As an ever increasing number of people around the world become connected by mobile communications networks, the challenges to providing electricity to these expanding networks are becoming greater as well. In particular, developing countries are seeing unprecedented growth in wireless subscribers, however many of the base stations in these areas are in remote locales that have limited or no access to grid power. Renewable energy from solar panels and small wind turbines offers a viable alternative to diesel generators in these remote off-grid sites, and a new report from Pike Research forecasts that renewable energy will power 4.5% of the world’s mobile base stations by 2014, up from just 0.11% in 2010. In developing countries, the percentage will be even higher – the cleantech market intelligence firm forecasts that 8% of base stations in those regions will utilize renewable power by 2014.
Greenbox Technology Inc. is demonstrating an integrated Internet service that lets consumers view, interpret, and act on their everyday utility consumption. Have they succeeded at creating a truly useful portal? Click to read why it scores 85 out of 100 on the SGN Smart Grid Scorecard.
Award-winning power engineer Erich Gunther is back with another in-depth Tech Take. He’s outdone himself this time, with a review that acts as an excellent introductory tutorial to Substation Gateways and their importance to the Smart Grid. He also looks closely at Cybectec’s Substation Modernization Platform family and awards it an 85 out of 100 on the SGN Smart Grid Scorecard.
Power engineer Erich W. Gunther gives the Triangle Microworks protocol stacks an outstanding 88 out of 100 on the SGN Smart Grid Scorecard. He notes that the products support only standards-based solutions – a key SGN scorecard attribute. Click to read why it scores so high – but why it is not enough on its own to guarantee success.
Technology expert Erich Gunther says Trilliant’s SecureMesh communications is a standards-based way to rapidly deploy mesh networks in dense urban environments. But can it scale? Click to read why SecureMesh rates a 74 out of 100 on the SGN Scorecard.
Itron has taken an open-architecture, standards-based approach to its OpenWay® product suite that creates a network infrastructure for advanced metering and Smart Grid applications. With its technology and interface-driven approach, Itron provides a platform for a utility to deploy a true multi-vendor AMI solution.
Utilities have always operated in harsh environments. Protecting sophisticated digital electronic devices is difficult. RuggedCom’s design of its routers deserves consideration. Physically tough with multiple configuration options, it offers a viable solution for the Smart Grid. However, flexibility comes at a price, so read what you need to do to make it work.
Power engineer Erich W. Gunther gives the Smart Energy Network from Silver Spring Networks an outstanding 81 out of 100 on the SGN Smart Grid Scorecard. He even calls it "groundbreaking." Click to read why it scores so high (and where it still has problems).
A key to the Smart Grid is two-way communications. Does your communication technology work when nothing else does? Read why you need to revisit your AMI deployment.
Until now, advanced metering over Wi-Fi was a "maybe someday" technology. Someday has arrived with the decision by Fred Fletcher to use Wi-Fi as the backbone for smart metering at Burbank Water & Power. Click to learn the five reasons Wi-Fi made sense.
We're getting mixed signals about the vitality of the smart grid market. On the one hand, the recent DistribuTECH conference was one of the most successful ever. On the other, a well-known Wall Street analyst recently told his clients that the smart metering sector is "facing several headwinds," including weak regulatory support in the U.S. and delays in European adoption. Taking the pulse of the smart grid industry is this week's Tuesday Topic.
Twitter
Facebook
Linkedin
RSS
