Power line communications (PLC) has had a bad rap, particularly in the U.S., for a long time and has been declared officially dead any number of times. But during a conversation with Aclara’s senior product marketing manager Edward J. Kobeszka at the recent Smart Energy International conference, he made it pretty clear that as far Continue reading →
PLC
Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today announced four new system solutions for Smart Grid and metering applications, enabling designers to further accelerate time to market for PLC-based and low-power wireless products. Advancing complete solutions for power line communications (PLC), TI introduced the new PLC Development Kit (TMDSPLCKIT-V3) that recently received PRIME certification. Coupling the Continue reading →
Maxim Integrated Products MXIM +0.93% introduces the Newport smart meter reference platform. Integrating the latest in metrology, security, and powerline communications (G3-PLC) technology, this reference platform gives utilities a versatile way to evaluate smart grid technology, and gives manufacturers an easy-to-use smart-meter design to accelerate time to market. High integration and best-in-class accuracy reduce infrastructure Continue reading →
The Smart Grid is a planned nationwide network that will use 21st century information technology to deliver electricity efficiently, reliably and securely, while allowing increased use of renewable power sources. Smart energy coupled with the advanced smart grid infrastructure enables communication between utility companies and common household devices such as smart thermostats and appliances. Individual Continue reading →
STMicroelectronics has completed its acquisition of the semiconductor assets and intellectual property of Arkados. With this acquisition, the company expects to enhance its powerline communication (PLC) capabilities. Since late 2008, STMicroelectronics (News – Alert) has been working closely with Arkados to develop HomePlug wideband PLC solutions. via Smarter Utility – STMicroelectronics Acquisition of Arkados to Accelerate Continue reading →
Semitech Semiconductor, a provider of power line communications solutions that enable the transformation of the electricity grid into a smart grid, today announced that its SM6401 power line communications (PLC) SoC is used in GK Smart Energy Solutions Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) deployed in Europe. via GK Smart Energy Solutions Uses Semitech Power Line Communications Continue reading →
The Wi-Fi Alliance and HomePlug Powerline Alliance have joined forces to promote the adoption of powerline and Wi-Fi networking technologies in smart-grid applications, which could mean more streamlined connectivity for consumers. The Wi-Fi Alliance tests and certifies Wi-Fi products, including Wi-Fi Direct, to ensure their interoperability, and the HomePlug Powerline Alliance does the same thing Continue reading →
IEEE announced this week the ratification of the IEEE 1901 Broadband over Powerline standard, which allows for data rates of 500 Mbps in local area networks such as the home, where it could be one of the systems of choice for delivering information about energy usage back to energy providers and to residents in real Continue reading →
Demonstrating its commitment to provide the most comprehensive products and tools for power line communications (PLC) development, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (TXN 23.37, -0.25, -1.06%) today announced the new PLC Development Kit (TMDSPLCKIT-V2) based on the industry’s only PLC modem solution capable of supporting multiple modulation and protocol standards on a single hardware platform. The Continue reading →
CenterPoint Energy has only good things to say about power line networking, except when it comes to the cost. The energy delivery company conducted a trial earlier in the decade with power line networking in approximately 10,000 homes, said Ken Murphy, Director of Intelligent Grid Deployment at the company, during a talk at NI Week, Continue reading →
The HomePlug® Powerline Alliance, the driving force for global powerline network technology, today announced the approval and publication of the HomePlug Green PHY (HomePlug GP) specification for Smart Grid applications. HomePlug GP is a low power, highly reliable, cost-optimized powerline networking specification targeting Smart Grid connectivity for home energy management to devices such as HVAC, Continue reading →
Nine new members have joined the PRIME Alliance (PoweRline Intelligent Metering Evolution) as utility provider Iberdrola is poised to deploy the first 100,000 multi-vendor, PRIME-compliant meters. The Alliance announces today new members ADD Grup, ?EZ M??ení, s.r.o., Circutor, EDP, Fujitsu Microelectronics, Iskraemeco/Metrega, ORBIS, SAC and SAGEMCOM. The PRIME Alliance is focused on the development of a Continue reading →
Powerline smart grid proponents go head-to-head at the Connectivity Week shooting off competing announcements aimed at the emerging market for smart electric grids. Adversaries were quick to admit the market potential is huge, but the there is still no end in sight to years of fragmentation in their technical approaches. The HomePlug Powerline Alliance announced Continue reading →
Leading Asia Pacific-based provider of network equipment and Smart Grid solutions, Billion Electric Co., Ltd. (Taiex: 3027, trading as Billion), will unveil a full range of Smart Grid solutions, including BPL AMI modules, MV/LV concentrators, energy management solutions like PLC adapter and ZigBee gateway, Cyber Security solutions and industrial smart metering solutions at COMPUTEX TAIPEI Continue reading →
The evolution and success of the smart grid is heavily contingent on the global standardization of low-frequency band power line communication (PLC) solutions. Addressing this market need, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) today announced it has joined the HomeGrid Forum board of directors to contribute to this worldwide standardization effort through the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU-T) Continue reading →
Worth noting that the IEEE P1901 Working Group – which is working on global standards for powerline networking – has given the thumbs-up to the current draft of the standard. A final version of the IEEE 1901 powerline networking standard should be available in the third quarter. via Getting things together on the smart grid Continue reading →
When the City of Manassas, Va., recently moved to shut down its broadband-over-power-line network, many broadband market observers were quick to write the obituary of a technology once positioned as an alternative to the cable-telco broadband duopoly. The Manassas network had been the first major urban BPL network to advance from trial to commercial offering, Continue reading →
The HomePlug® Powerline Alliance congratulates the IEEE P1901 Working Group on passage of the initial sponsor ballot, paving the way for a global standard for powerline (PLC) networking. The ballot passed with over 80 percent of affirmative votes, which demonstrates the overwhelming industry support behind 1901. Final ratification of the standard is expected in the Continue reading →
There are two sets of standards for powerline communications – one for household wiring, the other for powerline communications – and the advocates for each are finally going to try to cooperate, with the Smart Grid program as a catalyst and the IEEE as a mediator. The IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) said it is facilitating Continue reading →
Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (CY 11.85, +0.07, +0.59%) today introduced the world's first truly programmable solution for data communication over existing power lines. Leveraging the programmable analog and digital resources of Cypress’s PSoC(R) programmable system-on-a-chip architecture, the new Cypress Powerline Communication (PLC) solution integrates multiple functions beyond communication, such as power measurement, system management and LCD Continue reading →
