ENERGY OPTIMISATION
Will Darby, managing director of Carlo Gavazzi looks at the growing popularity and unique capabilies of LoRa Technology and how the deployment of LoRaWAN products opens up opportunies for large scale energy management projects
businesses smarter energy solutions that can be used to help control energy consumption, reduce waste and cut CO2 emissions. One of the biggest challenges with the burgeoning IoT market is to ensure that these "things" are able to communicate with the internet, particularly over distances of 1km or more, so that they can be used to actively manage energy use. There is no one-size-fits all IoT communication solution because requirements will vary depending on the application and the area over which the devices are located. WiFi can transmit a large amount of data, but it can only do so over a limited range, typically 50m or so; it also uses a relatively large amount of power to do so. Bluetooth can also transmit relatively large amounts of data, but has a very limited range so it is only really suitable as a communication technology for devices located within a few metres of each other. If the IoT devices are located remotely or are spread over a large area, such as a campus or manufacturing site, then cellular technologies such as 3G, 4G and 5G could be used to transmit data over the increased distances. However, this solution is relatively costly to set up and maintain because it requires a mobile phone contract and SIM for each measurement point if they are to connect to the cellular network. A much more cost effective solution when it comes to collecting data from IoT devices located over a larger area
T
he pressure on businesses to reduce their carbon footprint is growing. Luckily, there are growing numbers of internet enabled products that offer
is to use Long Range wireless technology. LoRa is the most common long range, low power technology. LoRa technology and Long Range Wireless Area Networks (LoRaWAN) overcome many of the challenges of connecting to IoT devices deployed over a large area, such as a manufacturing complex, avoiding the need for expensive cabling or repeater stations to help minimise installation costs and time.
LoRa systems have a range of up to 10km in suburban areas (5km in urban applications). They are cost effective because the data is transmitted on frequencies that do not require to be licensed. LoRa signals are resistant to both in-band and out-of-band interference mechanisms and can pass through obstacles, such as walls, to reach sensors.
LoRaWan networks are ideal for long range uses with a low data transmission rate (up to 50KBps), making them ideal for delivering event-based information, such as transmitting data from a smart energy meter. A LoRaWAN netwok can be used to bring together all the energy-related systems, such as heating, cooling for smart energy management across an entire site or facility to manage their energy consumption. As such, a LoRaWan network offers a relatively inexpensive way to implement an IoT backbone in the energy management of a large industrial complex, for example. To connect an end device, such as an energy meter, to a LoRaWAN it needs to be converted into a long range wireless end point. Carlo Gavazzi's UWP-A Long Range Wireless Endpoint Adaptor is a good example of such a device.
The UWP-A offers ease of installation, without the need for repeaters even
over a long range, and the plug-and- play connection to Carlo Gavazzi's meters make set up easy for installers and system integrators. Working in the license-free EU 868MHz band, the UWP- A allows installers to set-up a secure wireless network from scratch to cover an industrial facility, a shopping mall or a big building.
The UWP-A can transmit measured data to the UWP-M gateway using LoRa technology. The UWP-A and UWP- M embed end-to-end data encryption to ensure data is secure. The UWP-M acts as a gateway and a data concentrator for numerous UWP-A devices. It connects to the Carlo Gavazzi UWP 3.0 platform to provide the data to the system servers. The UWP 3.0's Web-App allows users to check data and to generate reports. Where an existing LoRaWAN network already exists, in a smart city for example, connection is even easier: all a systems integrator has to do is to use a Carlo Gavazzi UWP-A end point adaptor to convert a Carlo Gavazzi meter into an LoRaWAN enabled unit. This simple solution allows system integrators to join public Smart-City networks for large scale deployments of energy efficiency monitoring systems. Minimising installation cost and avoiding expensive cabling, which could have a huge impact on a project timeline are often major challenges in energy efficiency monitoring projects. Ease of set-up, embedded data security and reliability are the keys to convert energy meters and power analysers into flexible IoT devices.
For more information on how Carlo Gavazzi's LoRa enabled sensors can revolutionise your data collecting go to
www.carlogavazzi.co.uk.
BSEE Going the distance
‘
LoRaWan
networks are ideal for long range uses with a low data transmission rate (up to
50KBps), making them ideal for delivering eventbased informaon, such as transming data from a smart energy meter
’
Read the latest at:
www.bsee.co.uk
BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER APRIL 2020 29
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