IT & Automation
“It is important to remember that different utilities and countries will have different IT systems in place, radically different geographies, population densities and housing stocks, a variety of communication requirements, and different distribution infrastructures.”
Mark England, CEO, Sentec
high volume products, making best use of the CEM’s PCB manufacturing and test capabilities, designing out steps or processes with high capital equipment or fixturing costs, using commonly available materials and processes wherever possible, and avoiding single- sourced or long lead-time parts. Decisions made by utilities now, and how they choose to spend their money, will have a big impact on the success of smart meter roll outs and how consumers perceive the technology in the future. Utilities are in a position to decide on the requirements for their meter, and produce the exact instrument they need, and ensure it will be a valuable asset for a suitably long period. It is well worth investing up front to provide the best ROI for the rollout. Commissioning a bespoke design means the
resulting product can provide a truly smart meter with much more potential than existing offerings. Above all else, it will match the specific utility requirements, and provide a longevity and upgradeability unrivalled by off-the-shelf products. It is this upgradeability that will be key to ensuring the consumer engagement required to make the project a success.
Bespoke meter design in the field OnStream, which offers a flexible and professional range of meter asset management and installation services to UK energy suppliers, is using Sentec’s class-leading Mobius current sensor to produce a customised smart electricity meter that is the first to be developed specifically to fit the particular profile of the burgeoning UK market. Tis partnership has resulted in the first meter to be launched in the UK to take advantage of the outstanding performance measurement functionality offered by the Mobius platform.
Te announcement of the deal coincides with a sea of change in the traditional supply chain in the metering market, as traditional meter manufacturers face competition from new entrants such as systems integrators, and now, MAPs and MAMs are looking at the opportunities offered by custom meter design and build. OnStream selected Sentec to assist them in creating the right meter for the market, featuring sophisticated communications interface and metrology based on the Mobius current sensor. Te performance of Mobius is well-proven: the technology currently acts as the basis for more than 5 million meters in the US. It provides a highly cost-effective platform simplifying the design process which has allowed this meter to be approved for market in record time. Te meter uses GSM which allows it to use the
strongest mobile network available for each site. Furthermore, it has excellent memory capabilities, is both robust and reliable and it is particularly suitable for the rapidly changing UK market because it is can be easily upgraded remotely to meet existing and future standards and requirements around functionality, tariffs and home area networking. Clare Naunton, Smart Development Manager for
OnStream concurred: “Smart metering is on the brink of rapid expansion in the UK and it’s critical to create a product that is perfectly suited to the region. Te days of the one-size-fits-all meters are over and the opportunities in the future are based on increasing modularisation of meter design and lower costs of manufacturing as meters become pure electronic products that are found in every home.” ●
Mark England is CEO of Sentec, Cambridge, UK.
www.sentec.com
www.engineerlive.com 33
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68