When did smart electric meters come out?

Back in 1972, Theodore Paraskevakos was working for Boeing in Huntsville, Alabama, and developed a digital monitoring system for alarms, which extended to reading utility meters. This technology originated from the automatic telephone line identification system, commonly recognized today as Caller ID.

In 1974, Paraskevakos was granted a U.S. patent for this breakthrough. By 1977, he had founded Metretek, Inc., which introduced the world's first fully automated, commercially viable remote meter reading and load management system.

Utility companies have consistently sought methods to synchronize energy production with consumption. Traditional electric and gas meters only recorded total usage without detailing the time of consumption. In contrast, smart meters offer intricate, site-specific data, providing both consumers and electricity suppliers with critical insights into energy usage patterns. These meters can also monitor surge voltages, aiding in diagnosing power quality issues.

For more information, visit our webpage.

Smart meters are advanced electrical devices that collect data such as electricity consumption, voltage levels, current, and power factor, then relay this information to both consumers and energy suppliers. This modern metering infrastructure, known as AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure), facilitates two-way communication between the meters and suppliers, differentiating it from mere automatic meter reading (AMR) systems.

These meters can measure energy usage nearly in real-time and frequently report data at short intervals throughout the day. Unlike traditional interval meters used mainly in commercial settings, smart meters offer functionalities such as real-time monitoring, power outage notifications, and performance tracking, setting them apart from basic AMR systems.

Explore our range of smart meters and their benefits at acrel.

Smart meters can communicate via various methods, either wireless or wired, including cellular networks, Wi-Fi, and power line carriers (PLC). Wireless options range from low-power long-range connections to mesh and ad hoc networks. Technologies such as Zigbee and Wi-SUN are also pivotal in smart meter communication.

Understanding the communication protocols and network configurations is essential for deploying these meters effectively across different environments. AMI systems use these networks to relay crucial data to utility companies for monitoring and managing electrical grids efficiently.

As of 2008, Europe had installed approximately 39 million smart meters. By early 2011, global shipments reached 17.4 million units. Market research projected that the global market value of smart meters would hit USD 7 billion in 2012.

By the beginning of 2018, Europe had over 99 million smart meters installed, with a significant rise to 24 million more by the end of 2020, driven by an expected investment of €18.8 billion. By 2030, it is projected that 266 million smart meters will be operational across the European Union, with an estimated investment reaching €40.7 billion.

In the US, over 86 million smart meters were in place by the end of 2018, contributing to the worldwide installation of 665 million units by 2017, with revenue projections growing from $12.8 billion in 2017 to $20 billion by 2022.

For detailed information on smart meters and their applications, visit iot energy meter.