What is energy meter tampering?

Electrical energy meter tampering refers to any form of alteration, manipulation or modification done to an electrical energy meter, which results in inaccurate meter readings.

This is done to reduce or avoid the amount of electricity that the consumer is charged for. It is an illegal practice that causes non-technical losses, which are a major problem in the energy industry.

Meter tampering can be done in several ways. The most common method is hooking or bypassing the meter, where a consumer directly connects the electrical load to the service line, allowing electricity to flow without passing through the meter. There are more than 200 other methods – which I can’t disclose here – however, we are aware of all of them.

Energy meter tampering is illegal, and it also puts the safety of the consumer and the electrical network at risk. Tampering with meters can cause electrical fires, explosions and other safety hazards that can result in severe consequences. As an example, during my visit to Lagos in Nigeria, I witnessed shortcuts and outages caused while attempting to hook on the power line.

Overall, electrical energy meter tampering is a significant problem that results in non-technical losses in the energy industry. To combat this issue, it is important to understand the motivations behind the practice and the ways in which it can be prevented.

By addressing this issue, utilities can ensure the safety of consumers and reduce the costs associated with non-technical losses.

What are the countries with the highest loss due to tamper?

It is important to note that the estimates below may not fully capture the extent of energy theft and meter tampering in the country, as many cases may go unreported or undetected.

Nigeria

Energy theft and meter tampering are significant issues in Nigeria’s power sector, with losses estimated to be around 30% of total energy generated in the country. According to a report by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, the estimated value of energy lost due to meter tampering, electricity theft, and other non-technical losses in the country is over $390 million annually.

India

According to a report by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) of India, the losses due to meter tampering and energy theft in India’s power sector were estimated at around 4.4% of the total electricity generated in the country in the financial year 2019-2020.

The CEA report also revealed that meter tampering is the biggest contributor to these losses, accounting for around 25% of the total losses due to energy theft. In monetary terms, the estimated loss due to energy theft and meter tampering in India’s power sector is significant, with some estimates putting it at over $16 billion annually.

Pakistan

The loss due to energy theft and meter tampering in Pakistan’s power sector is estimated as high as 20% of total electricity generated in the country. According to a report by the World Bank, the estimated value of non-technical losses in the country’s power sector, which includes energy theft and meter tampering, was approximately $2.7 billion in the financial year 2019-2020.

China

Some estimates suggest that losses may be as high as 5% of the total electricity generated in the country. According to a report by the State Grid Energy Research Institute, the estimated value of energy lost due to meter tampering, electricity theft and other non-technical losses in China’s power sector was around $3.1 billion in 2019.

Brazil

The loss due to tampering of energy meters and electricity theft in Brazil is a significant issue, with some estimates suggesting that it could be as high as 10% of the total electricity generated in the country. According to a report by the Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency, the total amount of energy stolen in Brazil in 2020 was approximately 13.2 TWh, equivalent to around or $1.3 billion.

Why do people commit this crime?

There are various reasons why individuals or entities may choose to tamper with electrical energy meters. One of the most common reasons is to avoid paying for the amount of electricity consumed.

This is particularly true in developing countries, where energy costs can be high, and electricity bills may be unaffordable for many people. In some cases, businesses may tamper with meters to reduce their operational costs and increase their profits.

Another reason why people may choose to commit this crime is due to the lack of enforcement and penalties for meter tampering. In some areas, the penalties for tampering with meters are not severe enough to discourage individuals or businesses from engaging in this illegal activity.
Moreover, there may be little or no accountability for energy companies to monitor and detect meter tampering, further encouraging the crime.

In certain cases, meter tampering may also be due to the lack of access to legal and regulated electricity. Some communities may not have access to energy services or may be underserved by the local energy provider. In such cases, people may resort to tampering with meters as a way of accessing electricity without being charged exorbitant fees.

Whatever the reason, meter tampering poses significant risks not only to energy companies but also to the public. This crime can lead to accidents, fires and even fatalities.

As such, it is important to combat electrical energy meter tampering through effective enforcement and the implementation of advanced technologies such as smart meters.

How does meter tampering lead to non-technical losses?

Meter tampering is a serious problem that leads to non-technical losses in the electrical energy sector. When individuals tamper with electrical energy meters, they are able to bypass the measurement system that is used to calculate the amount of electricity consumed.
As a result, they are able to obtain electricity for free or at a lower cost than what is required, leading to significant financial losses for electricity providers.

The impact of meter tampering is felt by all consumers, as it contributes to increased energy costs due to revenue losses for electricity providers. Non-technical losses from meter tampering account for billions of dollars annually, which can result in reduced investments in the electricity sector, ultimately leading to power outages and decreased reliability.

Tampering also poses a serious threat to public safety, as individuals who tamper with meters may not adhere to safety regulations, thereby putting themselves and others in danger.

Meter tampering leads to non-technical losses and undermines the reliability of the electricity supply. To combat this issue, electricity providers have been turning to the use of smart meters, which can provide more accurate and tamper-proof measurements.

By using advanced technology, smart meters can monitor electricity usage in real-time, making it much harder for individuals to tamper with meters without detection. This innovative technology not only helps to reduce non-technical losses, but also provides a more efficient and reliable system for electricity consumption.

What are some ways to combat meter tampering?

As the world advances, so do the methods of combating electrical energy theft. One of the most effective ways to do this is through the installation of smart meters.

Smart meters have a communication module that enables them to send and receive data, making them an essential component in the fight against energy theft.

Another way to combat meter tampering is through the use of physical unforgeable seals that protect the meters from tampering. The seals can be placed on the meter and any tampering will be immediately evident, making it easier to track and catch the culprits.

Additionally, regular inspection and maintenance of the meters can help identify potential cases of tampering.

Education and awareness campaigns can also be used to discourage people from engaging in meter tampering. By educating people about the dangers and negative effects of electricity theft, we can prevent them from indulging in such activities.

Finally, effective law enforcement and punishment for energy theft can act as a deterrent. Heavy fines, imprisonment, and the threat of criminal records can discourage people from committing this crime.

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Prevention strategies

Meter tampering is a serious problem for power companies and utilities, as it can result in significant financial losses. It involves the manipulation of energy meters to reduce the amount of energy consumption recorded, leading to non-technical losses.

By implementing effective prevention strategies, power companies and utilities can protect their revenue and minimize non-technical losses caused by meter tampering.

CLOU energy meters provide a comprehensive range of tamper detection methods, ensuring that your energy usage is accurately measured and recorded. Our meters are designed to work seamlessly with AMI system solutions, which means also regional hooking can be detected efficiently.

If you’re interested in sourcing smart meters and need advice on reducing tamper losses, please contact us today to learn more about our range of energy meters and services. Our team of experts can discuss all aspects of reducing tamper losses in detail, ensuring that you have the right solutions in place to protect your revenue.

In this article, we will look into the reasons behind the occurrence of high voltage in open secondary circuits and emphasize the associated safety risks.

Understanding open secondary circuit

When the secondary circuit of a CT is open, it means there is no load or external circuit connected to the secondary winding. In this state, the CT experiences a condition of no current flow in its secondary winding. Consequently, the secondary winding behaves as a primary winding, producing a high voltage across its terminals. This voltage is directly proportional to the primary current and the turns ratio of the CT.

Reason for high voltage

The high voltage in an open secondary circuit can be attributed to electromagnetic induction. Under normal operation, the primary winding of the CT carries the actual current, which produces a magnetic field that causes mutual induction in the secondary winding. This induction generates a voltage across the secondary winding proportional to the primary current. However, in an open circuit scenario, the absence of a load results in no current flowing through the secondary winding. As a result, the full induced voltage remains across the terminals of the open secondary circuit.

An example of the potential voltage generated in an open secondary circuit of a Current Instrument Transformer (CT) can provide a clearer understanding. Let’s consider a situation where a CT has a turns ratio of 1000:1 and is measuring a primary current of 100 A. In this scenario, the voltage induced in the secondary winding can be calculated by multiplying the primary current by the turns ratio.

Voltage = Primary current x Turns ratio
Voltage = 100 A x 1000
Voltage = 100,000 V

Therefore, in this example, the voltage in the open secondary circuit can reach a staggering 100 kV. This showcases the significance of the safety risks associated with open secondary circuits and the critical importance of implementing proper precautions to prevent such high voltages from occurring.

Safety risks and hazards

The presence of high voltage in an open secondary circuit poses significant safety risks. First and foremost, it represents an electrocution hazard to anyone in close proximity to the open circuit terminals. The exposed high voltage can potentially cause severe electric shocks, leading to injuries or even fatalities.

Additionally, the insulation materials used in CTs are designed to withstand normal operating voltages but may not be capable of handling the excessively high voltages present during open circuit conditions. This can lead to insulation breakdown, resulting in arc flashes or electrical insulation failure. The resulting equipment damage and system downtime can have substantial financial implications.

Mitigating the risks

To prevent the potential hazards associated with open secondary circuits in CTs, it is essential to ensure that the secondary winding is never left open. This means either connecting a suitable load/resistor across the terminals or shorting the terminals together (known as short-circuiting). By providing a closed circuit for the secondary winding, the induced voltage is dissipated safely, minimizing the associated risks.

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Takeaway

Leaving the secondary circuit of Current Instrument Transformers (CTs) open can lead to the generation of dangerously high voltages. Understanding the reasons behind this occurrence and the associated safety risks is crucial for electrical professionals.
By ensuring the secondary circuit is always properly connected or shorted, the potential hazards can be effectively mitigated, protecting both personnel and equipment from harm.

Regarding the question about ICTs (Insulating Current Transformers) in our test benches, it should be noted that these ICTs have a turns ratio of 1:1, resulting in an expected voltage of 120 V. However, these ICTs are equipped with protection mechanisms to address potential issues, such as shortening an open secondary circuit. This feature becomes particularly useful when certain test positions with meters are left unpopulated by the operator.

On-Site testing

On-site testing involves testing the energy meter while it is installed in the building. This method has several advantages:

Convenience

On-site testing is more convenient than laboratory testing, as it does not require the removal of the energy meter from the existing installation. This means that the testing can be conducted without disrupting the power supply.

Accuracy on actual load

On-site testing provides a more accurate representation of the energy meter’s performance under its operating conditions. This is because the energy meter is tested in the actual environment in which it is installed.

Cost

On-site testing is generally less expensive than laboratory testing, as it does not require the exchange and transportation of the energy meter to a laboratory.

Capturing of external effects

Wrong external wiring, instrument transformer ratios and burdens can only be checked on-site. The same is valid for obvious tamper cases and broken seals.

On-site testing also has some disadvantages:

On-site testing may be limited by the availability of testing equipment and the technical expertise of the tester. It is important to ensure that the testing is conducted by a qualified and trained professional.

A disconnection of the customer for testing with an external voltage/current source is rarely possible. So, other loads or different power factors can’t be checked without allowance of the end-user.

On-site testing may be time-consuming, as it requires the tester to travel to the location of the energy meter. Additionally, the testing process may take longer as the tester has to work around the building’s schedule by appointment.

Laboratory testing

Laboratory testing involves removing the energy meter from the building and transporting it to a laboratory for testing.

This method has several advantages:

Control

Laboratory testing provides more control over the testing environment. This means that environmental conditions can be carefully controlled, and higher accurate measurement equipment can be used.

Accuracy

Laboratory testing provides a more accurate representation of the energy meter’s performance, as the testing is conducted in a controlled environment with selectable load-points, power factors and harmonics injection. Also, it’s much easier to perform simple no-load-, starting- and register tests.

Efficiency

Laboratory testing itself is generally more efficient than on-site testing, as the testing process over multiple test steps can be completed more quickly and efficiently.

Laboratory testing also has some disadvantages:

Laboratory testing is more inconvenient than on-site testing, as it requires the removal of the energy meter from the building. This can result in disruptions to the energy supply and may require additional planning and coordination. Laboratory testing is generally more expensive than on-site testing, as it requires the transportation of the energy meter to a laboratory and may require additional fees for testing equipment and expertise.

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Takeaway

The decision to conduct on-site or laboratory testing depends on various factors, such as the type of energy meter, the purpose of testing, and the resources available.

On-site testing is generally more convenient and less expensive, but it may be limited by the availability of testing equipment and the technical expertise of the tester. Laboratory testing provides more control over the testing environment and more accurate results over the full range, but it is more expensive and less convenient.

Ultimately, the decision to conduct on-site or laboratory testing should be based on a careful assessment of the specific needs and requirements of the situation.

Our on-site testing equipment provides the convenience of testing the energy meter without disrupting the energy supply, while our laboratory equipment provides precise measurements in a controlled environment with predefined test plans.
Contact us today to learn more and improve your meter test efficiency.

The cost of the energy consumed is deducted directly from the credit loaded, with the user receiving alerts when their credit is running low. The meter disconnects when all credit is used.

History of prepayment meters

Prepayment meters for electricity have been in use for over a century. The first prepayment meter was introduced in the year 1899 by the British company General Electric (GE). The device was called a ‘coin-in-slot’ meter, and it required customers to insert coins into the meter to pay for their electricity. This early prepayment meter was unreliable and subject to theft of coins, and was quickly replaced by more advanced models.

Throughout the 20th century, prepayment meters continued to be developed and improved with the use of different kinds of keys, tokens and card readers. All in common was a proprietary solution, owned by the manufacturers or utilities.

In the year 1997, the STS (Standard Transfer Specification) Association was formed as an international non-profit organisation with the objective of developing a global standard for prepay metering systems. The organisation was founded by a group of leading prepay meter manufacturers who recognised the need for a standardised communication protocol to enable interoperability between the different systems.

The STS is an international industry standard described in IEC 62055-41, -51 and -52.

The system is based on issuing 20-digit tokens. These tokens are generated in the individual utility security modules and are encrypted by the utility key. This makes the whole vending and token issuing system secure.

The STS protocol is used in more than 50 countries across the world and has been designed to ensure security and interoperability of prepayment solutions. The STS standard helps to ensure that prepayment energy meters are easy to install, maintain and use across different manufacturers, making it easier for consumers to switch between energy suppliers.

The advantages of prepayment meters

Prepayment energy meters have several advantages, both for the consumers and utilities. For consumers, prepayment meters can help them manage their energy costs by allowing them to pay for their electricity and gas in small instalments rather than receiving a large bill at the end of each month. This can be particularly beneficial for low income households or those on a tight budget, as it helps them to budget and avoid debt.

Another advantage is that prepayment meters encourage energy efficiency. With a prepayment meter, customers can see the cost of their energy usage in real-time, allowing them to adjust their behaviour in a way that helps them to use less energy and hence save money. This can lead to significant savings for the consumer as well as reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions.

For utilities, prepayment meters can be beneficial by reducing the cost of billing and customer service. This is because prepayment meters automate the billing process, meaning that utilities do not need to send as many personnel to read meters and produce bills. Overall, prepayment energy meters are an efficient and effective way to manage energy consumption and costs for both consumers and utilities.

Potential drawbacks

While prepayment electricity meters offer several benefits, there are also some drawbacks associated with their use. One of the main concerns is that prepayment meters can be more expensive to operate compared to traditional post-payment meters. This is because they require a communication network to facilitate the remote top-up of credit, as well as maintenance and management costs.

Another potential issue is that prepayment meters may decrease energy affordability for low income households. As prepayment meters require customers to pay for their energy upfront, those on tight budgets may be unable to pay for enough energy credit to keep their homes heated, lit or powered, leading to energy poverty.

Furthermore, prepayment meters have been criticised for lacking transparency in pricing, leading to increased energy costs for customers. Sometimes, suppliers charge higher rates for energy on prepayment tariffs than standard credit tariffs.

Overall, while prepayment energy meters offer benefits, there are potential drawbacks that must be carefully evaluated before implementation to ensure the affordability and fairness of the energy market for consumers

The main regions for prepay energy meters

Prepayment energy meters have become increasingly popular in many countries around the world. However, the exact number of countries using prepayment meters is not easily ascertainable, as there is limited published data on the subject.

In Europe, prepay meters are widely used in countries such as the UK and Ireland. They are also used in some Eastern European countries, such as Bulgaria and Romania. In Africa, prepay meters are widespread in countries like Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria, where they have been implemented to improve revenue collection and reduce energy theft.

In Asia, prepay meters are used in countries such as India, Indonesia and Malaysia. In Latin America, the use of prepay meters is increasing in countries like Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.

Overall, the use of prepayment energy meters has been growing rapidly in recent years due to their numerous benefits.

What is the future of prepay metering?

The future of prepayment energy meters is likely to be shaped by ongoing changes in the energy industry, including advances in smart grid technology and evolving customer expectations. One of the most significant advancements in prepayment meter technology is the integration of smart technology. Smart prepayment meters offer greater energy saving opportunities, with the introduction of more intelligent energy management systems that can automatically adjust energy consumption to optimise savings.

Another potential future development is the use of blockchain technology. Blockchain could enable consumers to purchase and transfer energy credits securely and without intermediaries, reducing costs and increasing transparency. There is also an increasing focus on improving the customer experience when it comes to prepayment meters. Utilities are developing services to enable customers to top up credit easily and conveniently, whether through mobile apps, smart speakers or other digital tools. This will improve customer satisfaction and also help to reduce operational costs for utilities.

Takeaway

Prepayment energy meters are likely to remain an important tool for utilities to encourage energy efficiency and manage revenue collection. While there are some challenges with the technology, there are likely to be on-going advancements in both prepayment energy meters themselves and in supporting technologies that make them even more effective and convenient for customers.

Our energy service platform CLOUESP has a module for online-vending, strictly working on the STS system, based on the latest edition. If you have not prepared your vending for the upcoming token identifier TID rollover, or if you are looking for an advanced system, it’s a good time to talk to us.

At the Enlit Africa event in South Africa in May 2023, I seized the opportunity to engage with industry leaders and discuss strategies for preventing cable theft. The exchange of ideas and collaboration among attendees at the conference served as a valuable platform for progress in combatting cable theft and protecting critical infrastructure.

Copper is a valuable metal that is widely used in various industries due to its unique properties, including high electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance. As the demand for copper increases globally, the incidence of cable theft has also risen, resulting in significant economic losses and disruptions to critical infrastructure in various countries worldwide.

Global overview of cable theft

Cable theft refers to the act of stealing copper or aluminium cables or wires from various locations, including construction sites, railway tracks, telecommunications networks and power grids. This form of theft has become a global problem due to the increasing demand for copper and other metals, which has led to rising prices and the temptation for thieves to steal cables for resale.

The types of cables targeted by thieves include power cables, telecommunication cables, railway signalling cables and other cables that contain copper or other valuable metals. The cables are typically stripped of their insulation and then sold to scrap dealers, who will then sell the copper to smelters or exporters.

The global trends in cable theft indicate that this problem is on the rise, particularly in developing countries where security measures are less effective. In some countries, cable theft has become a serious threat to public safety and national security, as it can disrupt critical infrastructure. These disruptions can cause significant economic losses for businesses and governments and may also threaten public safety.

South Africa is considered one of the hardest-hit countries concerning cable theft. The widespread nature of the problem has had an enormous impact on the country’s infrastructure. With the simultaneous increase in electricity prices, businesses and consumers have had to pay more for their power, further exacerbating the problem. The South African government has implemented stringent measures to combat cable theft, including the establishment of a committee to reduce copper theft.

The estimated loss due to cable theft in South Africa is between $280 million and $370 million per year.

In India, cable theft has become a significant concern in recent years. The country’s rail authorities have been reporting a rise in cable theft incidents, resulting in significant economic losses. In 2018 alone, Indian Railways lost almost $33 million due to cable theft. The problem is particularly prevalent in urban areas, where thieves target overhead power lines and transformer stations. The Indian government has placed increased security measures and monitoring systems throughout the country to improve oversight and reduce theft rates.

The estimated loss due to cable theft in India is between $1.3 billion and $1.9 billion per year.

In the United Kingdom, cable theft is also a persistent challenge. The London Underground has been particularly affected, with thieves targeting transport infrastructure. In 2011, the UK government passed laws to deter cable theft, including making cash payments for scrap metal illegal and granting increased powers to the police to investigate theft incidents. Despite such measures, cable theft incidents still occur regularly and continue to impact the country’s energy infrastructure.

The estimated loss due to cable theft in the United Kingdom is between $620 million and $840 million per year.

In Australia, the National Copper Theft Taskforce was established in 2012 to coordinate with various organisations to reduce the incidence of cable theft in the country’s electrical and telecommunication networks. The task force has reportedly contributed to reductions in copper theft levels, although challenges remain in remote areas where theft cases continue to occur frequently.

There is no official estimate of the loss due to cable theft in Australia. However, a 2019 report by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) estimated that the cost of replacing stolen telecommunications cables was $10 million per year. This does not include the cost of lost productivity, damage to property, or other indirect costs.

Cable theft is also a problem in the United States, resulting in significant economic losses and disruptions to essential services such as electricity and telecommunications. The problem is particularly prevalent in urban areas, where thieves target underground cables and transformer stations. The causes of cable theft in the US are similar to those in other countries, with the high demand for copper and the high prices offered by scrap dealers driving the theft of cables. In addition, the US has also experienced an increase in the theft of catalytic converters, which contain valuable metals including platinum and palladium.

The estimated loss due to cable theft in the United States is between $1.5 billion and $2 billion per year. This includes the cost of replacing stolen cables, the cost of lost productivity, and the cost of damage to property.

The causes of cable theft in Brazil are similar to those in other countries. In addition, the country’s rapidly growing economy has led to an increase in the demand for electricity and telecommunications services, creating additional opportunities for cable thieves. The impacts of cable theft in Brazil are significant, with the country experiencing frequent power outages and disruptions to telecommunications services. In addition to the economic losses caused by these disruptions, cable theft has also resulted in increased crime rates, as criminals take advantage of the power outages to commit crimes.

In 2021, there were over 100,000 incidents of cable theft reported to the ABRATEL (Brazilian Association of Telecommunications Companies). This is a huge increase from the 50,000 incidents reported in 2015. The estimated loss due to cable theft in Brazil is between $120 million and $240 million per year.

Takeaway

Cable theft is a big problem that affects many communities worldwide. Criminals often target cables carrying electricity, telecommunications and transportation signals to make quick profits by selling them for scrap metal. These thefts can result in severe consequences, including power outages, communication disruptions and transportation delays. In some cases, cable theft has led to injury or death due to the interruption of critical services.

Governments and companies continue to implement measures to combat this issue, such as surveillance cameras, increased security and improved cable designs. However, cable theft remains a persistent problem that requires ongoing attention and action.

Clou Xmart distribution software is a powerful tool that can help utilities to optimise their networks and identify areas that are more prone to theft. This information can be used to deploy security measures, such as increased patrols or security cameras in areas that are at higher risk. If you are looking for a way to improve the security, efficiency, and customer satisfaction of your energy grid, then Clou Smart distribution management is the solution for you. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.

Author: Reinhard Guenther, Product Director, Clouglobal.

In today’s digitally-driven world, power quality is more important than ever before. Most electrical and electronic equipment in industries, offices, and homes require high-quality power to function correctly. The efficiency and productivity of equipment depend heavily on power quality.

Poor power quality leads to increased downtime, more fault conditions, and, in some cases, complete equipment failure. In addition, machines that rely on high-quality power run more efficiently, reduce energy waste, and decrease the risk of equipment damage, resulting in a significant reduction of operating costs.

What are the main factors that impact power quality?

The measure of electrical power’s capacity to meet the requirements of the devices, is influenced by multiple factors. Here are some of the significant factors:

Voltage Level
Many electronic devices work within a specific voltage range. Variations in the voltage level can cause the equipment to malfunction and cause power quality problems. Low voltages, for instance, can lead to reduced efficiency, and equipment damage, whereas high voltages can cause overheating and even equipment failure.

Unbalanced Voltage
Unbalanced voltage is a power quality issue where the three phases of a three-phase power system have different magnitudes, creating an asymmetrical waveform. This asymmetry can be caused by unbalanced loads, faulty connections, or phase-to-ground faults.
Unequal voltage levels in different phases of the system can cause unbalanced current flow, leading to overheating of equipment and reduced operating efficiency. Negative or zero-sequence components in the voltage waveform can lead to ground fault current flow, causing damage to equipment and creating safety hazards.

Voltage Sag
Voltage sag or dip is a temporary reduction of voltage below the normal level that lasts for a few cycles to a few seconds. It is caused by a sudden increase in load, a voltage drop in the power grid, or a fault in the system.

Voltage Swell
Voltage swell is a temporary increase in voltage above the normal level that lasts for a few cycles to a few seconds. It is caused by sudden changes in load or when a fault on the system is cleared.

Voltage Interruption
Voltage interruption is a complete loss of voltage for a short period of time. It can be caused by a fault in the distribution system or by lightning strikes, and it can last from a few milliseconds to a few minutes. This interruption can cause equipment to shut down or reset, causing damage or data loss.

Flicker
A flicker is a momentary or sustained variation of voltage characterized by rapid changes in magnitude. It is caused by sudden changes in load, such as the starting of large motors, or by the operation of certain power system equipment like arc furnaces, welding machines, or large drives. The variation in voltage can cause lighting to flicker, which can be noticeable and annoying to occupants. Flicker events are measured by their frequency and depth, and they can impact the performance and lifetime of electronic equipment.

Electrical interference
Interference occurs when noises from other sources, such as other electrical systems, power lines, or even radio transmissions, get mixed in with the electrical signal. Electrical noise can result in signal degradation that can interfere with the equipment’s functioning.

Lack of grounding
Grounding refers to connecting an electrical circuit to the earth. This helps ensure stability, reduce noise and interference, and prevent shocks from electrostatic buildup. Without proper grounding, sensitive electronic equipment can malfunction or become damaged.

Harmonics
Harmonics are higher-frequency electrical signals that contaminate the power delivered by utilities to businesses and homes. Electronic devices with nonlinear loads produce harmonics that can interfere with distribution equipment’s operation and cause damage to electrical equipment.

Power Factor
Power Factor (cosφ) is the relation between apparent power and active power. Inefficient systems tend to have more apparent power than active power, leading to wastage of energy and possibilities of equipment damages.

Transients
Transients refer to sudden and brief fluctuations in voltage or current that occur over a short period of time. They can be caused by events such as lightning strikes, switching operations, or faults in the power system. Transients can range from a few microseconds to several milliseconds in duration, and they can have a significant impact on the operation and reliability of electrical systems and equipment.
Transient voltage surge suppressors, surge protective devices, and other protective measures can be implemented to limit the effects of transients on electrical systems and equipment.

How to tackle power quality problems?

There are several ways to overcome power quality problems. Some of the common solutions are:

Conduct a power quality analysis
The first step to overcome power quality problems is to conduct a power quality analysis. This involves measuring power quality parameters such as voltage, current, frequency, and harmonics to identify any adverse power quality events.

Implement voltage regulation
Installing voltage regulation equipment, such as voltage regulators, stabilizers or transformers, can help regulate voltage fluctuations and maintain a stable power supply.

Use power conditioning equipment
Power conditioners, such as surge protectors, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and harmonic filters can help to mitigate the effects of power quality issues.

Use high-quality electrical equipment
Using high-quality electrical equipment, such as motors, transformers, and inverters, can reduce the occurrence of power quality problems.

Improve grounding and bonding
Proper grounding and bonding of electrical systems can help to eliminate ground loops and reduce noise and interference.

Train personnel
Training personnel on power quality issues and how to troubleshoot electrical equipment can help to identify and resolve power quality problems quickly.

Work with a power quality specialist
Consulting with a power quality specialist can help to identify potential power quality problems and provide recommendations for resolving them. Overall, overcoming power quality problems requires a multifaceted approach that includes identifying the root cause of the problem and implementing appropriate corrective measures.

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Takeaway

Power quality refers to the level of consistency, reliability, and stability of electrical power. It is important because any deviation from the expected levels of power quality can cause negative consequences such as equipment damage or malfunction, system shutdown, and data loss. Poor power quality can also lead to lower operational efficiency and higher maintenance costs.

Understanding power quality issues and taking measures to maintain good quality power is crucial to ensuring sustainable, safe, and efficient utilization of electrical systems and equipment. Our advanced energy meters, AMI-solutions and test equipment can point you in the right direction. Contact us for specific questions.

UL solutions is an independent US organisation that can be compared to the German TÜV.

Why is the UL marking or seal important?

Over the past century, Underwriters Laboratories has become the world’s best-known independent product safety certification organisation. Every year, millions of products and their components are tested according to strict UL safety standards. Therefore, the UL seal has a high priority, especially on the US market, as the product liability laws here are even stricter than in Europe. It ensures that products meet their set safety and quality standards.

Differences in certification

There is no general UL approval. Rather, it is divided into different stages:

• UL Recognised

The UL Recognised seal of approval is often issued for components that are used in a product with the UL Listed seal. These are, for example, printed circuit boards or power supplies.

• UL Listed

In comparison to the UL Recognised seal of approval, the UL Listed seal is awarded for entire products. For the award of the seal, the product is subjected to far more tests than are necessary for the UL Recognised seal.

The UL Listed seal means that the product has been tested by UL to nationally recognised safety and sustainability standards. A UL-listed approval thus ensures the safety and longevity of many household items under normal wear and tear in daily use and is therefore considered a quality feature, especially by US customers.

• UL Classified

UL-classified products are tested only for specific properties, a limited range of hazards, or suitability for use under restricted conditions. If a product is UL classified, it meets the requirements of one, but not all, of the tests that are normally part of a standard.

However, for obtaining a seal, there is not one test that is applied to all products to be tested. Rather, a test is always adapted to the product type. For this, there are different categories and classes, according to whose safety regulations the product is tested.

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In order to be allowed to use the UL seal in the long term, manufacturers must ensure that their certified products permanently meet the relevant safety requirements.

What is the difference between CE- and UL-certificates?

Unlike the European CE marking, the UL mark is not mandated by law.

The manufacturer agrees to follow the CE regulations by using the CE mark.

In comparison, devices that will bear the UL mark must be independently certified by UL.

A product bearing the CE symbol may also bear the UL or other seal of approval.

Takeaway

UL Solutions is an independent US organization that certifies products for the US market, similar to the German TÜV. For CLOU the UL certification is in place for electrical energy storage (ESS), while our energy meters for the North American market are holding ANSI (American National Standards Institute) certificates.

This virtual entity is capable of generating, storing, and distributing electricity more efficiently and cost-effectively than traditional power plants, making it an ideal solution for driving the energy transition away from fossil fuels.

How are virtual power plants different from conventional power plants?

The main difference between virtual power plants and conventional power plants is that virtual power plants are more agile, efficient and cost-effective. Virtual power plants can quickly respond to changes in demand and market conditions, which allows utilities to operate at optimal levels with less waste and lower operational costs.

Additionally, VPPs have the ability to quickly add and subtract generating resources to match current energy demands, making them more energy efficient than traditional power plants. Moreover, virtual power plants are easier to manage as they can be automated with the help of AI-analytics.

History and evolution of virtual power plants

Virtual power plants are a relatively recent development, but their roots go back to the early 2000s when energy companies recognized the need for more efficient means of energy generation and transmission. With the first rollouts of smart meters and their data acquisition capabilities, it was now possible to limit the load or disconnect certain appliances to shave the peak-load and overcome outages without ramping up another conventional power plant.

In many countries, it’s unacceptable to disconnect the power supply to the end customer, but certain appliances would cause no harm. Around the year 2010, CLOU already joined a project to disconnect the air-conditioner compressors in governmental buildings temporarily during peak loads.

The disconnection time was limited to max. 30 s, so the end users won’t feel it, since the fans keep running. This concept is a very basic example. Still, you can find it for e.g. car charging stations. Here, the utility can control together with charging services providers the individual charging current based on power availability.

The actual concept of virtual power plants is taking shape as technologies such as artificial intelligence and the internet of things become more advanced.

What is the actual status of Virtual Power Plants?

Nowadays, a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) is a network of distributed energy resources that are remotely connected and operated as one entity. The technology utilizes advanced analytics, communication and control to aggregate, monitor, and balance the energy supply and demand of the interconnected assets. The VPP’s role is to ensure a stable energy flow and system reliability while minimizing cost and emissions.

VPPs are usually composed of both renewable and non-renewable sources of energy, such as solar, wind, natural gas, or storage. These sources are connected through an array of sensors, meters, and communication technologies to a cloud-based platform that connects the distributed energy resources and provides real-time data.

Once the data from all the connected sources is received by the cloud platform, the VPP’s algorithm begins its work. This algorithm is responsible for predicting how much energy will be needed in each hour of the day based on historical data as well as other factors such as weather conditions. Then, it begins to optimize the energy supply from the connected resources to match the predicted demand. For prediction, artificial intelligence (AI) is strongly coming up.

In order to do this efficiently, the VPP must be able to communicate with the grid operators. This communication allows for two-way interaction: the grid operators can tell the VPP what is needed to keep the grid running smoothly, and the VPP can inform the grid operators of any changes in the energy supply due to weather or other disruptions.

By leveraging advanced technologies, VPPs are able to create a more flexible and efficient energy system. They allow for better integration of renewable energies while also helping reduce emissions and minimize cost. With their help, we can start to make significant strides towards our energy transition goals.

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The challenges of virtual power plants

Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) are an exciting technological development for energy transition, but they come with their own set of challenges. One of the most complex challenges is integrating VPPs into existing energy infrastructure. VPPs are designed to replace traditional centralized power generation models, meaning that there must be a significant shift in how energy is generated and distributed. This requires substantial changes to existing energy infrastructure and poses a challenge for utilities and grid operators to adapt to the new technology.

Another challenge that VPPs face is making sure the technology remains secure and reliable. Since VPPs rely on a network of decentralized energy resources, they are vulnerable to cybersecurity threats or outages. To ensure that VPPs remain secure, robust data collection and analysis methods must be in place. Additionally, VPPs need to be able to respond quickly and efficiently to changes in energy demand or supply. This can be difficult to do when relying on a large, distributed network of energy resources.

Finally, VPPs must have access to reliable sources of renewable energy in order to be successful. This can be difficult, as renewable energy sources tend to be more geographically dispersed than traditional fossil fuel sources. VPPs must be able to source energy from both local and regional sources in order to maintain a reliable supply.

While these challenges are significant, they are not insurmountable. With the right planning, implementation, and maintenance, VPPs can overcome these obstacles and provide a viable solution for the energy transition.

Takeaway

A Virtual Power Plant (VPP) is a network of distributed energy resources that are remotely connected and operated as one entity. The VPP’s role is to ensure a stable energy flow and system reliability while minimizing cost and emissions. A VPP doesn’t generate power. Its advantages are coming from smart distribution.

Our decentralized solutions on the energy storage level bear already all elements inside to act as local VPP and for integration into larger-scale systems.

Understanding how the power grid works

The power grid is a system solution that supplies electricity to homes and businesses. It is made up of generators, transmission lines, distribution networks, and transformers. The grid is managed by utility companies, who have the responsibility of ensuring that the electricity generated is distributed to all customers in an efficient and reliable manner.

In order to manage the power grid efficiently, utility companies use complex algorithms to predict the demand for electricity in each region they serve. This helps them balance supply and demand, thereby preventing outages and blackouts. It also helps them save money by avoiding costly overproduction or underproduction of electricity.

However, this system can be improved upon with the use of smart meters. Smart meters are devices that measure and record the amount of energy consumed in a given period of time. They are installed in homes and businesses and send the data they collect back to the utility companies. This data can then be used to better understand energy consumption patterns and optimize the power grid accordingly.

Have you read?
Re-energizing the future: The next German smart meter rollout
Power grid stability and renewable energy

How a smart meter AMI system can help?

Smart meter Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) systems are designed to help improve the overall efficiency and reliability of the power grid. By providing more accurate and detailed data about electricity usage, AMI systems can help identify areas where energy waste is occurring and allow for more efficient distribution and use of power.

This system solution can also help utilities identify customers with unusually high or low electricity use in order to target them for conservation campaigns, respective line loss and tamper detection.

In addition, AMI systems are able to monitor power outages in real time, allowing utilities to respond faster and more efficiently to address any issues that arise. The implementation of a smart meter AMI system would provide a great benefit to the power grid by allowing for better monitoring and improved efficiency.

What other benefits come with an AMI system?

The benefits of a smart meter AMI system extend far beyond just providing a more stable power grid. With the use of smart meters, electricity providers are able to create an automated system solution that can detect and address any unexpected events before they become a major problem. This system solution can be tailored to a customer’s individual needs, allowing them to have greater control over their electricity usage.

Additionally, this system allows customers to receive real-time data about their energy consumption, allowing them to make more informed decisions about how to use their electricity. Furthermore, a smart meter AMI system can provide utilities with accurate billing information, helping reduce the potential for human errors or discrepancies in billing. All in all, a smart meter AMI system is not only beneficial for providing a more stable power grid, but also for providing customers with enhanced control and accurate data.

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Are there any drawbacks to a smart meter AMI system?

When it comes to the power grid, installing a smart meter AMI system can provide various benefits, but there are also some drawbacks that should be taken into consideration. First of all, the cost of installing such a system solution can be quite expensive, as hardware and software have to be purchased and configured.

Additionally, the installation process can take quite a bit of time and money, as the necessary components need to be configured and installed properly in order for the system to work correctly. Another potential downside is that the system itself may require regular maintenance and upgrades to ensure that it is operating properly. Finally, data security concerns may arise when using a smart meter AMI system as data collected by the system needs to be kept secure and private.

Takeaway

Overall, while a smart meter AMI system can be an effective solution for improving the stability of the power grid, there are some drawbacks that should be taken into consideration when making a decision. It is important to weigh all of these pros and cons carefully before making an informed decision.

While the rest of Europe has completed or is about to complete its wide rollout of smart meters, Germany is nearly a decade behind.

Many things have grown simpler as a result of digitization. There are various conferences when no one needs to leave the house. This newspaper can be viewed the night before on tablets or mobiles. Almost any product is now available at any time thanks to the Internet.
Such digitization would be impossible without electricity – and there is no sign of digitalization.

As a result, the German government is now attempting to do what it does when things get stuck in the digital world: make a fresh start. Recently, the cabinet accepted the draft bill “to restart the digitalization of the energy transition”. Finally, intelligent electricity meters are about to become widely available, potentially benefiting millions of families.

Until now, most customers have had to rely on technology from the early twentieth century, known as the Ferraris meter. They simply measure kilowatt hours (kWh). Digital meters are already implemented for bulk consumers. They just present the measurement on a display.

The future begins when these meters may interface with network operators or gadgets – via so-called “smart meter gateways”. If it were up to the government, they should prevail by 2030.

What makes the rollout so complicated?

Germany agreed in 2012 to create meter connection via a gateway solution. It was known as MS2020 at the time (MS stands for measurement system).

The German government approved a nationwide smart meter rollout in early 2020, but it was halted before it could begin. According to statistics, smart meter penetration in Germany is around 1%. (End 2022).

A smart meter gateway is a connecting device that has been certified by the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and serves as an information interface between the energy provider and the consumer. A smart meter gateway may communicate with digital meters in the home (such as a digital electricity meter), energy systems in the home (such as a solar system on the roof), and external energy providers such as the electricity provider. For security reasons, data exchange via a smart meter gateway is always encrypted.

Because this gateway approach is unique in the globe, there is no opportunity to learn from other countries or solutions that have already been implemented. Standards have been created and frequently revised as a result of disagreements between manufacturers, providing utilities, BSI, and other parties concerned. A thousand formalities have prevented the breakthrough. Although there has been a “Law on the Digitization of the Energy Transition” since 2016. But especially around the gateways, it built up more hurdles than it removed elsewhere. The Federal Office for Information Security had to certify them.

However, at least three companies had to offer such measuring systems independently of each other. This finding alone became a Sisyphean task for the authority. Crazy requirements for shipping made it difficult to send modern meters at all. In the end, the smart meters were only installed where it was not possible without them. But not among the broad mass of households. Finally, in May 2022, the BSI has revoked the market availability declaration.

What happens now?

A restart should now ensure a mass rollout. For example, the law provides for an “agile rollout”: This means that certified devices can already be installed, even if they do not yet master all conceivable functions. This will be done later by software updates. Over time, more and more smart meters are to become mandatory, initially for consumers with electricity consumption of more than 100,000 kWh per year, such as commercial enterprises. This is followed by consumers with more than 6000 kWh – such annual consumption is already achieved by those who regularly charge an electric vehicle or operate a heat pump. Even those who generate electricity themselves, for example via a solar system with an output of more than 7 kW, will sooner or later have to measure smart.

This has advantages for both sides, for electricity customers and grid operators. The latter can more easily reconcile the supply and demand of electricity and have a better overview of what is going on where in their power grid. And electricity customers can benefit from variable tariffs. In some hours of the day, electricity becomes much cheaper for them, in others more expensive. If you can adjust your consumption to it, you really save money.

Every electricity supplier should have to offer a dynamic tariff.

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Fluctuations in the price of electricity

Such fluctuations in the price of electricity already exist. If, for example, the wind blows properly or the sun shines, the wholesale electricity price drops. However, the vast majority of consumers do not notice this, their contracts are as flexible as a Ferraris meter – basically not at all. From 2025, according to the law, every supplier will have to offer a dynamic tariff. And every electricity customer should also be able to benefit from a smart meter, even if his household consumes less than 6,000 kWh/year – and that within four months of commissioning. According to the draft law, intelligent measurement must not cost more than 20 € per year.

The general utility opinion is, that the government must make improvements. The law is due to enter into force in spring 2023.

Takeaway

To put it mildly, the original rollout strategy was poor.

We are continuing this unique approach and relying on globally proven technologies such as the DLMS protocol in conjunction with radio-frequency (RF) and power line communication, such as G3-PLC, for broad roll-outs.

You might remember the song Silent Night… all is calm…

For energy providers, the lyrics contain essential information for their generating- or purchasing capacities.
a) It’s night, so there is no possibility to use solar power
b) It’s calm, this excludes the power generation from wind farms

Let’s take Germany as an example. The German term ‘Energiewende’ has already been adopted by the international nomenclature, similar to the term Kindergarten.

Energiewende means the transition of power generation to a low-carbon and nuclear-free supply. When I read the pros and cons of Energiewende, I feel that there is a certain affinity to Kindergarten in argumentations.

True is that the transition to renewable energy comes together with high cost. Rumour is that Germany is the world leader in terms of energy cost per kWh. The price per unit in the Solomon Islands is higher.

When we look at the diagram we can still see an overproduction. The black line indicates the actual load. The grid control has still potential for optimization.

Wind- and solar power generation are not stable as expected. Fossil- and nuclear resources are necessary to keep fundamental energy generation.

If we consider only renewable resources, the diagram looks like this:

The white gap between the load curve and the generation by renewable energy sources needs to be filled somehow. Especially calm and silent nights will be a problem. There is a certain need for energy storage.

The main factor to measure the grid stability is the net frequency. If the load is higher than the power generation, the frequency drops. The allowed tolerance is 50 Hz ±0.2 Hz.

When the frequency drops below 49.8 Hz, the power generation companies activating their reserves. Below 49 Hz their start to disconnect regions, while a frequency of 47.5 Hz leads to a complete disconnection of all power plants from the grid. Then we have a Blackout, the grid needs to be reset and build up from scratch.

While TenneT and other large power generation- and transmission companies are claiming that renewable energy is responsible for instability of the grid, a study done by the Max-Planck-Institute Göttingen comes to a different result. The frequency variations are in alignment with the 15 minutes interval for energy trading. Still, I’m mentally more with TenneT.

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How can we contribute as CLOU?

Our AMI system delivers excellent results in monitoring. By nature all AMI systems are slow in direct meter control, see the incident in India.

From the meter side, there are still options which have never been requested, e.g. a frequency-based load limiting or sequential reconnection after a shoot-down. These measures can work instantly without remote control and distress the power supply situation. Contact us if you are interested.

Takeaway

With an increasing percentage of renewable energy in power generation we will see more disturbances in the grid. Many parties are involved to assure a proper power supply. We in CLOU are contributing with our technology.

In the next years, we will see more widespread use of smart meters in residential and commercial buildings in all regions of the world, combined with advanced integration software.

CLOU AI Symbol Image Advanced Flux Capacitor

Increasing Energy Demand due to Electric Vehicles.

As the popularity of electric vehicles grows, so does the need for more efficient and sustainable methods of powering these vehicles. Why do we still accept the conversion losses for DC-charging while we could supply DC power direct from a local energy storage container? With more efficient use of smart meters and other sensor components, energy companies can improve their data accuracy by receiving real-time readings from the meters instead of relying on estimates. This is improving the planning security, forecast and efficiency.

Life-Style transformation

The border between our personal and professional life will continue to shrink as we grow more connected. The technologies we use at home are to become networked with the ones we use at work. This pattern is already taking shape. In the after-COVID phase some companies are struggling to get their employees back from home-office. Smart home technology and autonomous power generation/storage will become more widely used in the next years.

One of the most significant changes affecting smart homes is a shift in the demographics of those who live in them. The number of people aged 65 and more is predicted to rise from 15 % in 2020 to 21 % by 2030. The Baby Boomer generation is reaching retirement age and will begin to downsize. This is noteworthy since this age group is more likely to require assistance with daily activities. In addition, they are much more likely to be on a limited income.

At the same time, there will be a growing number of single-person households. This will create a demand for smaller homes that are easier to maintain.

The Internet of Things (IoT)

The trend of the “Internet of Things” (IoT) is growing. More and more devices will be connected to the internet and to each other. This includes also energy meters and other metering devices. IoT will open up new opportunities for energy management service providers.

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Software and information technologies for a smarter grid

The Smart Grid will be made up of controls, computers, automation, and new technologies and equipment working together, much like the Internet. However, unlike the Internet, these technologies will cooperate with the electrical grid to digitally adapt to our rapidly changing demand for electricity.

To make sure that the advantages we anticipate from the Smart Grid become a reality throughout the actual transition phase, it will be crucial to conduct out testing, technical advancements, consumer education, establishment of standards and laws, and information exchange amongst projects. The following are some advantages of the Smart Grid:

• more effective power transmission
• faster power restoration following power outages
• reducing operational and administrative expenses for utilities
• reducing peak demands
• enhanced customer-owner power generation system integration
• large scale integration of renewable energy

Since more and more data have to be processed, there will be a certain additional demand for specialists or companies, like system integrators, data-analysts and network security experts. With rapidly increasing utilization of solar- and wind power, it’s also required to have a more precise weather forecast together with related data storage to build up a history and to improve the capacity planning for the next 24 hours.

Takeaway

The world is still in the transition phase to large-scale integrated smart grids. One additional challenge is the smooth integration of renewable energy sources together with energy storage technologies.

Enlit is a newly unified brand, composed by three global exhibition series, DistribuTech, Utility Week and Power-Gen.

The exhibition travels around European countries every year. In 2021, it was in Milan.

It has been the lighthouse of global energy industry and the most conductive and creative industrial exhibition, in terms of international smart power grid and smart metering, involving in every aspect of energy industries, for example, power generation, power distribution, smart grid, new energy, energy storage, smart city and all other energy industries.

Enlit Europe 2022

It is the only exhibition in the industry that gives over 15,000 energy industry professionals and power companies the opportunity to communicate and cooperate at the same time and place, who came from Europe, America, Asia and Africa.

The ENLIT EUROPE 2023 will be held in Paris France, from November 28 to November 30, 2023.

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Where Have We CLOU been

Although we cancelled our booth because of Covid-19 pandemic and other reasons, we had done some online promotion via SMART ENERGY website and The GUIDE magazine before the exhibition.

We also sent a sales manager and a product manager as representatives to take part in the exhibition, where they had a good face-to-face talk with acquainted and future customers from the aspect of ongoing projects, market future and product solutions.

How to understand the term ‘smart grid’

Since twenty years, an electrical supply system that is intended to increase operational effectiveness and give possibilities for incorporating distributed resources is referred to as a smart grid. Energy demand response and supplementary services are the two main segments that make up a smart grid’s operation.

The efficient management and delivery of conventional and renewable energy sources like solar, wind, hydropower and biomass can be made easier possible by advanced technologies.

A rapidly increasing number of distributed energy resource assets are linked to the power grid through the smart grid. Utilities are able to swiftly identify and address service faults by utilizing various communication methods to collect data on the smart grid. The automatic self-healing capability is an essential part of the smart grid concept.

The way to the smart grid

Everything is nowadays smart or claims to be, so also the smart grid. The term ‘Smart Grid’ is not easily tangible. The implementation is a mix of hard- and software products as well as operational services. Nevertheless, everything starts with proper measurements and data acquisition. This is possible since the 90s of the last century with large scale implementation of electronic energy meters and other sensors with communication capability.

Automatic meter reading (AMR) was the first step towards Smart Grid, though at that time the main focus was on the automation of manual work. It was now possible to automate processes like issuing a monthly invoice to the end user.

Then, with increasing communication capabilities, advanced meter management (AMM) solutions have gained significant popularity among the utilities and power companies. AMM was the first idea of integrating automated processes with data-driven decision-making.

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)

The AMM concept was the base for all actual AMI solutions. Fast decision-making is essential because utilities and electricity providers must cope with increased operational pressure. AMI, or advanced metering infrastructure, enables utilities to adjust to shifting consumer demand, such as widely distributed power resources and rapidly rising usage of electric cars.

Upcoming communication technologies are allowing assessment of metering- and grid issues by streaming data, which can digest and interpret millions of messages in real-time. These developments contribute to a faster grid modernization process, which opens up new utility operations opportunities and improves customer satisfaction.

To acquire data from nodes like domestic or industrial customers as well as from the grid distribution, electronic energy meters with communication modules are needed. Given the lifespan of the meters and the quick pace of technological progress, it is preferable that these modules be exchangeable. Currently, the most widely used channels of communication include:

• Power Line Communication (PLC)
  PLC uses existing power-line installations for communication purposes. This has the advantage of exploiting existing infrastructure without the need to install special cables or other devices. The PLC technology is the most widely used smart metering option because it is simple to integrate PLC modules into meters. PLC solutions have a communication success rate of about 98 %. They are cost-effective for mass roll-outs, but not perfect.
• Radio Frequency (RF) Mesh
  RF mesh communication is a type of wireless communication that uses a mesh network of meters to communicate. Mesh networks are self-healing up to a certain extent due to the redundancy of communication paths.
• Hybrid RF & PLC
  The G3-PLC Alliance has developed the first hybrid industry standard, providing enhanced capabilities for IoT and smart grid applications in a single, fully managed network. Each device in the mesh network has the ability to communicate using both PLC and RF. Messages between two devices are delivered over the “best” possible channel based on the real field conditions. Each network link’s channel selection is carried out automatically and dynamically.
• Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN)
  The LoRaWAN specifications are defined by the LoRa Alliance. The carrier method itself is proprietary, owned by Semtech (LoRa). LoRa networks need its own infrastructure like gateways and antennas, but can be commonly used. The implementation is mainly done by telecommunication companies. Some countries like The Netherlands and Switzerland have already a full coverage.
• Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT)
  This communication method makes use of authorized telecommunication frequency bands, such as 5G and LTE. The fact that there is an existing communications network is advantageous. Nevertheless, when more smart meters are installed, it will need to be improved. Smart metering through NB-IoT will boost the telecommunication capacity by a factor of 8 according to a case study from Germany.

Communication interoperability

Advanced metering infrastructure requires communication interoperability, since it enables grid devices to communicate with one another. Grid operators can more effectively monitor and control the grid due to this interoperability, which is necessary for the grid to operate properly and with less maintenance. Since May 2022, all of the above communication methods are successfully standardized across WiSUN, LoRAWAN and NB-IoT networks in Liaisons projects for usage together with the DLMS protocol. The DLMS User Association has released the new versions of the ‘Blue and Green’ Books (14 and 10 respectively) – the tested and approved updates of the DLMS/COSEM Standard.

Another important communication standard is the Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA). The transfer of electricity, the movement of gas and oil via pipelines, the distribution of water, traffic lights, and other systems that form the backbone of modern civilization are just a few examples of the physical processes that SCADA systems are used to control and monitor.

One example of energy distribution are RTUs, sometimes referred to as remote terminal unit. These devices are connected to the supervisory computer system and to sensors and actuators. RTUs typically conform to the programming standard IEC 61131-3 and include embedded control capabilities.

AMI and SCADA systems are a part of each country’s critical infrastructure. The security of these systems is crucial because their compromise or destruction will have an effect on several societal aspects that are far from the initial compromise. While AMI systems with the DLMS security features are considered to be safe against attacks, SCADA systems are lagging behind.

The smart grid approach

Smart grids combine generation, storage and consumption of electrical power. In order to compensate power variations in the grid, particularly those caused by variable renewable energy, a central control system ideally coordinates them. Decentralized energy management systems and information and communication technologies are used to connect the various parts of the system.

It’s quite clear that a smart grid can’t be set up without proper working AMI and SCADA systems. In addition, each system includes n+1 modules which have to interact and communicate. The core task to gain benefit from a smart grid is to logically combine all available information.

The technological issues can be overcome. Aligning the various electricity producing, transmission, and distribution businesses is more difficult since no one wants to exchange data. Due to the fact that Italy and France’s grids are (mostly) state-owned, they are in a good position. This additional issue is one that excessively deregulatory nations must deal with.

Takeaway

A smart grid is the logical consequence of AMI solutions and the result of an evolutionary process. It is necessary to test and gradually incorporate new controls, notably the SCADA components. In addition to the smart grid concept, utilities still have a lot of room to improve metering and data collecting at the AMI level. If you have any questions, get in touch with us.

Distributed energy resources (DER), which are constructed close to users, aim to increase the efficiency and security of energy supply with the usage of renewable energies. For this, the systems must be designed with objectives in mind. An ideal supply concept therefore requires the most thorough understanding of the local demand for power and heat relative to the central supply. Decentralised supply can come in many forms and can supply anything from a community or village to a vast metropolis areas. Load profiles can be used to estimate the demand for power.

While a single customer’s load profile includes high demand peaks, combining the load profiles of numerous customers results in uniformity. Overall, the collective’s DER supply, particularly one that includes a mix of homes, offices and businesses, has benefits.
Closed de-central supplied areas, which are connected to the public grid in normal operation by defined interfaces, can be operated virtually independently of the grid with the right technical tools.

Such self-containing sub-grids are also called microgrids. Via a central energy management system, decentralised generation plants can also be bundled and supplemented with operating and monitoring functions in such a way that they form a so-called virtual power plant.

What are the advantages of a microgrid?

• The microgrid’s adjustable power sources and energy storage devices can smooth out the fluctuations in renewable energy production, enhancing the quality of the power.
• A microgrid’s capability to operate in either grid-connected or island-mode is a fundamental characteristic. The microgrid exchanges electrical energy with the large-scale power system when it is operating in grid-connected mode.
• Energy service providers can supply electricity in isolated areas without the requirement for connectivity to long distance transmission lines thanks to the microgrid’s ability to operate independently. This opens up a new area for commercial activity and benefits the country’s infrastructure and the people.
• Microgrids can increase grid resilience by offering backup power in the event that the main grid is disrupted.

Typical use cases for micro-grids
Increasingly, microgrids are being used to provide power for remote or underserved communities, campuses, military bases, commercial and industrial facilities, and other critical infrastructure. Some additional examples:

• Hotels and recreation facilities at remote beaches or on islands, where a power company would never invest in an on-grid connection
• Mining companies in the outback
• Hospitals and other critical infrastructure relying on a continuous power supply, especially in countries with excessive load shedding
• General grid stabilisation on utility distribution level

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Takeaway
A microgrid is a scaled-down electric grid that only covers a small geographic area. It is considered as a possible solution for the issue of renewable energy sources with variable output, like solar and wind. Microgrids can be used to provide power to a single building or a group of buildings, and can be designed to be disconnected from the main grid in case of an emergency. The main advantage of a microgrid is that it can be used to store energy.

We have a wide range of products and a long experience in microgrids. This includes metering with import and export measurement, as well as inverter/converter technologies and energy storage. Besides turn-key solutions, we also deliver various components to our customers.

The project includes 60 sets of 5MWh battery storage systems and 30 sets of 5MWh medium voltage power conversion systems.

The two systems are certified by UL, GB/T, CE and IEC standards, and the project meets the requirements of GB 36276 and UL 9540A certifications.

It uses CLOU’s new generation 1500V prefabricated energy storage system of high energy density, featuring high cycling, high stability, high efficiency and rapid installation.

The partner company of this project is a pioneer of clean energy industry in Ningxia region, Northwestern China. It ranks first in terms of total installed capacity of clean energy in the area.

Conclusion
The project will further stabilise CLOU’s market share and brand influence to bring more cooperation.
CLOU will continue to boost the low-carbon and green development of the industry through core technology and system solutions.

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A significant portion of this yield is used to update and expand the country’s grid infrastructure. However, there are several factors that are unnecessarily raising utility costs and, as a result, user costs.

Cable and components theft
Cable theft is a kind of organised crime that has directly affected businesses, communities and the economy. It has an impact on the electricity, telecommunications and transportation sectors, and power companies spend a significant amount of money each year replacing stolen cables and restoring vandalised infrastructure as a result of cable theft.
The main cause of cable theft is the high demand for copper, a material that was essential to the industrialisation of the world. Copper continues to be a crucial part of infrastructure for many industries, even if its uses have evolved and technology infrastructure has advanced. Due to copper’s high value as a commodity, there is unavoidably a black market for this metal.
Some power companies say that cables are stolen faster than they are replaced.

In various regions, even complete transformers and electricity poles are reported to be stolen.

Theft of oil from transformers
Removing oil from a transformer can severely damage it due to overheating, resulting in power outages as well as a fire hazard. Nevertheless, the number of reported cases is growing. Between January 2019 and September 2020, the Indian power distribution company BSES lost 88m3 of oil from 120 transformers.

Theft of electrical energy
The illegal act of stealing electricity is known as electricity theft. As long as electricity has been distributed, electricity theft has existed. There are several ways to steal electricity, from simple ones like simply connecting to a power line to more complex ones like manipulating electrical meters. The majority of electricity theft occurs in poorer regions, where insufficient and unstable power grids are present. With rapidly increasing unit costs, the developed countries are also impacted.

Conclusion
In addition to higher government subsidies and increased rates for paying customers, these issues also put the public’s safety in danger in some regions with risky illegal power hookups. High non-technical losses are a threat to the financial strength of the electric utilities in many countries.
We, as energy services provider, have the competence and solutions to reduce the theft of electrical energy and other non-technical losses.

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Currently, it is still the case that the residual load is largely covered by energy from conventional sources. Other renewable energy sources to minimise the residual load can be, e.g., power generation from bio mass.

How to calculate the residual load?
Residual load is the remaining electricity demand that renewable energies cannot cover. The graphic below, an example taken from Germany, shows the actual load versus the residual load for August 2022.

The upper curve indicates the required load. We can see the demand peak at noon and can easily identify the weekends with less load.
Important is the lower curve. It shows the remaining energy which has to be generated by other means.

Why are there such huge fluctuations in the residual load?
Electricity demand is never steady. The amount of power users need at various times depends on a number of factors. For instance, demand is lower in good weather than in bad weather and higher during the chilly winter months than during the warm seasons. The use of electrical devices or the growing number of electric vehicles both during the day and at night have an impact on the demand for electricity. Therefore, daytime fluctuations of 60GW to 70GW are typical. The residual load is directly impacted by this.

Only as much electricity being drawn from the system as is fed into it is essential for supply security. If not, grid instabilities happen and smooth electricity transport is challenged. Because of this, there needs to be a constant balance between the input and output of electricity. The residual load varies depending on this, sometimes growing and sometimes shrinking.

Still, the two renewable energy sources, wind and sun, are mostly to blame for variations in the energy supply. Since these have a heavy reliance on the weather, it is challenging to predict their energy source potential, which fluctuates. The level of residual load and the significance of conventional energy providers also changes based on how severe the grid fluctuations caused by these renewable energy sources are.

An additional problem is a silent night. There is a possibility that during weather- or seasonal darkness or due to continuous weak winds, security of supply will no longer be guaranteed because of the instability of electricity generation from solar and wind power. This leads to a significant increase in power outages.

Negative and positive residual load
In the above graphic, we see that the residual load reaches, at certain days (Sundays, noon), almost zero. What this means is that during period only a little fraction of fossil generated power was needed.
If the residual load goes negative, the whole demand is covered and the remaining produced energy can be stored or converted for later usage. This will come in the future, but now the main challenges are to transport the energy to the regions where it’s needed. Sunshine and wind are not equally distributed inside a country.

Takeaway
The remaining demand for electricity that renewable resources cannot provide is known as residual load. It will take still some time until the residual load shifts permanently below the zero-barrier. Our technologies for demand site management and energy storage can support to reach this target.

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Note: since IEC62052-11 Ed.2 the name for the internal relay is Supply Control Switch (SCS).

A latching relay keeps its contact position indefinitely without power applied to the coil. The advantage is that the coil consumes power only for an instant moment while the relay is being switched and the relay contacts retain this setting across a power outage.

It is located between the supply input and load output terminals of the energy meter.
The relay is able to make, carry and break all values of currents between the minimum switched current rating to the rated breaking current for all values of the rated operating voltage range and the specified operating temperature range of the meter.

For prepayment meters (see also IEC 62055-31)

The rated breaking current (I_c) shall be equal to I_max of the payment meter.

The minimum switched current shall be equal to the nominal starting current of the payment meter.

The rated breaking voltage (U_c) shall be equal to the upper limit of the extended operating voltage range of the payment meter.

The load switches have different categories for utilisation. (UC = Utilisation Category)

The payment meter load switching utilisation category is subject to the purchase agreement between the payment meter supplier and the purchaser and shall be marked on the label of the payment meter as UC1, UC2, UC3 or UC4.

UC1

Category UC1 is applicable to payment meters rated at maximum currents up to 100 A. There is no requirement for the load switch to also switch the neutral circuit. The short time overcurrent is acc. to IEC 62053-21 for meters for direct connection (30* I_max for half cycle).

Payment meters with load switching category UC2, UC3 or UC4 shall have the following properties:

a) capable of making and breaking negligible currents of specified values

b) capable of making, breaking and carrying rated currents of specified values

c) capable of making into fault currents with specified value and under specified conditions

d) capable of carrying short-circuit currents of specified value for a specified time period and under specified conditions

e) not required to provide safety isolation properties in the open contact position. These are requirements for the installation mains isolation switch

f) not required to break overload currents or short-circuit currents. These are requirements for fuses and circuit breakers that are normally used to protect the installation.

For detailed information refer to IEC 62055-31, annex C.

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The optical interface and communication heads for smart meters from almost every manufacturer are specified in the IEC 62056-21. (The US-American ANSI C12.18 is not covered by this article.)

Main functions that can be accessed using optical communication

• Billing data readout
• TOU (Time of Use) readout and modification
• Billing period reset
• Register and profile resets
• Parameter readout and modification
• Communication input settings
• Analysis and diagnostic functions

Note: During the production process, electronic meters need to be adjusted. This is done by writing correction values in a dedicated memory inside the meter. These correction values are protected against external access and can not be overwritten once the meter has left the manufacturing site. There are different protection solutions. Some manufacturers are using the optical port for adjustment and later lock this memory section. CLOU meters are using a special port on the PCB for adjustment, which has no physical connection with the infrared port in compliance with the Measuring Instruments Directive (MID).

Protection of the Optical Port

The IEC specification defines the following communication modes:

• Mode A
  Supports bidirectional data exchange at 300 baud without baud rate switching. This protocol mode permits data readout and programming with optional password protection.
  
• Mode B
  Offers the same functionality as protocol mode A, but with additional support for baud rate switching.

• Mode C
  Offers the same functionality as protocol mode B with enhanced security and manufacturer-specific modes.

• Mode D
  Supports unidirectional data exchange at a fixed baud rate of 2400 baud and permits data readout only.
  
• Mode E
  Allows the use of other protocols.

For the password command, the following command type identifiers are defined:

– 0 data is operand for secure algorithm

– 1 data is operand for comparison with internally held password

– 2 data is result of secure algorithm (manufacturer-specific)

These defined command type identifiers allow static passwords (1) or a manufacturer-specific challenge-response algorithm (0 and 2). Furthermore, operation mode C supports manufacturer-specific enhanced security, which is out of the scope of the IEC standard.

Besides this password protection, the IEC standard defines a set of security levels for use in combination with mode C.

• Access level 1
  Only requires knowledge of the protocol to gain access.

• Access level 2
  Requires a password to be correctly entered.

• Access level 3
  Requires operation of a sealable button or manipulation of certain data with a secret algorithm to gain access.

• Access level 4
  Requires physical entry into the case of the meter and effecting a physical change, such as making/breaking a link or operation of a switch, before further communications access is allowed.

Practical security implementation

The safest method for optical port protection is an authentication by a challenge-response algorithm. This requires that each meter has a unique key. The complex key administration is a back-draw for optical port communication because each handheld or PC needs to keep the meter specific key, while each meter needs to keep the PC specific key. For remote access (AMI systems) this procedure is recommended.

The CLOU risk analysis shows that the most suitable approach is to use a password for read-only operations, together with a manufacturer specific data encryption. For writing operations the terminal cover must be open.

Once the terminal cover is opened and unauthorised the meter is recording a tamper event. Depending on the meter type the relay trips and in case of an AMI system, the tamper event is forwarded to the centre.

A sealing of the optical port itself does not provide additional security (personal opinion of the author).

Nevertheless we had some customer requests for a sealable optical port.

Take a look at our CL710K20 or our K23 series. These meters are optional and available with a sealable port.

Read more from Shenzhen CLOU.

Those meter installations can be faulty at different points:

• the instrument transformer ratio does not match with the meter
• typical mistake is a wrong programmed meter
• the fault can be figured out by checking the meter accuracy on the primary side
• the burden of the instrument transformer does not match with the installation
  
  Typical mistakes are:
• wiring is too long or wrong cross section
• a backup meter is installed and overburdens the installation
• the fault can be figured out by doing a burden measurement
• the instrument transformers have a ratio- or phase displacement error
• the fault can be figured out by doing a instrument transformer test
• the meter accuracy is out of range
• old electromechanical meters (ferraris meters) have worn-out upper and lower bearings. If you hear a scratching sound coming from the rotating disc it’s likely possible that the meter is running too slow.
• wrong installation (tamper or mistake of the installer)
  
  This is the part I saw most often. Let’s take a closer look at this.

Wrong Installation
The screenshots below are taken from our wiring simulator.
This simulator is part of the portable test equipment RS350.

In our example we have a three-phase four wire CT-operated meter 2500/5 A, like it’s installed in shopping malls and for small industry. We assume that the consumption is equal to the nominal load.

The wiring looks like this:

What happens when by mistake an instrument transformer for one phase is reversed?

We see that this simple mistake is causing a loss of 66%. Or in terms of money $165,600 per month. (20ct/kWh)

In Germany, utilities are inspecting CT installations every 6 months. CT/PT installations are inspected every 3 months.

Conclusion

The real loss reduction does mainly comes mainly from good maintenance of the transformer operated metering installations.

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The meters are initially calibrated when leaving the factory.

How long is this calibration valid?
This is not a manufacturer’s decision. The calibration validity is fixed by the national metrological institute of the country where the meters are used. Power supply companies or utilities can set up their own more restricted rules.

Example Europe:
The measurement instrument directive (MID) requires a first calibration done at the manufacturer site. Common practice is to do a re-check on sample base after eight years with portable meter test equipment. If the sample lot is inside of the accuracy class and no other negative observations, the meters are allowed to stay in the grid for another four years. Then the installed batch is sampled again.

Why is it necessary to recalibrate the meters?
Each electrical measurement instrument has an annual drift. This means it changes the accuracy slightly. So it will reach sometime when the accuracy limits. An interesting fact is that the meter can move either to a positive or negative direction even when produced with components from the same batch.

Good thing: The annual drift is under linear reference conditions. You can build up a history and make a prediction for the future.

For active power CLOU energy meters class 1 have an annual drift of 60ppm to 100ppm (0.01%). So, after 20 years in the field we will have an accuracy change of ±0.2%. It’s essential that the evaluation of the initial calibration is considering this drift.

All CLOU energy meters class 1 have an initial error of less than ±0.4%.
Keep an eye on the maximum initial error when you are sourcing energy meters.

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As a result, the merit order is unaffected by a power generation technology’s fixed costs. Up till the demand is covered, power plants with larger marginal costs are added.

Graphically, the principle appears like this:

Merit order dictates the price
The merit order market model, resulting from the so-called pay-as-clear procedure, has been used continuously since the deregulation of the electricity market more than 20 years ago (Germany since 1998). It was established to ensures that the exact amount of electricity is available to meet demand.

After many years of experience, purchasers, such as electricity traders, local utilities and industry are capable of accurately anticipating how much energy would be needed the following day and receive adequate offers. The cheapest provider, the priority producers of renewable energies, receives the contract in the first phase. These used to have a price of 0 cents at first. The offers of nuclear power, coal and gas come next.

The electricity prices are fixed for the next day (day ahead market) at the European Energy Exchange (EEX) in Leipzig, Germany. The energy producers offer the capacity of their power plants in the daily auctions for their marginal costs. The power supply companies are putting their orders to fulfil their demand for the next day.

The intersection of supply and demand determines exchange prices in the power market.

The final offer that is subject to a surcharge is known as the “market clearing price” (MCP) or “spot price.”

The stock exchange price for all engaged power plants is decided by the power plant with the highest marginal costs. Power plants can operate a surplus if they can give a cheaper price than the power plant used with the highest cost. The contribution margin balances the company’s own fixed expenses.

The merit order effect of renewable energies
Permanently dropping electricity production costs change the position of conventional power plants within the merit order. A recent example of such an effect is the increased feed-in of renewable energy sources (photovoltaics, wind energy, biomass). Peak-load power plants are falling far behind in the merit order as new photovoltaic and wind power facilities with marginal costs close to zero join the market.

The energy industry refers to this phenomenon as the merit order effect (MEO) of renewable energies. Conventional power plants still have to compensate for residual load – the remaining electricity demand that renewable energies cannot cover.

What are the back draws?
Merit order is a static description model that can be used to represent short-term electricity pricing. However, the model would also need to take into consideration long-term consequences in order to be able to predict long-term trends in electricity prices.
The merit order effect does not immediately reduce the cost of electricity, as the high investment costs for power generation plants from renewable energies are not taken into account.

The enormously high investment and decommissioning costs of nuclear power facilities and the true overall costs of renewable energies are also not accurately reflected.

The pay-as-clear-based merit order mechanism also requires the trade of all the electricity through the Leipzig Stock Exchange, however this is not always the case. Some producers consume their own electricity. In addition, utilities have long binding contracts for over 85% of the energy demand. So the actual cost explosion in electricity is only the beginning.

Especially for Germany, with phasing-out of nuclear power a low cost power generation element is gone and has to be replaced with other sources. The last and, at the same time, most expensive power plant is decisive for electricity pricing. Since these are currently the gas-fired power plants, high gas prices inevitably lead to an increase in electricity prices.

What are the alternatives?
Even if they are compensated through subsidy systems, renewable energy plants have a feed-in priority under the established pay-as-clear mechanism, leading to their acceptance at the auction.
At present, however, renewable energies are rarely able to fully meet demand. Flexible and constantly available systems, such as storage systems or thermal power plants, provide a solution for this.
An alternative for the actual pay-as-clear is the so-called pay-as-bid (bid price model). The underlying idea is that the awarded power plant providers receive payment for the pricing they have expressly stated. The market price in this situation would be established after all awarded bids were made known.

The European Union recently proposed to limit the maximum price per MWh for renewables to €200 ($196). This automatically leads to less investment in the expansion of photovoltaics and wind power. Energy producers need planning security to make the necessary investments in electricity generation. The risk of not having enough electricity to fulfil demand is growing in the lack of proper planning and security.
An excess profit tax is also under discussion, while a gas levy law is already cancelled in Germany before it came into force. (Update: three hours after initial publishing, the gas levy will most likely start in October, 2022).

Conclusion
Is the merit order energy trading obsolete? The energy market is evolving, and arriving at the answer to this question is complex. The merit order is an economic principle used to dispatch generation in a competitive electricity market. Any change, especially political intervention, will lead to unpredictable side effects.

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What the Exhibition Was
This exhibition was jointly held by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Smart Energy Power Association (SEPA).

It was the biggest exhibition and fair of solar energy and energy storage in America and across the world.
Global leading companies of clean energy industry gathered there to boost their own businesses and to promote the industry development.

What We Showed There
CLOU, a pioneer of the electrochemistry energy storage field, launched there the newest North-America-version air cooling energy storage system, liquid cooling energy storage system and power conversion system (PCS).

The two energy systems meet the requirements of various standards, like UL 1973, UL 9540, UL 9540A, NFPA 855, UN 38.3 and IEC 62619.

The PCS design fulfills the requirements of the standards of UL 1741, UL 1741SA and IEEE 1547.

Attracted by CLOU’s competitive products and solutions of energy storage, a lot of new energy developers, investors and operators visited our booth with detailed commercial negotiations and technical communication.

Conclusion
Having engaged in energy storage for more than ten years, CLOU has independently developed PCS, battery system, battery management (BMS), and energy management system (EMS), as well as system of operating, maintaining and analysing the whole life period of energy storage.

CLOU always has the lead in the industrial chain layout of energy storage as well as product assembly and design.
In recent years, CLOU has expanded its international energy storage business in a rapid speed and now it involves in North and South Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania.

Read more news from Shenzhen CLOU.

The Billing

Car charging devices for domestic use behind an energy meter don’t need to be extra calibrated, because the billing is done on total energy meter consumption and the utility makes sure that the domestic meter has a valid calibration.

An eventual meter inside the wall box can give a better overview for the energy consumption related to charging. For some countries (like the UK) a remote disconnection becomes mandatory for stopping the charging process during peak times. This is most practically done with a smart meter.

For charging at public places, there are different payment principles. As long as the charging is free (Tesla was doing this for a while), or charging is done by a fixed payment amount, e.g. charging per hour, there is no need for calibration; the user knows the cost in advance.

Time-based payment has an advantage in that the parking space is not blocked for a long period. A Tesla driver has recently blocked a charging station in Amsterdam for eight weeks to park for free.

As soon as the user has to pay for the charged kWh (Kilowatt-hours), there must be a calibrated energy meter inside the charging pile

Recent news from Germany claims that all 1,800 installed Tesla chargers and several chargers from other vendors are illegal because the billing is not traceable accurate.

Calibration is an essential part of the German law (Eichrecht), but it seems that the provincial institutes have the suitable equipment for testing and at the same time, the charging piles need to be modified to hold meters. Tesla charging piles in China have a calibrated meter built-in by default.

Additional questions can occur, whether a fast DC charger is allowed to be billed on the AC side – there are conversion losses.

What we can do

According to Chinese regulations, all charging piles for public access must have a calibrated energy meter. DC charging has to be billed on DC side. CLOU has the related components, such as:

• DC energy meters with remote access
• DC reference standards
• DC meter test benches
• Portable devices for pile testing on actual load
• Stationary charging pile test equipment for production with programmable loads
• Transportable accuracy test equipment, including loads to generate computer controlled test values
• AC and DC charging piles
• Wall boxes

All our equipment is designed and in use to fulfil strict Chinese regulations. For our partners outside of China, we are delivering components and related software. The integration of country specific rules is done together with our engineers.

Ask us for more details.

Conclusion

It’s important for everyone involved in charging electric vehicles — from the charger operator through to the utility — that chargers are calibrated correctly in order that all parties can trust in the accuracy of what’s being reported and billed.

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The IEC 61358 (later referred to as old) was published in May 1996 and withdrawn in September 2008. The old standard has been replaced by IEC 62058-11 and IEC 62058-31.

These new standards take special care regarding electronic energy meters while the old standard was written at a time when electromechanically energy meters were wide spread.

For full wording see introduction of IEC 62058-11

This standard (IEC 62058-11)… and IEC 62058-31… cancels and replaces the following standards..

IEC 61358 Acceptance inspection for direct connected alternating current static watt-hour meters for active energy (classes 1 and 2).

While IEC 62058-11 is dealing with the general acceptance methods, for this document the relevant part is the IEC 62058-31 (later referred to as new).

In other words, the old standard has already been cancelled for more than eight years.

The guaranteed stability date of the new standard was 2018. Soon we can expect either a updated release of the IEC 62058 family or a “very new” standard.

From a legal point of view, an end-customer (the domestic user) can claim that the initial verification done by the old standard is not valid. The comparison below covers only the essential part for the metrology. Differences in the sampling methods are not covered. Comments are in cursive.

The IEC committee had certain reasons to reduce the time and voltage:

1. The electronic meters have a plastic housing together with a printed circuit board. The historical events of poor wiring insulation versus a metal housing are not occurring anymore.

2. The lifetime of an e electronic meter is increasing by putting less stress on the PCB board.

Electronic energy meters are much more accurate than electromechanical meters, therefore all error tolerances are reduced.

OLD Item 8.6, Test No.10

Verification of the meter constant:

Principle:

Difference between metrological pulse output and display increment.

Allowed error: +/- 0.2%

Here we have a comparison of pulses generated by the rotating disk or pulse output with the recorded energy. This means, on top of the error evaluation limits (Tests No.4…9) an additional +/-0.2% error for display incrementing is allowed on top of the +/-1.5% error (considering tests are done with Imax).

The reason behind this is a possible additional error coming from the gear-driven mechanical counters.

NEW Item 5.7, Test No.10

Verification of the register:

Principle:

Difference between injected energy and incremented energy on display.

Allowed error: +/- 1 %

Here the register increment is compared with the real injected energy by the source.

There is no additional error allowance. The +/- 1% limits for class 1 on Imax are still valid. This measurement gives the utilities the evidence that the billing is aligned with the meter accuracy.

Nevertheless we expect that this standard will also change in the future because of the rapidly increasing meter accuracies.

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Reshaping the management of power distribution and power consumption with IoT technology, CLOU provides a complete solution for smart energy management.

Highlighted in this post are the notable differences to consider between technical loss and non-technical loss, which occur within the electrical distribution network.

Technical loss vs non-technical loss

Technical losses occur in the transfer of electrical current between electrical installations. While they cannot be mitigated in their entirety, they can be calculated and significantly reduced through the correct installation methods and practices.

These losses can occur when the following happens:

• Losses due to conductor resistance
• Losses due to induction of electromagnetic fields
• Dielectric losses due to insulation material between the conductors
• Losses due to harmonic distortion
• Losses due to poor earthing

Non-technical losses are more difficult to reduce. For technical debugging on-site test equipment can solve many cases. For customers who don’t pay their bills, prepayment meters can be installed. AMI systems can evaluate the efficiency of distribution transformers and identify regions with hooking.

These losses can occur when the following actions are taken:

• Meter tampering 
• Hooking or bypassing the meter
• Wrong programmed instrument transformer ratios in the meter
• The burden for instrument transformers is too high
• Wrong meter readings
• Meter is faulty or out of accuracy class
• Unpaid electricity bills

You might be interested in more content from CLOU:
When do I need Isolation Current Transformers?
Power in high voltage lines: lost in transmission

About Shenzhen CLOU

Founded in 1996, Shenzhen CLOU Electronics Co., Ltd, is a national high-tech enterprise, and was listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2007.

CLOU provides core technologies and system solutions in the fields of smart grid, energy storage, new energy vehicle charging and operation, and integrated energy services.

CLOU accelerates the pace of internationalization and has provided integrated energy solutions for hundreds of countries and regions around the world with its core technology by independent innovation.

CLOU is committed to becoming the benchmark enterprise in the field of new energy services and a world-class energy services provider.

Visit: www.clouglobal.com

If you can’t find the links (red arrows) on the meter terminal block you need to use ICTs for testing.

And why?

All electronic meters have a power supply, linked between phases and neutral. These power supplies have a consumption (see e.g. IEC62053-21, #7.7.1). According to the Kirchhoff’s Circuit Laws a fraction of the test current will be used by the power supply. This leads to a current-drop on the next test position and to an increasing error from position to position.

The smaller the test current, the higher is the impact on error measurement.

And how does an ICT overcome this problem?

An ICT is principally a transformer with a 1:1 ratio. You have a primary side (where the source is injecting the current) and a secondary side with the connections to the meter. The test voltage is individually provided to each meter on the secondary side of the ICT. So all meters get the same test current. See for example our ICT CL2030 with advanced additional features like protection and remote access by PC-software.

What about single phase meters?

Closed link single phase meters can be tested with ICTs. For single-phase test benches a Multi Secondary Voltage Transformer (MSVT) can be used. With a MSVT the test voltage is made galvanic free, while an ICT makes the currents galvanic free.

Conclusion

To test single-phase meters with closed links, you need to have a test-bench with MSVTs.

To test three-phase meters with closed links you need to have a test-bench with ICTs.

For testing of transformer operated meters (CT, CT/VT) we recommend a direct connection to the test bench. These meters have the current- and voltage circuits separated internally.

Read more from Shenzhen CLOU

Themed by “Catch the opportunity of achieving carbon peak and neutrality, and energy storage industry makes the future”, the forum gathered numerous professional talents from various sectors, such as PV, ES and charging industries, energy storage system, industrial institutes, technology providers as well as college and university scholars and government officials.

They discussed trend of the industry, most advanced technologies, implementation of local application, as well as the development of PV, ES, and charging industries and their technologies.

Award of China PV, ES and Charging Industry Best System Integrator Brand 2022

As a forerunner in the field of electrochemical energy storage, CLOU was invited to take part in the distinguished gathering.

At the same time, it was awarded the China PV, ES and Charging Industry Best System Integrator Brand 2022 in terms of sophisticated technology and large business scale.

Conclusion

CLOU has engaged in energy storage for over a decade, whose scope of delivery expands to international market from China.

Over the past several years, it has sped up enlarging its international business layout, and its current scope of business involves in North America, South America, Australia, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania.

Read more from Shenzhen CLOU.