Smart grid technology innovator Tendril has developed a device that turns conventional “dumb” meters into smart meters capable of tracking energy consumption at frequent intervals.  The company plans to introduce the new product next year through partnerships with utility companies.

The breakthrough could make the smart grid much easier and cheaper to implement by allowing the use of existing devices.  The smart grid is the “energy Internet” of the future that allows the routing of power much like a computer network.  Consumers and utilities both have a high degree of visibility into a smart grid allowing for management and control where this was impossible before.

Smart meters allow for utility companies to introduce variable pricing schemes where energy prices are based upon actual demand.  When energy prices are high, consumers are encouraged to use less power.  Eventually consumers will be able to change their habits and perform energy-intensive tasks in the evening, or on the weekend, when prices are relatively low.

A smart grid also allows for renewable power to be integrated on a large scale.  Renewable power is intermittent in supply and tends to be abundant in remote areas far away from electrical lines.  It is essential that these sources can be provided when they are available and routed around when they are not.  

The smart grid allows for power providers to provide a much more adequate supply in line with actual demand.  Without transparency this is impossible but as utilities learn how customers react to price changes they will be able to forecast demand and supply the necessary amount of power.  

Today, power companies only have to guarantee that power is available.  This is an extremely inefficient venture.  During the 2 weeks out of the year when demand is at its highest, power plants that are otherwise mothballed must be fired up.

Tendril’s new device enhances a type of electricity meter that has been widely installed recently to save costs for utilities.  According to Adrian Tuck, Tendril CEO, about half the homes in America have this type of meter.  

The meters use short-range wireless communications to send signals using a proprietary protocol.  This allows human meter readers to collect their information by simply driving by as opposed to a manual inspection.  The signals are automatically broadcasted every few minutes, even though data is only needed once a month.  

Tendril’s device takes advantage of the frequent signals put out by the meters by transmitting them over the Internet.  Once the signal makes it to the Internet it can be shared with both the utility and the customer.

The device could be a much more cost-effective alternative than a massive smart meter rollout where every conventional meter is replaced with an upgraded one.  “All you have to do is plug it in, go to the Web and enter the serial number from your meter,” explained Tuck.  “It reads the signal and mimics a smart meter from that point on.”

Tendril has also developed a variety of devices that allow for the monitoring and control of appliances and thermostats.  Smart appliances can then be programmed to respond to price signals sent out by the utility company or even accessed remotely over the Internet through software also developed by the company.  For example, a customer could remotely turn off a pool pump because of a spike in energy prices and then be set to automatically turn back on once prices have fallen below an acceptable level.

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