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Studies
Systems
Technology Analysis
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Advanced Metering InfrastructureAdvanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is attracting increased attention within the electric power industry, driven partly by a provision in the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005 mandating that state regulatory bodies examine the feasibility of establishing time based electricity pricing programs and implementing advanced metering necessary to support such programs. Many electric power providers and system operators are designing, implementing, and utilizing AMI because of its key role in facilitating demand response and load control, automation of meter reading, customer connection/disconnection, as well as outage reporting and location. Implementing AMI faces the same business, engineering, and operational challenges as any other across-the-utility information technology endeavor - most notably risk associated with embracing proprietary technology, missing functionality, and obsolescence. Just because an off-the-shelf solution may meet your requirements now does not mean that it will meet them ten to fifteen years down the road. Also a key concern is integration of AMI within the entire utility's communications and information infrastructure. Especially where AMI is intended to support outage notification and location, it is important to overlay the infrastructure for advanced metering over the utility's distribution network. AMI consists of everything needed to support advanced metering - from the meter itself to the back end applications associated with demand response, billing, etc. Effective AMI development, implementation, and operation relies on a marriage of electric power engineering with information technology expertise - a key component of EnerNex Corporation's work. Leveraging experience and methodologies established during the development of the EPRI IntelliGrid Architecture as well as expertise gained through work with a number of clients, including the New York Energy Research and Development Authority and California Energy Commission, EnerNex is undertaking groundbreaking work in AMI development, implementation, and application. EnerNex provides a wide array of engineering and consulting services geared towards smart implementation of AMI. This covers all phases of AMI project development, including:
EnerNex uses proven methods with our systems engineering framework approach that maintains "traceability" throughout the course of the project. We assist our customers in addressing the following questions:
EnerNex starts with capturing system requirements utilizing a Use Case centric view of activities to be accomplished and their interaction with systems and other users. EnerNex specializes in making sure the development and selection process covers the following critical areas: modeling of business cases, building inter-department consensus, assembling and assessing system functional requirements and non-functional requirements, developing a system design, hardware and software specification, complete procurement services including RFI and RFQ process support, supplier rating system, response evaluation methodology, deployment management and training of office and field personnel. EnerNex has experience with all the major components of AMI, including:
EnerNex is your partner for intelligent AMI implementation. We offer cutting edge consulting, engineering, and support services that deliver best-in-class, business case quantified, solutions for your project. Click here to learn more about our work for the California Energy Commission Click here to learn about our ongoing project for Southern California Edison Click here to download a brochure describing our capabilities in this area (Adobe Acrobat format) Links of InterestEnerNex is a co-founder and/or major contributor to all of the efforts listed below, each of which is working toward developing industry-wide AMI solutions. You will find on these web sites many examples of the work EnerNex has done in this area. CEC Reports on Demand Response Enabling Technology Development EPRI IntelliGrid Consumer Portal |
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Utility Communications