which supports two way communication i.e. data reception and data transmission. Design of such a communication center will be strategic as it has to ensure backward compatibility until the market transitions onto the new smart devices.
iii. Meter Data Management System (MDMS)
Apart from the conventional non-interval data, the MDMS has to be enabled to store interval consumption. MDMS also need to improve on the data integrity and privacy policies in wake of the huge amount of usage data been stored in the system.
iv. Stakeholders Data Access Only
Ease of data access is one of highest selling points of the smart metering program however authentication at all access points has to be ensured to ensure confidentiality and identification before allowing data exchange between authorized parties only.
v. Customer Experience
Using the existing cellular and broadband networks, suppliers can provide accurate and timely information to the customers enabling them to better manage their energy consumptio
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