Smart Metering – Australia

This activity is trialing smart meters across Australia. Smart meters enable climate change reductions through reduced energy consumption, brought about by better grid management including reduced losses, integration of renewable energy, and visualization for consumers. Smart metering benefits utility companies, end-users, and society.

Fast facts:

30,000 households in urban and rural locations included in 2012 field trial;
65 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent saved per household;
1-4% savings on household energy.

The problem

Climate change presents risks for many countries around the world. Due to Australia’s unique geography, the country could experience particularly high warming. Australia has ambitious goals for developing its electricity grid and reducing its environmental impact. But emissions per kilowatt hour are extremely high at present.

The solution

Smart meters are currently being trialed in a number of areas around Australia to enable electricity distribution automation and home energy management. Building a smart grid involves transforming the traditional electricity network by introducing a chain of new smart technologies. These include smart sensors, new backend information technology systems, smart meters, and a communications network.

Ericsson will provide E.ON with an ICT solution gathering data from their energy meters. This is an important step toward real-time big data measurements that enable project partners to provide customers with real-time data on energy consumption. The solution also opens the way for efficient grid and consumption management, and integration of locally produced renewable energy.

Helping the planet

Smart metering significantly increases the efficiency of Australia’s energy consumption through allowing for more flexible adjustments in homes, and also reduces the number of vehicles needed for field operations. This leads to reduced emissions and, as a consequence, fewer impacts of climate change.

Helping people

The assessed smart metering implementation is expected to lead to the elimination of manual meter reading, a reduced number of vehicles leased, and a reduction of energy used in the home. This should help families and companies save time and money.

Scaling up

Smart metering is due to be trialed in a number of different countries and is expected to be adapted. Public 3G mobile networks will be used to deploy thousands of meters in outer urban and rural areas. The standard-based approach adopted by Ericsson allows for this solution to be replicated on 3G networks globally.