Smart Meters Research Articles

Methodological Planning to Determine the Technological Expansion of Smart Metering Systems for Utilities

This research uses data analysis and mining techniques to determine the technological expansion of measurement systems in a public service company. It integrates technical, economic, geographic, and social variables into the analysis using machine learning techniques to discover patterns and relationships in large data sets. The fuzzy logic methodology is applied using the MATLAB programming tool “Fuzzy Logic” to build algorithms that allow for the correct selection of measurement, achieving greater efficiency and precision in the assignment of meter types. The results show that 98% of the metering systems in the significant part are electronic meters, with the “Residential BT” rate being the most extensive data set. Implementing the “fuzzy logic” technique recognizes that more than 60% of the meters are electronic, with the registration of active energy, reactive energy, and demand, allowing for greater control over the marketing variables of the distribution system operator. This research suggests that a future restructuring of electrical metering systems benefits the company and its users. By applying the analysis, a portfolio of viable projects for the replacement of measurement systems is obtained, and they are grouped into two clusters based on the total cost of the technological change.

An enhanced broadband class-J mode power amplifier for 5G smart meter applications.

Background: With the tremendous increase in the usage of smart meters for industrial/ household purposes, their implementation is considered a crucial challenge in the Internet of Things (IoT) world, leading to a demand for emerging 5G technology. In addition, a large amount of data has to be communicated by smart meters efficiently, which needs a significant enhancement in bandwidth. The power amplifier (PA) plays a major role in deciding the efficiency and bandwidth of the entire communication system. Among the various modes of PAs, a newly developed Class-J mode PA has been proven to achieve high efficiency over a wide bandwidth by maintaining linearity. Methods: This paper proposes a Class-J mode PA design methodology using a CGH40010F-GaN device that operates at a 3.5 GHz frequency to meet the requirements of 5G wireless communication technology for the replacement of existing 4G/LTE technology used for advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) in smart grids. This research's main objective is to design the proper matching networks (M.Ns) to achieve Class-J mode operation that satisfies the bandwidth requirements of 5G smart grid applications. With the target impedances obtained using the load-pull simulation, lumped element matching networks are analyzed and designed in 3 ways using the ADS EDA tool. Results: The simulation results reveal that the proposed Class-J PA provides a maximum drain efficiency (D.E) of 82%, power added efficiency (PAE) of 67% with 13 dB small-signal gain at 3.5 GHz, and output power of 40 dBm (41.4 dBm peak) with a power gain of approximately 7 dB over a bandwidth of approximately 400 MHz with a 28 V power supply into a 50 Ω load. Conclusion: The efficiency and bandwidth of the proposed Class-J PA can be enhanced further by fine-tuning the matching network design to make it more suitable for 5G smart meter/grid applications.

Investigating the factors affecting the intention to adopt smart electricity meters in Indian households

Smart electric meters play a pivotal role in making energy systems decarbonized and automating the energy system. Smart electric meters denote huge business opportunities for both public and private companies. Utility players can manage the electricity demand more efficiently whereas customers can monitor and control the electricity bill through the adoption of smart electric meters. The study examines the factors affecting the adoption intention of smart electric meters in Indian households. This study draws a roadmap that how utility providers and customers can improve the smart electric meters adoption. The study has five independent variables (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, environmentalism, and hedonic motivation) and one dependent variable (adoption intention). The sample size for the study is four hundred and sixty-two respondents from Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). The data was analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The results of this study have confirmed that performance expectancy, environmentalism, and social influence have a significant impact on the intention of adopting smart electric meters. Therefore, utility providers can improve their strategies to attract more customers to adopt smart electric meters by focusing more on the performance of smart electric meters and by making them environmentally friendly. This research offers meaningful insights to both customers and utility providers to make energy systems decarbonized and control energy consumption.

Book Review: Smart Meters. Artificial Intelligence to Support Proactive Management of Energy Consumption

Book Review: Smart Meters. Artificial Intelligence to Support Proactive Management of Energy Consumption

Data-Driven Clustering and Feature-Based Retail Electricity Pricing with Smart Meters

The adoption of smart meters and dynamic pricing programs is rapidly increasing among electric utility companies. In “Data-Driven Clustering and Feature-Based Retail Electricity Pricing with Smart Meters,” Keskin, Li, and Sunar analyze how utility companies should use smart meter data for better pricing decisions. Utility companies typically have access to consumption patterns and high-dimensional features on customer characteristics and exogenous factors. The authors identify that such feature data can exhibit different forms of heterogeneity—over time and over customers. They show that the different forms of feature heterogeneity significantly worsen the best profit performance that can be achieved by a data-driven dynamic pricing policy. The authors also develop a policy based on joint spectral clustering and contextual dynamic pricing and prove that this policy achieves near-optimal profit performance.

An Autoscalable Approach to Optimize Energy Consumption using Smart Meters data in Serverless Computing

Serverless computing has evolved as a prominent paradigm within cloud computing, providing on-demand resource provisioning and capabilities crucial to Science and Technology for Energy Transition (STET) applications. Despite the efficiency of auto-scalable approaches in optimizing performance and cost in distributed systems, their potential remains underutilized in serverless computing due to the lack of comprehensive approaches. So an auto-scalable approach has been designed using Q-learning, which enables optimal resource scaling decisions. This approach proves useful for adjusting resources dynamically to maximize resource utilization by automatically scaling up or down resources as needed. Further, the proposed approach has been validated using AWS Lambda with key performance metrics such as probability of cold start, average response time, idle instance count, energy consumption etc. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach performs better than the existing approach by considering the above parameters. Finally, the proposed approach has also been validated to optimize the energy consumption of smart meters data

Mathematical Optimization of Energy Utilization in Smart Meter Analytics Using Liquid Neural Networks

Mathematical Optimization of Energy Utilization in Smart Meter Analytics Using Liquid Neural Networks

Research on the identification and detection technology of electricity theft in power distribution areas under a smart grid environment

Abstract With the extensive application of smart meters, power companies can access a wealth of customer electricity usage data, which has not yet been fully utilized. This paper proposes a substation area user identification and electricity theft detection method based on smart meter data, aiming to enhance the level of intelligent management of power grid enterprises and reduce operational costs. By using the grey relational analysis method, analyzing the measurement data collected by smart meters at different time points, it is possible to determine the substation area and phase to which the user belongs and to detect electricity theft behavior. Finally, through simulation, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified.

Integration of distributed PV into smart grids: A comprehensive analysis for Germany

Modern smart grids typically combine physical and communication networks for efficient information exchange and innovative applications. Aligned with digitalization and advancements in smart grids, the integration of photovoltaic (PV) systems comprises a variety of regulatory and technological aspects. However, no previous study has conducted an extensive and systematic analysis of the PV-grid integration framework, particularly for one country. To fill this gap, this paper uses Germany as an example to present a comprehensive, state-of-the-art analysis of integrating distributed PV systems into smart grids, focusing on the regulation and technical implementation of the German Smart Meter Infrastructure and PV control interfaces. Starting from a standardization perspective, this analysis utilizes the Smart Grid Architecture Model to identify crucial roles, components and processes specifically in Germany. Furthermore, it outlines the current implementation of PV integration into distribution networks at a national level. The results of this study show the overall complexity of PV integration in the smart grid context, confirm the feasibility of the German integration approach, and highlight the necessity of deploying standardized information models and communication technologies. These key findings can help market participants with different roles to identify potential technical bottlenecks or other critical points in the regulation and technical implementation. For instance, the proposed in-depth analysis framework provides an orientation for characterizing the PV integration or, more generally, the grid integration scenario of renewables in other countries.

Artificial neural network-based models for short term forecasting of solar PV power output and battery state of charge of solar electric vehicle charging station

The main objective of this study is to develop ANN-based predictive models for short-term forecasting of solar PV power output and battery state of charge. The 3Ds energy model that integrates Decarbonization, Digitalization, and Decentralization of the energy system to facilitate the shift towards sustainable energy sources is used for this electric vehicle project. The experimental set up includes solar PV panels, a solar inverter, a battery inverter, and a battery bank. Additionally, smart meters were installed to collect real-time performance data from the solar PV-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging station. The weather and real-time system performance data were used to develop short term forecasting models based on Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and the Levenberg-Marquardt method, to predict the performance of the system (power output and state of the charge) ahead. The R values for the prediction models of solar photovoltaic (PV) specific power and battery state of charge fall within the range of 0.9957–0.9969 and 0.9990 to 0.9996, respectively. Furthermore, the mean squared errors (MSEs) for the artificial neural network (ANN) models pertaining to solar photovoltaic (PV) power output and battery state of charge exhibit a variety of values. Specifically, the MSEs for solar PV power output range from 1.242 x 10^-4 to 1.579 x 10^-4, while the MSEs for battery status of charge range from 0.1889 to 0.3402. Artificial neural network (ANN) models possess considerable promise for practical implementations as they simplify intricate connections among inputs, parameters, and outputs in real-world scenarios. The level of accuracy and short-term predictive models of the solar PV powered EV charging station are very important for achieving a balance between the supply of solar photovoltaic (PV) system and the demand for electric vehicles (EVs). Predictive models will help build complex control mechanisms for controlling and optimizing solar PV-powered charging stations, supervising their operation and maintenance, and simplifying renewable energy pre-purchase. Future works will include the development of an energy management system to improve the efficiency of the solar stations charging the EVs, the establishment of blockchain networks for both the solar PV system and battery bank, and the integration of cybersecurity protocols for the charging station.

Smart Grid Technologies: Advancements and Applications in Nigeria

This study explores the impact of smart grid technologies on the modernization of power grids in response to evolving energy demands and the integration of renewable energy sources in Nigeria. It aims to empirically assess advancements in smart grid technologies, focusing on four key objectives: eval_uating the impact of smart meters on energy consumption and peak demand reduction, analyzing the effectiveness of Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) in enhancing grid reliability and efficiency, assessing the role of demand response programs in balancing supply and demand, and examining the integration and management of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) within smart grids. The research employs a quantitative methodology, collecting and analyzing data from utility companies that have implemented smart grid technologies. Key findings reveal that smart meters significantly reduce energy consumption and peak demand by providing real-time monitoring, while ADMS improves grid reliability and operational efficiency through enhanced fault detection and automated control. Demand response programs effectively balance energy supply and demand, reducing peak loads and energy costs. The integration of DERs increases renewable energy utilization and grid stability but also presents challenges related to variability in power output and management complexity. The study concludes that smart grid technologies play a crucial role in achieving a more resilient and efficient power grid, though addressing challenges related to DER integration and system management is essential for maximizing their benefits.

Energy Analysis & Optimization of A Residential Structure

This project delves into the critical realm of energy analysis and optimization for residential buildings. With global energy demand surging and environmental concerns mounting, the need for efficient energy consumption is paramount. The study employs a multidisciplinary approach, combining architectural design, data-driven insights, and advanced technologies. Real-world data collection, including smart meter readings and sensors, forms the foundation for evaluating energy usage trends, peak demands, and seasonal fluctuations. Building Energy Modeling (BEM) software aids in simulating diverse scenarios, enabling accurate predictions of energy performance. Key Words: Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Insight, (EUI) Energy Use Intensity. BIM (Building Information Modelling).

Who engages in electricity conservation and to what effect after real-world, high-resolution feedback? An empirical analysis of Korean households with smart meters

Engagement with households to fully realize the potential of demand-side solutions has attracted policy attention. The potential of feedback has been understudied, especially regarding who engages more in electricity conservation. Furthermore, most studies have been limited to the Western context, with only a few that explore Asia. This study fills these gaps by investigating changes in household hourly electricity consumption patterns after its members receive high-resolution feedback. After data balancing, we partitioned 63 households into distinct groups using K-means clustering and investigated consumption changes after the provision of high-resolution electricity feedback through a mobile application. The results indicate mixed effectiveness of feedback: some households reduced consumption by about 13 %, while others increased it between 7 % and 20 %. In addition, statistical analysis using survey responses revealed that households with greater awareness of electricity costs and a stronger interest in climate change were more receptive to feedback. Demographic and housing attributes such as age, building type, and floor count also influenced the feedback effect. The findings recommend enhancing awareness of electricity costs and climate change and developing a better understanding of individuals’ challenges with changing conservation behaviors based on their demographic and housing characteristics.

Development of real-time energy monitoring system using IoT base

This paper aims to develop a real-time energy monitoring system based on smart metering to enhance energy efficiency in the single-phase residential sector. Based on the concept of low-cost IoT devices, this intelligent meter system is designed to monitor household energy consumption. It provides real-time information on a graphical Node-RED Dashboard, making it easy for households to track and manage their energy usage. The hardware of the power metering system included the Node MCU ESP8266, the PZEM-004T, and a cloud server built on the Raspberry Pi for storing electricity consumption data by using Node-RED to connect devices via an application programming interface system. This system can help analyze the electricity consumption behavior in the residential sector. It is a guideline for selecting the electricity rate between the TOD and TOU rates. The results found that in the electrical energy measurements of households 1 and 2, the mean deviations were 0.8758% and 0.5523%, respectively. The electricity cost-saving results when changing the electricity tariff from the TOD rate of households 1 and 2 to the TOU rate. It was found that electricity costs can be saved by 0.2807% and 1.0936%, respectively. The most critical variable is electricity consumption during peak periods. In the case study of household 1, if the electricity consumption during the peak period is less than 13%, it will be appropriate to select the Time of Use rate. In household 2, if there is electricity consumption during the peak period, less than 38% would be appropriate to choose the type of electricity user with a TOU rate.

A mixed-method analysis of New Zealand's smart meter rollout experience

A mixed-method analysis of New Zealand's smart meter rollout experience

Distributed optimal scheduling for EVs charging and discharging: A penalty-based consensus approach

In preparing for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), this paper investigates a two-stage optimization problem with priority for EV charging and discharging scheduling, while taking into account power load stability, economic objectives, and technical constraints of the distribution network. To this end, a distribution power system integrating energy source and EV owners is modeled. Considering the disturbance or even loss of the communication link, a periodical connected topology is adopted for information exchange among EV owners with the deployed smart meters, which is substantially different from the existing works. The main challenges of the problem are that the information flow among EV owners is time-varying and asymmetric, and each EV owner’s demand should be satisfied throughout the whole scheduling horizon. A novelty distributed hierarchical optimal algorithm, combined with iterative water-filling-based method and penalty-based consensus method, is proposed for the two-stage optimization problem with priority. The convergence and optimality of the algorithm are presented mathematically. In addition, the proposed method combined with receding horizon optimization is performed for EVs random arrival and departure scenarios in the system. Finally, we demonstrate advantages of the proposed algorithm in both theory and simulation.

Automatic Detection of Water Consumption Temporal Patterns in a Residential Area in Northen Italy

One of the main challenges for city development is to ensure a sustainable water resource management for the water supply system. A clear identification of the urban water consumption patterns supports policy and decision makers in managing the water resources, satisfying the total demand and, at the same time, reducing losses and identifying potential leakages or other issues in the distribution network. High resolution smart meters have widely shown to be an efficient tool to measure in-pipe water consumption. The collected data can be used to identify water demand patterns at different temporal and spatial scales, reaching the end-uses level. Water consumption patterns at building level can be influenced by multiple factors, such as socio-demographic aspects, seasonality, and house characteristics. The presence of a garden that requires summer irrigation strongly alters the daily consumption pattern. In this framework, we present an innovative approach to automatically detect the presence of garden irrigation, identifying daily average water consumption patterns with and without it. The proposed methodology was tested in a residential area in Northen Italy, where 23 smart meters recorded data at 1-minute resolution for two years. Results show very good performances in distinguishing between days with and without garden irrigation. The derived average normalized water consumption patterns for both scenarios can help decision makers and water managers to regulate the pressure regimes in the distribution network correctly.

Tier-specific energy benchmarking for disparate schools in developing South Africa

The increasing impacts of human-induced climate change in developing countries have spurred government policies, activism, and sustainability research aimed at reducing energy consumption. Understanding the electricity usage of buildings is crucial to cutting carbon emissions and achieving cost savings. This study addresses the challenge of establishing realistic and relevant energy benchmarks for educational institutions in developing countries, specifically focusing on the Western Cape, South Africa. Schools in this region exhibit significant differences in energy intensities but are currently assessed using the same reference standard. A top-down analysis was performed using descriptive statistics to develop energy performance benchmarks tailored to unique patterns of energy consumption in schools. Data from 31 less affluent schools were collected using smart meters to ensure accuracy. The proposed reference benchmarks, ranging from 12 to 37kWh/m2 per year, are significantly lower than the existing 60kWh/m2 per year benchmark, demonstrating substantial potential for energy savings. This nuanced benchmarking approach accounts for seasonal and term variations in energy usage, providing a more accurate comparison across schools. The research introduces a novel, context-sensitive benchmarking method that extends beyond existing standards by incorporating these variations. It underscores the importance of localized benchmarks for achieving school energy efficiency, contributing to environmental preservation and financial savings. The proposed benchmarks offer a robust framework for policymakers, standard bureaus, and education departments to craft energy efficiency policies that drive progress in the education sector. By addressing the unique energy usage patterns of schools, this approach facilitates targeted interventions, leading to improved energy management and sustainability.

Blockchain with secure data transactions and energy trading model over the internet of electric vehicles

The rise of Electric Vehicles (EVs) has introduced significant advancement and evolution in the electricity market. In smart transportation, the EVs have earned more popularity because of its numerous benefits including lower carbon footprints, higher performance, and sophisticated energy trading mechanisms. These potential benefits have resulted in widespread EV adoption across the world. Despite its benefits, energy management remains the biggest challenge in EVs and it is mainly because of the lack of Charging Stations (CSs) near EVs. This creates a demand for an effective, secure and reliable energy management framework for EVs. This study presents a secure data and energy trade paradigm based on Blockchain (BC) in the Internet of EVs (IoEV). BC technology prepares for the high volume of EV integration that serves as the foundation for the next generation, and to assist in developing unique privacy-protected BC-based D-Trading and storage Models. Entities evaluated for the proposed model include Trusted Authority (TA), Vehicles, Smart Meters, Roadside Units (RSU), BC, and Inter-Planetary File System (IPFS). In addition, E-trading involves several phases, including the acquiring E-trading demand requests, E-trading response requests, request matching and token assignment. Moreover, account mapping is performed using a Mayfly Pelican Optimization Algorithm (MPOA), which is created by merging the Mayfly Algorithm (MA) and Pelican Optimization Algorithm (POA). Various security features are used to protect data and energy trade in IoEV, including encryption, hashing, polynomials, and others. The testing results revealed that the MPOA outperformed the state-of-the-art results regarding memory consumption, trading rate, transaction cost, and trading energy volume with values of 4.605 MB, 91%, 0.654, and 90 kW, respectively.

LSTM Networks for Home Energy Efficiency

This study aims to develop and evaluate an LSTM neural network for predicting household energy consumption. To conduct the experiment, a testbed was created consisting of five common appliances, namely, a TV, air conditioner, fan, computer, and lamp, each connected to individual smart meters within a Home Energy Management System (HEMS). Additionally, a meter was installed on the distribution board to measure total consumption. Real-time data were collected at 15-min intervals for 30 days in a residence that represented urban energy consumption in Sincelejo, Sucre, inhabited by four people. This setup enabled the capture of detailed and specific energy consumption data, facilitating data analysis and validating the system before large-scale implementation. Using the detailed power consumption information of these devices, an LSTM model was trained to identify temporal connections in power usage. Proper data preparation, including normalisation and feature selection, was essential for the success of the model. The results showed that the LSTM model was effective in predicting energy consumption, achieving a mean squared error (MSE) of 0.0169. This study emphasises the importance of continued research on preferred predictive models and identifies areas for future research, such as the integration of additional contextual data and the development of practical applications for residential energy management. Additionally, it demonstrates the potential of LSTM models in smart-home energy management and serves as a solid foundation for future research in this field.