1.2.Smart metering concept

1.2.1.Introduction

A smart meter is usually an electrical meter recording the consumption of electric energy in intervals of an hour or less and at least daily exchanging with this information back to the utility for monitoring and billing purposes. Smart meters enable two-way communication between the meter and the central system. Unlike home energy monitors, smart meters can gather data for remote reporting. Such an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) differs from traditional automatic meter reading (AMR) in that it enables two-way communications with the meter [1].

The metering company faces the challenge of initially replacing old meters by smart meters. Installation of smart meters requires another type of operation for data collection and data exchange. As smart meters introduce a high amount of frequent data flows, processes and systems to be adapted and prepared accordingly. The data collection process will not depend on clients being at home but will be a continuous, automated process, which should simplify daily operation of the metering company. Benefits can be explained by looking at the differences between the current situation with the old meter and the future situation with the new meter, as shown schematically in Fig.1.1.

Figure 1.1: Difference between the conventional and the smart meter data process

1.2.2.Communication concept of smart metering

The concept of smart metering as an integrated part of smart greed’s will give a suitable solution for control of systems with complicated structure, such as geographically distributed systems. The application of smart metering concept nowadays is quite wide in energy distribution, water supply systems, transport systems, industrial systems and etc. There are different applications, but the concept and functionality of the system remains the same. The concept of smart metering could be described from different positions and applications points of view. The application of smart meters in the control and monitoring of critical infrastructure systems (such as water, electricity and information and telecommunication networks), in utility busyness market communication, as well as different concepts of synergy between them, is described in this course.

There is no unique smart metering network concept. The data transmission could be organized in different ways, the one of most common concepts are described in Fig. 1.2 Communication Concept for Smart Metering, Smart Grid and Home Automation.

Figure 1.2. Communication Concept for Smart Metering, Smart Grid and Home Automation [2]

There are five main players in such system:

• Customer domain

• Critical infrastructure energy domain

• IP service providers’ platform

• Third parties domain

• Utility business market communication

1.2.2.1.Customer domain

Customer domain means physical load of the system, and consumption of supplied services (water, electricity, gas, telecommunication and etc.). In the customer domain two main concepts could be used. First concept – there are several service providers (different for each service or group of services), and distributed network in customer premises. The second concept is one service provider, who provides all services to the customer. In real market the choice of concept differs from market conditions in customer’s location place. In the large cities there are very good range of market offers, but in places, with the low density of population, the offer from market side is low, and customers often use services from one or very limited number of service providers. These choices of primary services are strongly related with technologies, used for customer premises.

One of such load management is smart house concept. Smart houses [2] became popular during the last year, because of their intelligent energy-saving methods. The idea behind a smart house is to build an internal network in the house from which everything can be monitored and controlled over a common server. In such a way it is possible to watch the energy prices and using energy intensive devices like washing machines over night when the prices are at their lowest.

In a schematic way, a smart home can be described by a house which is equipped with smart objects, a home networks make it possible to transport information between objects and a residential gateway to connect the smart home to the outside Internet world. Smart objects make it possible to interact with inhabitants or to observe them.

Those smart objects can be just a light that we can control or ask it about its state, a refrigerator which knows its state and is able to supply in line by itself, telephony, security systems, videos on demand etc. All those objects will be connected to the home network to inform on their states or receive instructions. Home networking allows the home to become fully connected, controlled externally as well as internally. The residential gateway offers an extern access by the way of Ethernet or Internet network. This gateway makes it possible to the house to connect new services and to download them. The service provider is in charge of the new services for inhabitants and their accessibility.

Figure 1.3. Expandable Safety and Security Package (System block diagram) Smart home

Fig. 1.3 visually presents what a smart home is. On the indoor environment, a smart Home is composed with white appliances like washing machine, refrigerator, some control devices like sensors, motors and user interfaces like voice, visual or graphical. In this smart home, we find the residential gateway, which makes it possible to connect to the outside Internet world

There are several technical solutions for data transmission in customer domains. The recent innovative concept and projects in this domain worked on convergence principles, where the same physical network is used for supplying different services, as well as integration of end devices. As example EUREKA network project HM-HME [17] could be mentioned. The aim of this project is to merge multiple electronic devices into one single main unit, which would offer greater comfort, ease of use, and automation of daily chores and simple application of modern technology in every living space. This is accomplished through multi-functionality and modular composition.