The Smart Meter

In this episode - The Smart Meter . . .

Walk out your front door and find the electric meter for your home. Is it digital, or has a dial that rotates (analog)? In 2021, U.S. electric utilities had about 111 million advanced (smart) metering infrastructure installations (AMI), equal to about 69% of total electric meters installations. Approximately 88% of all AMI installations belonged to residential customers, while around 69% of the residential electric meters were AMI.

So, what is a smart meter?
A smart electric meter, or digital meter, is a device that measures and records the consumption of electricity in real time. It is an upgraded version of traditional analog meters used in many households. The primary purpose of a smart electric meter is to provide more accurate and detailed information about energy usage and enable two-way communication between the utility company and the consumer.

Let’s explore some key features and hidden benefits of smart meters:

Accurate and real-time data: Smart electric meters provide precise measurements of electricity usage, often more accurately than analog meters. They record and transmit real-time consumption data, allowing consumers and utility companies to monitor usage patterns.
Time-of-use pricing: With a smart meter, utility companies can implement time-of-use pricing plans. This means that electricity rates can vary based on the time of day, reflecting the actual cost of generating and delivering electricity at different times. Consumers can benefit from lower rates during off-peak hours, encouraging them to shift energy-intensive tasks to those times, thus reducing the strain on the electric grid during peak periods.
Remote monitoring and management: Utility companies can remotely read and manage smart electric meters, eliminating the need for manual meter readings. This streamlines the billing process and reduces operational costs for the utility. It also allows quicker detection and resolution of power outages, as the meters can transmit outage notifications in real-time.
Energy consumption insights: Smart meters give consumers detailed insights into their energy consumption patterns. They can display real-time usage data, historical data, and even breakdowns by appliances or specific periods. This information empowers consumers to make informed decisions about their energy usage, identify energy-saving opportunities, and potentially reduce their electricity bills.
Enhanced grid management: Smart electric meters contribute to developing a smart grid, an intelligent and interconnected electricity distribution network. Utility companies better understand overall demand patterns by collecting detailed consumption data from individual meters. This information helps them optimize grid performance, balance load distribution, and effectively plan infrastructure upgrades.
Integration with renewable energy sources: As more renewable energy sources like solar panels are integrated into the grid, smart meters enable better integration and management of these distributed energy resources. They measure electricity consumption and generation, allowing Net Metering (NEM) to feed excess power into the grid.
Consumer empowerment and conservation: By providing consumers with real-time information about their energy usage and associated costs, smart electric meters encourage energy conservation and efficiency. When people know their consumption patterns, they’re more likely to adopt energy-saving behaviors, such as turning off lights or adjusting thermostat settings, ultimately reducing their environmental impact.

Smart electric meters offer many benefits compared to traditional analog meters. They provide precise data, simplify time-of-use pricing, allow for remote monitoring, aid in grid management, and empower consumers to make informed decisions regarding their energy consumption. This is just the beginning of many innovative advancements to come to the Smart Grid.

I'm Patrick Ball; thanks for listening. See you in the next episode.

Comments

We Need Awe More Than Ever

In this episode, Why We Need Awe More Than Ever Yesterday morning, I slipped into the cool stillness of my backyard before dawn. The air was crisp, the silence deep—broken only by the faint rustling of leaves and the familiar calls of birds waking early. Then I looked up. A thin crescent moon hung low in the east, with Venus just above it like a shining jewel. The sky was clear and full of stars, and for a moment, I felt something I hadn’t in a long time: Awe! For thousands of years, the heavens have carried on their steady dance, untouched by human noise. No ruler, no election, no breaking news has ever changed their rhythm. And yet here I was, tempted to reach for my phone—to trade the eternal for the urgent. Instead, I stayed. I watched the moonrise, the sky slowly lighten, and the world around me stir. Ducks passed overhead in a loose V, hummingbirds zipped past to visit their feeder, pausing mid-air as if curious about me sitting so still. Little by little, the static in my mind f...

The Birth of a Cubs Legend

In this episode, The 162-Game Exhale — and the Birth of a Cubs Legend There’s a hush in the baseball world on Game 162 — a collective breath drawn in and slowly released. Scoreboards stop flipping. Dugouts empty. For six months, the game has been our steady heartbeat, pulsing from the cherry blossoms of Tokyo in March to the crisp, playoff-charged winds of late September. And now, as the regular season exhales, baseball fans everywhere pause to absorb the story we’ve just lived. For me, that story has been deeply personal. This season unfolded in the rhythms of my daily life. It was the summer soundtrack echoing beneath the constant turmoil of politics and sensational headlines. It was a handful of carefully chosen ballpark pilgrimages stitched together with countless nights in front of MLB.TV. And at the center of it all, for a lifelong Cubs fan like me, it revolved around one name — a young center fielder who turned hope into history: Pete Crow-Armstrong. The 2025 season didn’t begin...

The Silent Grid–Part Two

In this episode, The Silent Grid – Part Two Sirens split the night as Greenwood went dark. Marvin knew instantly—the blackout wasn’t an accident. It was a warning. In this quiet town, where life once unfolded at a predictable pace, a sleek, intuitive smartphone—a so-called gift from the future —has arrived. But it’s no tool for connection. It’s a silent force, erasing individuality and turning neighbors into something less than human. Marvin Gellborn, a man who values independence, sees the truth. His device isn’t helping; it’s testing him, watching him, and quietly embedding itself into the life of Greenwood. Welcome back to On the Fly . In this week’s episode of The Silent Grid , GridBot tightens its grip. After a hopeful community gathering, Marvin and his robot companion, Norman, notice a troubling absence—the very generation they hoped to reach has vanished into the neon glow of The Signal Box , a youth tech hub pulsing with digital obsession. When Greenwood’s lights vanish, Marvi...

The Pessimism Aversion Trap

In this episode, The Pessimism Aversion Trap Picture this: a room full of bright minds nodding in agreement as a bold new strategy is unveiled. The slides are polished, the vision is grand, and the future, we're told, has never looked brighter. Everyone beams—because who wants to be the one to say, "Um… this might not work"? Heaven forbid someone spoil the mood with a dose of reality. Better to smile, add a buzzword or two, and march confidently toward disaster. That's how the Pessimism Aversion Trap works. Even now, I can still hear the sound—a high-pitched shriek and a digital hum, followed by the slow, rhythmic clatter of data pouring from a 5¼-inch floppy disk. It was the late 1980s, and my makeshift home office (our living room) was dominated by what felt like a marvel of modern engineering: a used Tandy 1000 PC with not one, but two floppy drives. To top it off, we purchased a 'blisteringly fast' 300-baud modem—which, for the uninitiated, could downloa...

On The Fly

Search This Blog