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July 1, 2009
Smart Metering Benefits Utilities and Customers
| For More Information |
Tim Blodgett
Hometown Connections
303-526-4515
tblodgett@hometownconnections.com
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Elster's EnergyAxis Offers Breakthrough in Wireless Metering
Customer turnover, locked gates, unleashed pets or indoor meters limit operational efficiencies and drive up metering costs. Estimated bills and rescheduled meter reads also inhibit good service. High turnover areas, like apartment complexes, universities and military housing, represent costly service areas that require repeated trips to obtain move-in and move-out meter reads or to provide disconnect and reconnect services.
These barriers and more are eliminated by the EnergyAxis smart metering system from Elster, a major breakthrough in wireless metering for public power utilities of all sizes. Elster has joined with Hometown Connections to market the EnergyAxis Smart Grid solution to American Public Power Association members with favorable commercial terms for members.
Elster's EnergyAxis is an intelligent, self-registering, self- healing, two-way radio frequency network technology for electricity metering that also supports gas and water metering applications. Coupled with Elster's electronic residential REX meter, EnergyAxis enables utilities to read water, gas and electric meters remotely, monitor for outage conditions, capture local voltage conditions, and initiate service connect and disconnect operations. The on-request reading function and the remote operation of Elster's optional disconnect switch improves the utility's ability to manage customer turnover while reducing operational costs and improving customer service. These features reduce costly site visits and eliminate the need for other expensive sensing and monitoring equipment on a utility distribution system. Utilities can also take advantage of EnergyAxis's demand-response capabilities by providing consumers with real-time usage information, and allowing consumers and utilities to manage consumption during peak energy demand periods.
The city of Ocala Utility Services plans to be a leader in Florida for the implementation of smart grid technology. "Smart meters are key components of the smart grid," said Joe Noel, supervisor of resource management. "Elster's EnergyAxis System will provide the city of Ocala with better communications to every electric and water meter on the city's distribution system. It is a unique opportunity for our customers to be a part of a larger solution for energy conservation initiatives."
The EnergyAxis System uses an unlicensed 900-MHz radio frequency network technology, which allows utilities to start small and expand the system on their own schedule, making it appropriate for utilities serving as few as 1,000 meters as well as utilities serving 1 million meters or more.
"After extensive research and analysis, the borough of Middletown, Pa., decided that Elster's EnergyAxis System provided the best overall solution to meet our metering needs," said Greg Wilsbach, superintendent of the Middletown Electric Utility Department. "We are now preparing for the next phase of outage management and upgrades. The system is scalable, and we are very pleased with the smart meters and Elster's continual technical support and expertise."
The borough of Lansdale, Pa., is also benefiting from Elster's EnergyAxis System and smart meters. "The smart meters not only provide accurate readings in near real time, but are an asset to our daily operations," said John Hawley, meter shop foreman. "For example, we are now able to identify tampered meters. Before installing Elster smart meters, electricians could bypass the permitting process. Now, the smart meters call back to the utility, and we are immediately aware of which meters have been accessed without authorization. Our utility operations are now running much more smoothly because of this assurance that the permitting process is in place."
The town of Apex, N.C., is using EnergyAxis for both electric and water metering services. According to Electric Utilities Manager Michael Couch, EnergyAxis is helping the utilities department to promote energy efficiency and monitor water use during drought periods. "We have been impressed with the accuracy of the meters and support we have received from Elster in implementing our first venture into smart grid technology," Couch said. "Elster's EnergyAxis System is a great way to serve our customer-owners and provide leadership in smart grid technology implementation in our area."
Elster maintains that a smart grid system should be built on a smart-metering foundation that is flexible and interoperable, expanding the energy management capabilities of both the utility and the customer. For the utility, EnergyAxis improves:
--Customer billing,
--Outage management,
--Distribution automation,
--Voltage monitoring and control,
--Real-time or critical peak pricing,
--Remote disconnect and reconnect, and
--Automated demand response and load control for peak periods.
EnergyAxis supports consumer-focused applications:
--Home-area networks,
--Programmable thermostats,
--Prepayment options,
--Smart appliances,
--Renewables,
--Distribution generators,
--Electric vehicles, and
--Web portals.
"After a thorough analysis of available metering communications technologies and the vendors providing them, we found Elster and EnergyAxis to be an excellent fit for the majority of public power utilities across the United States," said Tim Blodgett, president and CEO of Hometown Connections. "In addition to the company's impeccable reputation and references for engineering, quality and reliability, Elster offers a proven technology that will work out of the box, a track record of excellence in manufacturing and logistics, and strong and stable corporate finances. We look forward to helping APPA members deploy Elster's smart metering solution in a cost-effective manner to provide reliable and efficient energy services to their communities."
For more information, visit these links:
• Elster
• Hometown Connections
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