Generated by Jive SBS on 2010-05-25-06:001

Service Provider Mobility: WiMAX: InnovativeApplication in Energy Consumption andAutomated Smart Metering.

Posted by Proscovia Nalweyiso May 18, 2010

On March 16, 2010, the FCC released the National Broadband Plan . Perhaps one ofits most important objectives is to deploy broadband internet access to all households inAmerica so that they can subsequently employ efficient energy saving and real time IP-based reporting technologies like Automated Smart Metering.

Automated Smart Metering is implemented by using an intelligent system called a Smartgrid. A Smart grid is an intelligent system that monitors computerized home utilitie and availsusage reports in a real time manner. This helps to prevent energy leaks while providingefficient use of energy. It is installed at customers homes to read daily power, water, andgas consumption of each and every computerized appliance in real time. It helps to controlactivities in homes by increasing or decreasing energy consumption during peak periods. Ittransfers this energy consumption information via 4G WiMAX networks for monitoring andbilling purposes.

The biggest reason for using WiMAX technology in the smart grid is because of its mobilityand high bandwidth capacity,data rates range from 1Mbps to 15Mbps and more dependingon the equipment used by the service provider and the Customer Premise Equipment(CPE).

According to the Smart Grid Facilitation Act of 2007, “smart grid technologies canprovide information about costs, availability, and the ability of given power plantsto provide ancillary services to the grid and can record the performance of thesefacilities in response to those signals”.

COMPONENTS AND WORKING OF THE SMART GRID

Service Provider Mobility: WiMAX: Innovative Application in Energy Consumption and Automated SmartMetering.

Generated by Jive SBS on 2010-05-25-06:002

Components of Smart Grid include:

Automated meter infrastructure (AMI) or Smart Meters(image). AMI helps to record meterreadings digitally so the customers can view how much energy their utilities and appliancesare consuming on a daily basis. AMIs also transfer this information to government officeswhen connected via wireless networks. A smart meter is an IP-enabled devicedesigned to be used as “plug n’ play” to make deployment and maintenancesimple and cost-effective.  Smart meters inside the home have one IP address, asit relates to the main universal router.  All the meter readings—including water,electricity, and gas—are read by the only concerned billing officials using theauthorization code, say A001 for electricity board, A002 for gas company, andA003 for water or another utility that cannot be read from a universal router.[maxwell.com]

Distribution automation system: A distribution automation system is a computer systemthat helps to control the energy flow instantly during the ebb and high demand periods andresponds to this demand across the grid system i.e. emergency resilience.

Smart Grid Interoperability with Mobile WiMAX:

AMIs collect unique data such as meter identity, energy consumption, and time stamps,as well as time synchronization every 15 to 60 minutes. This information is transmitted asIP packets over the wireless network using another universal router fitted as a CPE. Theuniversal router in turn transmits this data to respective energy sources like electrical orwater substations through a WiMAX Tower.

Service Provider Mobility: WiMAX: Innovative Application in Energy Consumption and Automated SmartMetering.

Generated by Jive SBS on 2010-05-25-06:003

Fig. 2. Image courtesy GridNet.com

A WiMAX-based transmitter/receiver, with 360 radical towers, is installed in the backhaulof communications systems to communicate with collection points. They aggregate datafrom millions of "smart meters", which collect data from homes and transmits to the receivers(explained through next diagram). It acts as router that can connect various networks,products, and languages to build a digital power grid. An IP-based grid router provides a

bridge between proprietary smart grid devices from companies.

Service Provider Mobility: WiMAX: Innovative Application in Energy Consumption and Automated SmartMetering.

Generated by Jive SBS on 2010-05-25-06:004

Fig. 3 Image courtesy Light River.Com

Smart metering is needed for efficiency, reliability and a safe environment.[cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/energy]

Service Provider Mobility: WiMAX: Innovative Application in Energy Consumption and Automated SmartMetering.

Generated by Jive SBS on 2010-05-25-06:005

1. Reliability and quality: Digital reading in real-time is more accurate and reliable, andit provides quality of energy. It is capable of instantaneously reporting, updating, and billingat the end of a power outage in contrast to other systems that can take weeks to repair andreturn online.

2. Stability: Prevents power outages and ensures a stable, continuous flow of energy.Notification of power outages, tampering, power quality, remote programmability, and two-way wireless communication.

3. Efficiency: Maximizes energy that reaches the end user thereby providing efficientconsumption.

4. Green/Clean environment: It helps to avoid carbon dioxide from being released in aircausing global warming and pollution.

5. Remote and automatic control: Customers can effectively control all theutilities of their ‘smart home’ such as lighting, heating devices and gas.Customers can access their bills on demand at any time. All the appliancesconnected to the smart grid can be controlled in real-time.

The reasons mentioned above are a clear descripton of what American people need on thefrontier of energy consumption

because the predominantly analog current system is no doubt out of rythm with the IP-baseddigital ecosystem where crystal clearly the

21st century America/world is headed.

Automated Smart Metering is the hottest emerging market because its going to improvereliability,flexibility and cost saving on important necessities (utilities) and still promote agreen enviroment at the same time.No doubt this businss venture is going to be a cashcowto technology eagle companies like Cisco,Intel.Motorola, imagination at work.Oracle et al[gridnet.net] that plan to get involved,unless they execute their plans wrongly or face manyfederal constraints.

By Prosy.S.Nalweyiso

Service Provider Mobility: WiMAX: Innovative Application in Energy Consumption and Automated SmartMetering.

Generated by Jive SBS on 2010-05-25-06:006

[ACK partners Preethi,Lou Ann,Naren,Linsey]

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