Maxim and Sagem to develop
power line comm. specs for EDF of France
Maxim Integrated Products has won a contract to define
and develop a next-generation, powerline-communication (PLC)
specification and solution for Electricité Réseau
Distribution France (ERDF), a wholly owned subsidiary of
the EDF (Electricité de France) Group. In partnership
with Sagem Communications, Maxim will deliver an open PLC
specification that facilitates the implementation of an
automatic meter-management (AMM) infrastructure in France.
ERDF will deploy an automatic energy meter management infrastructure
throughout France to manage its complete electricity supply
chain-from electricity suppliers all the way to consumers.
This infrastructure will enable two-way communication between
meters, sensors, and switches using existing power lines,
thus giving ERDF enhanced monitoring and control capabilities.
It will also provide end-customers with greater visibility
into their electricity usage and encourage demand-side management
of electricity supplies. This advanced functionality will
enable ERDF to deliver a new level of customer-centric services
and promote energy conservation.
The successful completion of this project is expected to
result in the replacement of more than 35 million meters
and concentrators in France. Moreover, this implementation
will function as a lighthouse project, illuminating the
way for other countries as they renew their electricity-network
infrastructure to meet the European Commission's energy
mandates.
Since Europe's existing electricity-network infrastructure
is inadequate to meet these energy and sustainability imperatives,
Europe has commenced one of the largest infrastructure renewals
in its history. Indeed, the International Energy Agency
estimates that the EU will invest over 500 billion euros
in infrastructure renewal by 2030.
Two-way communications will provide electricity-network
operators with intelligent monitoring and control capabilities.
Operators will be able to monitor electricity consumption
throughout the grid in real time, implement variable tariff
schedules, and set limits on electricity consumption to
better manage peak loads.
In turn, consumers will have real-time visibility into
their electricity consumption, thus promoting demand-side
conservation. With the addition of variable tariff schedules,
users will be encouraged to reduce electricity consumption
during peak usage times.
Ultimately, intelligent network-management techniques provide
a smarter solution for the environment. Rather than build
more power plants to support worst-case scenarios (such
as a week-long summer heat wave), network operators will
be able to optimally utilize existing resources. At the
same time, demand-side management will function as a form
of indirect generation by better balancing the distribution
of loads.
Communications Infrastructure Provides a Technology Platform
for the Future
In the long term, this communications infrastructure will
provide a basis for promoting distributed and renewable
energy generation (e.g., wind and solar). To support the
EU's SmartGrids initiative, the electricity network of the
future will need to allow end-customers to harvest renewable
energy and sell it back to the grid. Two-way communications
represents the first stage of infrastructure development
required for multiple players to exchange data and trade
energy across Europe.
