Management Solutions Evolving

Wednesday, 23 December 2009 17:58

Research indicates that smart meters worth $19.5 billion will be installed between 2010 and 2015. To fulfill their green potential, the information gleaned from the meters has to be parsed in a way that allows individuals and consumers use it effectively. To that end Knowledge Global has introduced a management solution called EMMA which is a subscribed knowledge base that enables consumers to better facilitate power management. EMMA was tested at an Australian University and has not yet been widely deployed.

Chris Thorman of softwareadvice.com calls EMMA “an automated environmental monitoring system for property owners and managers who want to measure, track and forecast exactly how much energy a building is using or losing, while simultaneously educating their tenants about their carbon output.”

EMMA uses an online dashboard for consumers to track the electricity they’re using and where it is being used. In addition, EMMA provides an environmental display monitor for commercial buildings that can be programmed to show energy use by floor and by tenant. The system alerts users when established thresholds are exceeded.

According to SBI Research, smart sensors and related devices will comprise the bulk of the growing smart grid enabling technologies market, which is expected to increase from $2.3 billion to $5.8 billion over the next five years. Over the same time period, industry observers predict the smart meter market, will more than double.

There is a growing consensus within the industry that utilities should adopt WiMAX as a technology solution to anchor field area networks. WiMAX can be employed over licensed and unlicensed spectrum, has significantly better latency than RF mesh technologies, and supports security applications.