Smart Grid Blog

Teridian Semiconductor today announced that it has begun sampling its fourth generation residential smart metering integrated circuits (ICs). The new product family includes the 71M6541x and 71M6xx1 and features digitally isolated current sensors based on the company’s proprietary MicroDAA™ isolation technology. The new 71M6541x, as a stand-alone meter system-on-chip (SoC) for single element meters, offers significantly reduced power consumption and enhanced accuracy. The 71M6xx1 isolated sensor IC eliminates current transformer and associated copper wiring in 2-element residential meters, with up to class 0.2 accuracy (ANSI 200A). The result is up to 25 percent reduction in bill of materials (BOM) costs for residential applications.

via PR-USA.net – New Metering Chips From Teridian Feature Innovative Isolated Sensing Technology.

NanoMarkets, a Virginia-based industry analyst firm, claims that new smart grid infrastructure projects will generate significant new opportunities for sensor manufacturers.

According to the report, “Sensors for the Smart Grid: Market Opportunities 2010-2017,” building the new smart grid infrastructure will generate $11.4 billion revenue for sensors and related products.

via Smart Grid.

Now that the United States has committed $4.5 billion to implement so-called smart grid technology over its energy infrastructure, AT&T is trying to stay ahead of the curve by getting into the smart grid sensor business.

AT&T Wesdnesday announced a deal with energy technology vendor Cooper Power Systems to jointly sell and market sensor devices that will be activated on smart grid power networks. The sensors will run over AT&T’s wireless data network and AT&T says they will deliver “real-time performance data” to help utility companies “efficiently operate their electric grids, reduce the need for on-site inspection and identify and solve problems that could cause outages or increase system energy losses.”

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Cooper Power Systems’ Energy Automation Solutions wing concentrates mainly on developing smart grid technologies that help utility companies improve their metering infrastructure, their responses to power demands and sensors that monitor power use. Under its agreement with AT&T, Cooper Power will run two of its core smart grid technologies over AT&T’s network; the OutageAvisor, which helps utility companies locate outage along their delivery lines; and the VARAdvisor, which AT&T describes as “a low-cost sensor alternative to manual inspection of equipment that controls the voltage supplied to consumers.”

“Our nation’s utilities are under intense pressure to provide the latest technologies to their customers in a cost-effective way,” says Cooper Power Systems president Mike Stoessl, who added that his company’s goal was to “help utilities streamline the way in which they gather the critical information they need to serve their customers.”

via AT&T enters smart grid sensor business – Network World.