• Data trapped in billions of devices

• Devices often in hard-to-reach locations - basements. below ground, pad mounts

• Interference is increasing and poses major reliability concern

• Many devices require long battery life

• Result - network infrastructure is complex and costly

• AMI and Distribution Automation projects ROI already under scrutiny

Achieving The Smart Grid is Challenging

2

Utility Network Must Effectively Cover – All Customers

• Lower data rate per node• Highly distributed• High reliability• Battery operation

• Electric AMI• Home and

commercial energy management

• Transmission line monitoring

• Latency Intolerant Distribution Automation

• Higher data rate• Latency intolerant• High reliability• Powered

• Higher data rate• Latency intolerant• High reliability• Powered

1 billion monitoring points in the U.S..

Hundreds of thousands of endpoints in U.S.

Hundreds of thousands of endpoints in U.S.

The majority of endpoints require a secure, highly reliable robust wireless network for lower data rate applications

Overview of Smart Grid Endpoints

A multi-radio solution is needed to address both classes of devices and applications

• Distribution Grid Sensing• Smart

Transformers• Sub-station

monitoring• Distributed

generation monitoring• Streetlights

Electric AMI

5Kb+Alarms

Sample Utility Network Requirements

Network acknowledgement, shut

off, rate tables

Daily UplinkPayload Data

Daily Downlink Payload Data

Seconds for alarms; Minutes for payload

Latency Tolerance

Gas/Water Meter

Thermostat Control

Distribution Grid Sensor

700kbFirmware Upgrade

n/a for meter;months to years for

HAN devices

Battery Requirements

200bytes+ Alarms

Network acknowledgment, shut

off

Seconds for alarms; Hours for payload

200kb

15-20 years

1Kb

Rate tables, control messages

Seconds for control messages

200kb

N/A

200 bytes+Alarms

Network acknowledgment, reset

Seconds for alarms; Minutes for payload

100Kb

10 -15 years

The Physical Layer - Foundation for Application Performance

Suggestions to Avoid Surprises & Obsolescence

• Conduct system field trials across all geographies• Test the full application if that is a key part of the

ROI model • Interference, reliability and spectral efficiency

need to be elevated to the level of interoperability at utilities & NIST

• Standards are important to create industry coalitions and investment however can cause false hope that the problem is solved and slow innovation

Summary• Many challenges remain at the communications &

application layer to enable a cost effective high performance Smart Grid

• A layered multi-radio communications solution is needed to address varying applications and coverage requirements

• We are in the first inning of a 20 year new technology cycle

• Technology is moving quickly to address challenges but financing, policy and ROI need to be aligned