Utilities in Finland are spearheading the European goal of deploying smart grid technology in order to protect the environment by using less energy much more efficiently.Last year Landis+Gyr finalised contracts with Finnish utilities that will deploy smart meter technology for nearly 150,000 consumers. Landis+Gyr is a world leading provider of energy management solutions. The Finnish energy consumers will soon be able to monitor their energy consumption much more closely as they will become aware of precisely how much they are using, and how much it costs, in real-time.Solutions involving smart meter technology are expected to completely change the way consumers use energy and the way the aggregate supply is managed. Energy providers will have, for the first time ever, a two-way flow of information where before electricity was merely transmitted one-way.
This treasure-trove of feedback will allow utilities to run their power grids much more efficiently by managing demand and will have a much more secure power grid. Utilities will be constantly aware of the state of the power grid. This much more efficient smart grid will result in lower carbon emissions.
According to a report from Finnish energy think tank VaasaETT released in October of last year, typical consumers there reduce their energy usage by 10.3 percent simply by using a smart meter. A report from the European Commission estimated energy savings of 10 percent for businesses and 7 percent for residences.
Government regulation expected to become law next month in Finland requires that utilities install smart meters for 80 percent of Finnish homes by the end of 2013. Similar laws are being passed in other Scandinavian countries.
“Finland is in the execution phase of smart meter deployment, as utilities move quickly to meet government mandates,” said Ad van der Meys, an executive vice-president at Landis+Gyr. “Landis+Gyr believes that we must use the tools we have now to secure our energy future, and our products are key ingredients in that process.”
Of the total 3 million households in the country, about 20 percent already have a smart meter installed. Landis+Gyr signed contracts with Jyväskylän Energia, Tampereen Sähkölaitos and Vaasan Sähköverkko Oy early in 2008 and then followed up by forging agreements with Satapirkan Sähkö and Kemin Sähkö.
Satapirkan Sähkö represents a combination of nine utility companies of which eight will provide smart meters for their customers. Smart meters for the utility consortium have to be cross-functional across multiple vendors, and allow remote reads and control, so Landis+Gyr is customizing a specific solution. Advanced smart meter functions such as these reduce billing errors and provide excellent customer service.
Two-way data transmissions will be carried out wirelessly using GPRS technology in rural areas, the same found in 2G mobile phones, along with a power line carrier (PLC) system in urban centres.
“Landis+Gyr’s smart metering solution improves customer service for utilities while at the same time helping them to improve efficiency and reduce their environmental impact,” added Van der Meys. “This advanced product offering has helped consolidate our leadership position within the Finnish market over the last year. In the future we are looking to further increase this leadership position not only in Finland but across Europe as other countries follow the lead of the Nordic countries.”
Landis+Gyr AG
Feldstrasse 1
CH-6301 Zug
http://www.landisgyr.com
VaasaETT
Elontie 45B, 00660
Helsinki, Finland
http://www.vaasaett.com
Jyväskylän Energia
Vesangantie 5
40700 Jyväskylä, Finland
http://www.jenergia.fi
Tampereen Sähkölaitos
Jokikatu 5
33100 Tampere, Finland
http://www.tampereensahkolaitos.fi
Vaasan Sähköverkko Oy
Silmukkatie 1
65100 Vaasa, Finland
http://www.vaasansahkoverkko.f
Satapirkan Sähkö
Paneliantie 27
27430 Panelia
Finland
http://www.spsoy.fi
