Smart Grid Technologies: Part 1:

 Introduction to Smart Meters,

 Real Time Prizing,
 Smart Appliances,
 Automatic Meter Reading(AMR),
 Outage Management System(OMS),
 Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicles(PHEV),
 Vehicle to Grid, Smart Sensors, Home & Building
 Automation, Phase Shifting Transformers.
SMART METERING
Introduction to Smart Meters,
 A technique to evaluate the response of the installation of new electricity metering
technologies in a developing country is formulated; in which a procedure is performed
using a customer database, identifying a particular urban zone in which, under certain
assumptions, smart metering deployment would maximize customers demand response
in terms of peak demand reduction.
 A model is developed to determine installation costs, under a massive deployment
scenario, concluding that given low local labor costs, the main cost driver is equipment
cost. To determine customers’ demand response impacts on the electricity market and
prices, a model is developed based on an advanced hydrothermal dispatch model.
System marginal costs, generation profits and societal welfare are studied.
 Societal benefits could overcome smart metering deployment costs when market
participants are faced to prices based on a marginal cost scheme.
 Smart metering would provide benefits to all society

 A. Traditional Meters
The great majority of electric consumers in developing countries have an
electromechanical meter to allow the measurement and determination of their energy bill
in a given period. The meter operation is based upon a disk that rotates due to the
application of a magnetic field, caused by the flow of electric current, thus being able to
meter the total energy consumed. For billing purposes, electricity consumption for a
given period is calculated as the difference between the current and previous meter
reading. This type of meter is massively used, mainly associated to residential and small
commercial customers. Reading of these meters is done manually and usually on a
monthly basis
 B. Smart Meters
 The arrival of solid state meters has a major development of measurement technology,
replacing the old system for electronic components. This has greatly improved the
accuracy, reliability and size of these devices, which can also measure – without major
additional costs – a greater number of variables, such as reactive power, power factor,
harmonic currents and maximum power, among others. Additionally, progress in
communication technologies has allowed these meters to optionally transmit data
through various means, for example, PLC, RF, GSM/GPRS, etc..
 There is no universal definition for the term Smart Meter but it typically refers to a solid
state meter with real-time communications enabled, capable of storing at least 15-min
interval measurements, and additional features that are useful both for the utility and
 customers. These advanced meters, together with the entire communication network
and data management supporting them, forms what is it called as AMI (Advanced
Metering Infrastructure). Some benefits offered by these systems are: remote meter
reading, remote disconnection/reconnection of customers, remote modification of
contractual parameters, detection of energy theft and meter adulteration, network
optimization to reduced technical losses, enabling customer demand response,
What is real-time electricity pricing?
 “Real-time pricing" means tariffed retail charges for delivered electric power and energy
that vary hour-to-hour and are determined from wholesale market prices
 It, real-time pricing gives consumers information about the actual cost of electricity at
any given time. Electricity prices change from hour to hour, but most consumers are
forced to pay the same price no matter when they use electricity.
 Real-time pricing lets consumers adjust their electricity usage accordingly; for example,
scheduling usage during periods of low demand to pay cheaper rates.

How does it work?

 Real-time electricity pricing requires the installation of an electricity smart meter that can
send and receive information about electricity costs and give consumers more
information about their own usage.

How can consumers save money with real-time electricity pricing?

 By providing accurate information about electricity rates – as determined by overall
demand – real-time pricing allows consumers to use that information to make decisions
about electricity use.
 Adjusting personal electricity usage to coincide with times of lower demand can save
consumers money by taking advantage of lower prices.
 This is effective when adjusting usage for air conditioners, dishwashers, washing
machines and other appliances that use large amounts of electricity.

How does consumers take advantage of real-time pricing?

 Real-time pricing can generate savings when consumers pay attention to fluctuations in
electricity pricing and adjust their usage accordingly. To take advantage of real-time
programs, consumers must monitor prices provided to them by their utility and be flexible
in the ways they  

How can I make the most of real-time pricing?

 To benefit from real-time pricing, customers must monitor prices and adjust electricity
usage accordingly.
 To save the most money, aim to use electricity when demand levels and prices are low.
 If possible, use appliances that demand the most electricity – such as dishwashers, air
conditioners, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and others – during periods of low
demand. Typically, these times are overnight and in the middle parts of the day. 
 Additionally, many appliance companies are beginning to produce “smart appliances.”
These appliances can communicate with the smart meters installed as a part of real-time
pricing plans, and can be programmed to run based upon that information.
  As more of these appliances become available, they will provide a great opportunity for
consumers to conserve electricity and save money.

WHAT IS A SMART APPLIANCE?

 The term “Smart Appliance” with respect to the Smart Grid refers to a modernization of
the electricity usage system of a home appliance so that it monitors, protects and
automatically adjusts its operation to the needs of its owner. Smart Appliances may have
some of the following key features:
 Dynamic electricity pricing information is delivered to the user, providing the ability to
adjust demand of electrical energy use.
 It can respond to utility signals, contributing to efforts to improve the peak management
capability of the Smart Grid and save energy by --
a) providing reminders to the consumer to move usage to a time of the day when
electricity prices are lower, or
b) automatically “shed” or reduce usage based on the consumer’s previously
established guidelines or manual overrides.
 Integrity of its operation is maintained while automatically adjusting its operation to
respond to emergency power situations and help prevent brown or blackouts.
 The consumer can override all previously programmed selections or instructions from
the Smart Grid, while insuring the appliance’s safety functions remain active.
 When connected through a Home Area Network and/or controlled via a Home Energy
Management system, Smart Appliances allow for a “total home energy usage” approach.
This enables the consumer to develop their own Energy Usage Profile and use the data
according to how it best benefits them.
 It can leverage features to use renewable energy by shifting power usage to an optimal
time for renewable energy generation, i.e., when the wind is blowing or sun is shining.
Smart appliances use:

 User sets washing machine in remote control and defines till when the operation has to
be finished at the latest time. Operation starts after appliance receives a signal from the
energy supplier that cheap and renewable energy is available.
 User wants to start dish washer and receives information via display on the appliance
that for financial and ecological reasons it would be better to start it at a specific time
later that day.
 Refrigerator is set in “smart operation mode” by pressing a button on it. Operation is
regulated by energy supplier
Objections:
Washing machine
• Consumers don‘t want to leave appliance unattended
• Consumers don‘t want to leave wet laundry in the machine
• Noise during night
• Time interval for smart operation is
limited
Dish washer
 • Consumers have less objections in comparison with other appliances
• High potential to use it during night
• Longer time shifts are acceptable
Refrigerator/Deep freezer
• Objections against smart operation of fridge and freezer because of health issues
• Higher acceptance for electric boiler and electric space heating, if comfort is maintained
Consumer acceptance
• Consumers don‘t want to change routines and habits
• Economic benefits are main trigger
– Ecological reasons are important too, but secondary or viewed as a positive side
effect
– Short amortisation (< 3yrs.)

Automatic Meter Reading (AMR)

Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) for meters and sub -meters for energy
management in commercial & utility applications.

• Today with the cost of Electricity soaring high industries are trying all the means to save
it by deploying good or malpractice. Of all the means theft of electricity is a major one
that is nagging the profitability of the Electricity Boards and the consumer. The need of
time is to keep track of the electricity usage.
Automatic Meter Reading Background
• The traditional utility meter displays energy usage as an accumulation of counts (KWH)
presented to a display, which is used to calculate the monthly bill. It has applications
within the electricity, gas and water utility industries for domestic, commercial and
industrial applications. Sub metering is often used within a building, retail or industrial
 facility where it is desirable to measure power consumption for specific equipment,
locations or sub-level accounts.
• Reducing losses and waste, and adopting power efficient products and technology can
achieve this utilizing by remote management.
• Predicting energy usage remains a key issue in an industry or Utility sector where
downtime is unacceptable. However, since power losses are not easy to identify, it is
difficult to determine the key culprits whether they are human users or power -hungry
devices. In many cases it is difficult to store energy e.g. electricity, which must be
generated to fulfill immediate demand.
Automatic Meter Reading Solutions:
• developed Automatic Meter Reading called "smart metering" can be as simple as a
central application that polls the remote utility meter using protocols such as MODBUS,
IEC 1107. Pulse or the RS 485 outputs from the meter can be monitored externally as
part of wider monitoring solution where reducing energy usage is key.
• A wider smart metering monitoring system determines usage over time, identifies peaks,
compares sites and correlates use with offending devices and people.
Communication solution example - Automatic Meter Reading
• AMR offer communication solutions from simple GSM/PSTN modems
through to Centralized Data Monitoring systems suited at master location,
where it’s collecting data from individual consumer meter for monitoring
and billing purpose. The entire consumer meters are loop together with the
help of hard wire to Smart Metering unit where i t’s collecting data from all
connected consumer meters.
Automatic meter reading systems consist of three primary components:
1. Meter interface module:
 Smart Metering consist of meter interface module with power supply, Battery
backup and required controlling module and a communication interface that
allows data to be transmitted from this remote device to a central location. In
many instances, this communication interface is bi-directional and allows central
office signals to be received by the remote unit as well. Every electric, gas or
water meter must have such an interface unit to be remotely read. Some key
components of the Smart Metering device may be shared by more than one
meter without regard for the type of meter; i.e.., electric, gas or water.
2. Communications systems:
 This used for the transmission of data and control send signals between the
meter interface units and the central of fice. Typically,such communications take
the form of telephone, radio frequency (RF), GSM, and over hard wire cable. The
system components in the communicationssystem depend on the communication
media used.
3. Central office or Master Location Monitoring System:
  This system include communication modems which work as a Tran receivers,
computer. Many utilities have for some time been taking advantage of electronic
meter reading systems using hand-held data terminals that communicate with a
central controller via phone lines. There is great similarity between the host side
electronic meter reading and automatic meter reading system function.
The benefits of AMR include:
• Lower cost to read the meters— using the wireless system, the power or utility
company can read all of the meters in a community every day, or more frequently as
appropriate. It is not necessary to send a service person to visit every customer location
once a month.
• More accurate and complete reads— the power or utility company will no longer
need to estimate usage when meters are not physically accessible to their service
people. They can get real -time usage data from any of the meters in the system
instantly. Meters are always accessible.
• Working as a two-way communication with each meter—with intelligent
power meters and two way communications, the power company can manage their peak
loads better and offer incentives for customers to shift their power usage to off -peak
times.
• Theft of service detection and prevention—Meter tampering is detected
instantly through the wireless network, making it much more difficult for someone to steal
the service.
• Sub metering-Multi-tenant properties can provide individual user data to the utility on
a remote basis. The reduction of associated costs coupled with the magnitude of the
transmitted information can, in many cases, allow the utility to offer its commercial
customers new report –oriented services.
• Down loading of all relevant data from the meter installed at consumer premises or
valves/checkpoints for pipelines.
• Transform the data into signals suitable for transmission through the wireless
communication media.
• Transmit info to information centers of a company based on the priority.
• Transform the data into a format suitable for report generation, invoicing control from the
computer system at any of above information centers.
• Also transform the data into a format suitable for management information, load
monitoring, load surveying, evaluation of tamper attempts etc.
• Alarm the above information centers in a selectable cycle, in case of occurrence of
deliberate tampering, pre specified parameters of system anomaly/variations/irregularity,
initiated from the CMU itself without waiting for the interrogation from information
centers.
• The system will have security features to prevent any access by unauthorized personnel
to the data, hardware & software.
• The system will have security features for restricting personnel from performing
activities, which are not within their authorization.
 • The communication links between CMU & Boards various information centers will be
fully encrypted as per relevant Data Encryption Standards (DES).
• Security of Data in transit will be provided by using standard protocols, Error detection
and correction protocols & security measures
Intelligent building applications -An area of overlap between intelligent buildings
and the AMR system is customer information coupled with the variable rate structures. The
AMR system can act as a specialized interface between the building and the outside world.
Information regarding operations, prevailing rates, customer usage, etc., would be
instrumental to intelligent building owners and operators. This information would be made
available to the building's computer and could be displayed on wall-mounted units as well.
Features of system
• Regular transmission of all electrical parameters such as load current, voltage, active
and reactive power, Phase wise voltage, Phase wise current, power factor, frequency to
remote canter.
• Change in status of any preset limits of parameter is sent to PC
• User at the control station can also generate a query to find out any specific parameters.
• The user at master station can also export the details to MS -Excel.
• User from master station can send query command to the Smart Metering unit as an
when required
• Query command can be send for one or multiple outputs from master station
• Display energy parameters of each Smart Metering unit
• The system also displays status report received from the Smart Metering unit
• Different settings for different Smart Metering possible
• Export input status received from Smart Metering to MS-Excel

Outage Management System (OMS)

Outage Management System (OMS)
A computer system used by operators of electric distribution systems to assist in the restoration
of power.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
An interactive technology that allows a computer to detect voice and keypad inputs.
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)
The integration of advanced metering technology with communication technology to allow two-
way communication between the utility and the customer meter.
Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA)
A communication system and computer/control system that monitors and can control an electric
power system
Outage Management System (OMS)
• A computer system that assists in the power restoration process by:
– identifying the location of fuse(s) or breaker(s) that operated to interrupt a circuit or portion of
a circuit
– translating customer call patterns into specific “problem”locations requiring response by line
crews.
– prioritizing restoration efforts and managing resources based on defined criteria such as the
size of outages, and the locations of critical facilities.
– providing accurate information on the extent of outages and number of customers affected.
– assisting with crew dispatching and tracking; management of crews assisting in restoration.