Nokia has just announced it is developing a smart home platform to offer consumers new ways to control their homes with a mobile device. The platform is opening a new era for networked home services and solutions.
All solutions based on the platform can be used through a smart phone or PC locally or remotely. Consumers can monitor and control their electricity usage, switch devices on and off, and monitor different objects, such as temperature, camera, and motion. In a second step, Nokia and RWE are planning additional services in connection with smart meters beyond 2009. These services will provide consumers with real-time information about their energy consumption and allow them to control their energy bill remotely.
Meanwhile, the UK and Europe recognise the need to modernise and liberalise an ageing electricity grid, create economies of scale for renewable energy and promote consumer efficiency. All this would require a smart grid, smart meters. As energy demand goes up and supply falls woefully behind, smart metering is expected to revolutionise energy management and grid reliability across the globe.
A recent study suggests that meters are capable of delivering a 10 per cent cut in annual energy use. Another estimates that dynamic demand-side response in the EU could save electricity equivalent to the domestic consumption of Germany and Spain.
A flexible and dynamic grid is the need of the hour.
The article goes on to note that smart metering alone will not bring a 20 per cent increase in energy efficiency, a 20 per cent increase in renewable energy or a 20 per cent reduction in carbon emissions. But none of these targets are possible without a functional smart grid underpinned by smart meter infrastructure.
Smart metering allows the consumer to know in real time the power consumed from every gadget within his home. With a time of the day billing system, he/she will know when best to do the chores at home.
Going one step ahead is the smart grid. Smart grids will allow two-way communication between homes and utilities and the ability to remotely control appliances and power consumption, which leads to accurate real-time pricing by utilities, and accurate monitoring and conservation. Utilities can send response demands to homes during peak hours, homeowner energy use habits can be tracked and adjusted, etc.
An ageing gridline can be vitalised by smart meters, networking software and hardware, energy storage, etc. IBM, Google, and many other players have entered the field, seeing an opportunity. Reducing losses, increasing efficiency from generation, distribution to end-use will be aided by smart technology.
The concept is just catching wide attention in the west. But given that we have the technical IT prowess, any reason why we cannot be a leader? The initial costs are going to be high but eventually it will bring in savings.
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2 comments:
No, not another one. We are already so much gadget-dependent! We don't know how to cook if the microwave oven is down. We don't know how to wash if the washing machine crashes. We don't know how to spend time when the TV conks off. We become paralyzed when the browser does not open on our computer.No more such automation and complications. Let me be a human being using my muscles. Let's start walking; let's do some manual labour...
S. Gopal
I dont believe these gadgets are the same as the ones that 'rule' our lives. These automation measures bring in a sense of energy consciousness among the consumer, and allow him to see in real-time where more power is going and how he can address that. Of course, as it does not mean the same as other gadgets, in terms of possession pride, etc, there may not be many takers! As long as power remains heavily subsidised, nobody is going to bother about conservation, right?
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