Making a connected world more efficient

Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) wanted to optimize the deployment and ongoing health of its advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) network and identify and reduce unbilled energy usage. BGE wanted a solution to deliver an annual economic benefit of $20 million.

There were several challenges faced:Since this data would be in the public domain, accuracy and authenticity of this data were of paramount importance. It should be able to withstand scrutiny.It is challenging to build an appliance that can withstand a wide range of voltage fluctuations from as low at 90v to as high as 320v. Since the device would be installed in remote locations, its resilience was of paramount importance.The device would have to deal with poor network coverage and have the ability to store and re-transmit data if networks were not available, which is often the case in rural India. The device could store up to 30 days of data.The platform that deals with the data should be readily available and highly reliable and never lose a packet of data.

Enegia Group Oy was required to provide optimized energy efficiency improvements to clients with dispersed locations.

The client wanted to develop a product that can acquire data from their meter units installed at the consumer's premises. A system capable of acquiring, transferring and archiving the data had to be in place, replacing the existing traditional method which was error prone and expensive to operate. The system needed to be integrated with the existing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system for increasing the operational efficiency.

Standardize and showcase a fully operational smart grid for widespread deployment of proven innovative solutions and provide the basis for:• New business models for prosumer• Investment strategies for the French power system to incorporate the latest technological innovations• Transition scenarios to facilitate the evolution of the current network towards a smart grid system• Implementation of findings from multidisciplinary research on optimal technological and economic choices

New Sun Road is a registered California Benefit Corporation committed to implementing solutions to climate change and global energy poverty. This group of talented engineers is partnering with Ugandan green energy startup GRS Commodities to deliver reliable and clean power to the Ssese Islands in Lake Victoria, Uganda. The goal of the pilot system is to provide affordable and reliable solar powered electricity to businesses on Kitobo Island.Although no small feat, deploying the solar power grids is likely the simplest part of the solution. Solar was the obvious choice for the power source because it is economical and relatively simple to deploy.The primary difficulty lies in managing the energy grid and ensuring proper maintenance without having to be on-site at every location. The capability to remotely monitor the grid will enable New Sun Road to expand their service across the Ssese Islands in a more efficient manner since each grid can be monitored from one central location. But, in remote areas, where communication options are limited, how do you remotely monitor and manage a smart solar power grid?Without a local ISP, this can be a complex challenge, so the team decided to enable remote connectivity over the global cellular network.In addition to communication challenges, another major difficulty New Sun Road had to overcome was finding a device capable of withstanding the high temperatures within their network hubs. The device would be residing within a NEMA enclosure in direct sunlight, so the capability to function under extremely high temperatures was a must.