SyM – E750: The answer to market challenges · 3 White Paper SyM2 – E750: The answer to market challenges Introduction A unique metering standard and cutting-edge prod-uct are

SyM2 – E750: The answer to

market challenges

White PaperSyM2 – E750: The answer to market challenges

Introduction 3

Challenges 4

SyM2 is born 5

The benefits the E750 offers 7

Landis+Gyr - a strong partner 12

White Paper: SyM2 – E750: The answer to market challenges

2

Table of contents

3

White Paper SyM2 – E750: The answer to market challenges

Introduction

A unique metering standard and cutting-edge prod-uct are introduced in Germany. This enables a re-duction in the total cost of ownership and creates the required conditions to foster development of the smart grid in compliance with market regulation.

The deregulation of energy markets across the world is leading to fast-paced change across the energy sector. The industrial and commercial (I&C) sector is undergoing significant change as a result, leading to exciting developments that deliver unprecedented benefits to utilities and the market.

This can be seen in Germany, where the industrial and commercial metering sector has undergone groundbreaking change with the introduction of a new metering standard, SyM2. This change is unique to Europe. It is the first time that a group of energy companies (RWE, E.ON and EnBW) have reached common consensus to partner in order to set a common standard to work by.

Not only has this project come to fruition, but it has gone beyond that: As market leader, Landis+Gyr was asked to turn this concept into a revolutionary meter. The E750 meter is the result of the cooperation between Landis+Gyr and the energy companies.

The E750 completely revolutionises the metering world in the I&C sector. Decades of experience was drawn on in order to develop the meter, and an entirely new concept was born:

Total Cost of Ownership: � The E750 was developed to incur minimum cost over the meter’s lifetime. The entire process from meter production right through to bill disputes on the side of the end-consumer has been optimised.

Communication: � While many countries at the present time are looking into using IP, the E750 goes one step further by offering this as standard. The E750 is the first meter which is IP compatible.

Future proofed: � The E750 was developed to be future proof. Software updates can be made in the

meter without needing to take the meter apart. This is the first meter that has a standardised method to remotely download certified software without losing meter calibration validity.

The benefits that the metering standard SyM2 offers are numerous: The meter-points themselves will cost less than in the past yet provide far more functionality due to their modular design. On top of this, the market will take a step toward being open and liberalised. Overall this will be positive for the utilities, metering companies and, ultimately, industrial and commercial customers.

Most significantly, the development of the SyM2 standard has opened up the concrete need for the development of a meter that is fully interoperable with systems offered by different metering companies in the market. The introduction to market of this meter completes the SyM2 concept – it has been designed to help utilities optimise their total cost of ownership, and, further, it offers full flexibility in tariffing, meaning that it is smart grid compatible, which will become a legal requirement in Germany in 2011.

This paper will give an overview of the development of the SyM2 standard in Germany. It will then look closely at how the development of a meter compliant with this standard that is able to optimise the total cost of ownership for meter buyers, which range from large utilities to standard buyers, SyM2 partner utilities and early adopters. The SyM2 meters are used at medium and large industrial and commercial customers located across Germany that each use in excess of 100,000 kWh of electricity each year.

4

Challenges


The Industrial and Commercial landscape is a large and complex one. It offers huge potential. Most utilities have large installed bases of I&C meters. However, most of these meters are of different types, models and variations in most cases due to the mergers and acquisitions that have taken place in the utility industry over the years.

The processes behind the meters are all different from meter type to meter type, whether they are installation, maintenance or upgrading processes. This requires ongoing training of specialised employees. It also leads to high costs because of the large inventories of spare parts that have to be kept. And the AMM systems have to operate with many different drivers, each communicating with different batches of meters, in order that the metering data is gathered that invoices can be generated on time.

It was from this environment of a vastly different set of meters, processes and standards that German utilities decided that there had to be a better way. The path towards developing the “Synchronous Modular Meter,” or SyM2, was the result.

In 2005, a concept was proposed by the German utilities RWE, EnBW and E.ON, and they formed a consortium for this project. This consortium compiled what is perhaps the first genuine set of open standards and specifications amongst different utilities for the design and manufacture of modular electricity meters.

The development and delivery of the meters and modules needed for the pilot installation (2000 metering points) was put out to tender with an eventual short list of three manufacturers being chosen. Landis+Gyr, the Swiss based metering company, was the winner. The two goals that the consortium had were;

1) to standardise all processes associated with I&C meters, and

2) interlocking with 1) was to have a meter that used

the internet for communications.

The next step in this process was to define the specifications which were worked on throughout 2006.

The paramount aim of the SyM2 project was the development of a modularised metering system for measuring electricity at commercial and industrial customers.

With their project for developing a clocked load profile

Customers involved in the SyM2 Projects:

5

SyM2 is born

meter, the German utilities EnBW, E.ON and RWE partnered and took the initiative to create a future-proof technical standard with a quality seal for load profile meters. The goal was to achieve affordable implementation of the applicable laws and ordinances and the regulatory requirements still applying in what is now a deregulated market.

The consortium has recorded and published the development work accomplished in the form of a general specification. In addition, by developing this new meter, the consortium intends to create a harmonised standard based on modern-day communication technology. Devices conforming to this standard will, after passing a conformity test, receive the SyM2 quality seal.

SyM2 is not a world wide open standard. This is purely an open standard amongst the utilities situated within Germany and other central European countries that wish to be part of this program. So even with this open standard it will always be a limited market, though who knows what the future may hold as more legislators demand open standards in order to encourage the uptake of smart metering.

No single meter manufacturer owns the specifications of the SyM2.

Specifications are maintained through “Forum Netztechnik / Netzbetrieb” (FNN), a department of the German utility association, as well as safeguard the SyM2 logo. On the 1st of March, 2008 the specifications were made public so that now any meter manufacturer may produce I&C meters according to them and then sell these meters to the utilities participating in this program.

This is something of a watershed event. In the past all meters were proprietary and unable to easily communicate with other meters or systems of competitors. But, under the guidance of RWE and the other utilities involved, this is first time where an open protocol and specification has been defined that metering companies must follow.

There were many other factors that the utilities wanted


6

to address when developing a meter compliant with the SyM2 standard.

Designed in conjunction with Landis+Gyr, the meter has many functions that benefit the customer. Landis+Gyr decided to develop the meter, working closely with the utilities, as they were involved in the design and implementation of the SyM2 standard. It was a type of natural progression.

Landis+Gyr conducted extensive research and found that the utilities and the market had several key needs for the meter. Most important was the meter’s ability to optimise a utility’s processes, including network management and customer service functions, as well as the management of new smart grid processes including micro generation. To deliver these functionalities, the meter gives authenticated, near real-time data, has a push process, is fully IP based and has open modularity.

What was paramount to the utilities when developing SyM2 was that their future meters and modules would be interoperable in all areas; communications, mechanical and electrical. This does not mean that all the meters have to be the same but that they can communicate with the same system and use the same communications protocols that can be understood by a variety of different systems. That they use the same power, and that they can all plug into each other, using the same sockets and plugs, and even are all mounted in the same way using a common DIN rail design.

To avoid locking-in the customer with a single supplier, the meter has a tested, plug ‘n’ play interoperability function. This makes it possible for the utilities to be able to purchase from any metering manufacturer. No longer will they be locked into purchasing a given type of meter. This will allow new, innovative companies to be a part of the I&C market, bringing innovation to the power companies. In the long run it will be the utilities that will benefit from the deployment of such new technology and innovation.

A further desire was that any new meters would easily and effortlessly plug into the metering system without


requiring hours of customisation and programming. By standardising the installation programming it is now possible for a system to recognise and get online any new metering point, including modems and other modules, more quickly than was possible before.

Further, there is the ability to future-proof the meter thanks to its modularity – new features and functionality can be introduced using new modules in order to meet future demands. There is also an encrypted data signature that replaces the physical seal for data safety and authenticity.

Landis+Gyr took these factors into consideration and have developed a meter that meets these needs. The end-result is a meter called the Landis+Gyr E750, designed for advanced markets – and ultimately designed to help utilities in the industrial and commercial sector to manage energy better.

7

The benefits the E750 offers


As we have seen, the E750 meter completes the SyM2 concept. It is the final piece in the puzzle. It complies with the SyM2 standard which has been developed specifically with the market and consumer needs in mind. Further, it is a sound investment as it can be adapted to future needs and is fully interoperable with different systems offered on the German market.

So what are the benefits that single this meter out?

Let’s start by looking at smart metering language (SML).

SML – the language of the future1.

The E750 meter has been designed so that the data that comes out of any given meter is all together and therefore self explanatory. That is, the date, meter id, electricity usage and encrypted signature by all being together makes it immediately obvious what the information is. And for simplicity’s sake, all the data is binary coded, making the data open and interoperable.

The E750 meter sends self-describing messages which enable a push mode instead of a pull one. This means that there is no need for communications hardware such as servers and modems and multiple phone lines in the central station as the messages from the meters are compiled using GPRS connectivity, thereby arriving at the utility via internet. As a result, this enables lower communication costs as capital and operating costs (modems and their management) are significantly reduced.

Further, SML messages enable self-initiated error messages which mean that the meter gives early warning signals. This enables the utility to deliver improved customer service and provide maintenance service within a short space of time. As a result, the customer is happy and there are fewer penalties for poor power quality.

Smart grid compatible, market compliant2.

The E750 is ready for liberalised markets and fully

compatible with the concept of the smart grid thanks to its ability to perform billing calculations on a central system, independent from the meter.

Further, there is no need for a utility to give the end-customer access to the meter or show data on the meter display unit as authenticity and originality of data are guaranteed.

These advantages are possible because of the meter’s data signature with public and private keys. One issue that can arise with utilities and is important is that of “bill dispute.” Sometimes it happens that a customer gets a bill that they disagree with, they think they have been charged too much, or some other such matter, which has to be resolved.

In order to simplify this situation, the SyM2 consortium requested a method that would resolve all the above issues in a way that the data from a given meter could be verified at any time without the meter having to be touched. And this is where the inbuilt intelligence of the meter comes into play.

Each meter transmits a string that has the metering data, the identification of the specific meter, a time stamp, and an encrypted signature. The encryption on the signature has the same level of security that a bank has.

What is ground-breaking is the way in which the encryption works. Each tuple transmitted from the meter has its own unique encrypted signature. There are two keys, a private and a public one, both set within the factory. The private one cannot be accessed or changed. The public one is printed on the face-plate of the meter and can also be read via any part of the communication system.

When the public key is typed into a program specifically designed for this purpose, along with the provision of the data to be checked and their encrypted signature, the computer will display whether the data has ever been changed or not.

The benefits of such a process are enormous. Firstly,

8

in order to verify the data, it is not necessary to open up the meter, nor does the meter need to be removed from the customer’s premises. Secondly, the data does not have a life-span. That is, once the data has been transmitted it remains in record in perpetuity.

Save time and money!3.

The same function can reduce certification time from 7 to 2.5 hours and up to Euros 25.- per meter as load profile data memory can be recorded outside the calibration seal meaning there is no need to test or prove the memory by an approved body.

A remote firmware download that can update the metrological approved part of the E750 meter has been designed to ensure that firmware updates for all future requirements can be easily performed. One very important point in this respect is that if metering standards or protocols change, then this functionality enables more flexibility in ensuring that meter performance is up-to-date.

Lower opex by up to 50 percenta.

Many utilities believe that costs incurred by data management departments can be reduced by up to 50 percent thanks to the SyM2 standard and the limited functionality in the E750 meter. Together, these mean that the likelihood of corrupt data occurring is minimised, thereby reducing the need to use estimated values (which require manual work).

Isolated terminals bring cost and time effi- b. ciency

This is just another feature of a well rounded and forward-looking design. By having spring loaded clamps there are no screws on the meter. Therefore it is easier to install the meter with much less risk of electrocution as a technician needs to only push an insulated lever connected to a clamp, rather than turn a metal screw with direct contact to a conductor.

A 90 degree angle between the wires and the spring control mechanism mean that the control mechanism faces the installer, while the wires remain at the bottom of the meter. Further, the mechanism is not exposed to any material that conducts electricity. These factors spell success when it comes to cost saving: simple and safe operation is guaranteed during meter connection meaning that costs are reduced, and for third parties doing installation work costs are optimised as they do not need to heavily invest in training of their field workers.

The spring loaded terminals also mean that time is saved during installation: no screws are required and there is a better overall quality of connection as all connector threads in the wire are combined in the spring loaded channel, and a wire end-sleeve is not needed.

4. Clock system is independent and anti-tamper

For a residential meter, if the clock is incorrect it has far less impact on a utility’s bottom line than for


9


an I&C meter as several thousands of Euros can be lost in the space of just one hour. Plus a household customer will usually use approximately the same amount of electricity, month on, month off. So if the clock is inaccurate it is feasible, and often done in practice, that an estimated figure is entered to fill the gap of the faulty data. However, this is not possible for an industrial meter.

What was proposed for the E750 meter was a very simple and easy method for resolving such issues. Instead of having a calendar clock, they would dispense with the clock all together, and have a universal “seconds index” clock. When the meter is first provisioned, the date when it is turned on is recorded, and then for ever after the meter just adds one second per second. The number of “seconds” that have elapsed since it was turned on is recorded against any electricity usage.

In the customer’s database the seconds index together with the date and time is recorded when the meter is first started and whenever the data is read. Then it is simply an easy calculation of adding how many seconds have elapsed since that time, and translating this number of seconds back into a specific date and time.

At first glance it may seem that the difference is small and not very significant. However, by removing dates, times, time zones, day light savings, which can be different from country to country, mistakes by technicians, and all other such things, you are left with a pure amount of elapsed time since the start. This method is much more accurate.

There are other special events that have to be taken into account. For example, by using super-capacitors the meters can maintain a charge for at least seven days. So if in the unlikely event power is cut to the meter the clock will continue counting. When the power comes back on within this time then the clock will merely continue. Situations where the power is down for longer than seven days are either planned

or almost never happen.

Because the E750 has a ‘machine time’ function with a seconds index, there is no need to revert to estimates over actual consumption. The management of a meter park is also simplified and has lower maintenance costs. Exception handling ensures that no data is lost during, for example, a power outage when switching to daylight savings.

On top of this is the intangible benefit of utilities increasing their customer’s satisfaction. If the industrial and commercial customers know that the accuracy of the data is 100 percent, then there is less likelihood of disputes, and if there are they can be resolved in a much speedier fashion, without requiring litigation.

5. Local bus system to connect modules and meters

Another way to make the SyM2 family of meters and modules more cost effective is through the optimised use of a local bus system. In some sites more than one meter is required. So it is now possible, by using a local Ethernet bus system, and configuring the meters through a hub, that one modem can service up to 32 meters. As the modem may cost approximately the same as a meter this automatically goes a long way in making this system more cost effective.

In fact, additional modems can also be connected if, for example, another service provider requires their own connection to the meters.

Would you like to have simpler and faster connection between communications and other modules in the meter? If so, this functionality, the local bus system, will help you achieve this: with just one cable for both power and data provision, the cost of installation is lowered and is less intrusive for the customer’s premises as it requires no hole-drilling, or need to install a power supply for the meter.

And because the modules receive power from the meter, this leads to an overall simplified and cost-

10


efficient modem design.

6. Lower set-up cost

In some cases, end-customers need the actual consumption information in form of energy proportional pulses. Until now, the required pulse outputs were located in the meter and had to be certified for their accuracy. In the SyM2 concept, these pulse outputs are located in a module that can be placed in or outside the meter, meaning that there is easier access for the end-cosumer. Thanks to the E750’s plug’n’play recognition in the local bus, a pulse module recognises the meter type and automatically adjusts the pulse constants, which can also be parameterized if required. This all means that the cost of the impulse outputs occur only if they are required, there is no pulse output certification required, and the set-up and installation costs are lower.

7. Smart grid and virtual power plant ready

To make sure that you are ready for the near future, the E750 meter pushes its actual values into the local bus every second. These values can then be temporary locally saved or directly pushed to any external control system, which in turn enable various future applications through new modules.

This same function helps to keep end-customers

happy as it has the ability to supply real time data to them.

8. True interoperability

What can be better than having flexibility when choosing meters and their modules? Based on the SyM2 public standard and with communications based on smart metering language, the E750 meter offers true interoperability – letting you choose multiple suppliers. Secured by the SyM2 Quality Seal you can be sure that modules from different suppliers will automatically work together using the plug‘n’play protocol. This potentially leads to lower costs, and a lower risk thanks to a reduced or spread risk regarding quality or availability.

9. Avoid false promises, get real results

And there are no false promises – a conformity test by a third party has proven that the meter fulfils these standards. Only devices that have successfully passed the conformity test are allowed to bear the SyM2 Quality Seal. Don’t forget that false interoperability can lead to delayed deployment, limited functionality, increased implementation costs and, in the worst case, not meeting specific customer requirements.

10. Simplify the metering process – it’s tried and tested

A number of large utilities have found that the E750 is compatible with their metering processes – and has even optimised them. Significantly, all utilities that participated in the SyM2 pilot project confirmed the following statement: “The meter adapts easily to a utility’s existing processes, but, most significantly, it enables a utility to simplify their processes – and even remove some challenging hurdles related to the overall metering chain”.

11. Easy and cost efficient data collection

The SyM2 consortium designated that all meters receive and send data in exactly the same order,

11


using the same protocol. In this way every meter would be understood by every IT system.

This is tied in with the ability to use the internet and how the SyM2 uses a completely new and different way of communicating with the main server. Instead of waiting for a modem connected to the central system to contact a metering point, the metering point can now “push” information to the system at a designated time.

The meter, with an attached modular modem using GPRS or LAN/DSL, will be able to connect directly to the internet (through a local mobile phone tower or with a DSL modem, for example). When it connects it will send an SML file containing the defined data to a predefined internet server. On this message all the required information will be included, such as; meter id, date stamp, amount of electricity usage in form of a load profile and encrypted signatures for security.

With this new method where all the information comes through in one SML file, all together, it is impossible for this information to get mixed up. All the appropriate bits of information will always stay together. In this way the system that receives the information does not have to be told what kind of metering point the data is coming from, but rather just know that the data is in a form that it will understand.

By this point it’s perhaps difficult to believe that there is still more room for cost savings from just one meter. Yet, the E750 meter ensures that data is always delivered to the central system in the same format and is, without fail, always complete, no matter how it is collected.

12


Today, pressure for energy efficiency and cost efficiency on the part of the utility is greater than ever. Legislation and regulations are driving utilities around the world to choose smart metering systems. SyM2 has been developed with this in mind. When choosing SyM2, a utility should evaluate the benefits from different perspectives as various challenges exist in terms of capacity, scalability, interoperability and operating efficiency. SyM2 should meet a utility’s current and future capacity demands, be easily scalable, work together with third party meters and systems, support the latest protocols and technologies and also meet the efficiency requirements when it comes to the deployment and usage of the system.

As a world leader in energy management solutions, Landis+Gyr has developed SyM2 in conjunction with industry partners for your benefit. Landis+Gyr builds its products and solutions on openness and flexibility. As we have seen, SyM2 and the E750 meter are based on standards that enable interoperability, providing seamless integration and flexibility also for future growth needs. Landis+Gyr invests both time and money in constant research and development work in order to further develop its products and systems in order to ensure they meet market and customer needs. It also works together with organisations such as IEC and DLMS User Association in order to stay on the frontier of latest technological development and contribute to the development of the whole energy industry.

Landis+Gyr - a strong partner

About Landis+GyrLandis+Gyr is the leading provider of integrated energy management solutions tailored to energy company needs. With a global presence and a reputation for quality and innovation, Landis+Gyr is unique in its ability to deliver true end-to-end advanced metering solutions. Today, the Company offers the broadest portfolio of products and services in the electricity metering industry, and is paving the way for the next generation of smart grid. With annualized sales of more than US$1.25 billion, Landis+Gyr operates in 30 countries across five continents, and employs over 5,000 people with the sole mission of helping the world manage energy better

For more information on how you can manage energy better please contact yourlocal Landis+Gyr representative

Documents

SyM – E750: The answer to market challenges · 3 White Paper SyM2 – E750: The answer to market challenges Introduction A unique metering standard and cutting-edge prod-uct are