Skip to main content

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

Most Popular of All Time

Mom Was Right

In this episode: Mom Was Right (Again!) . . . Remember that old saying, "Mom knows best?" Well, this week, it resonated profoundly. I vividly recall my mother's steadfast remedy for the common cold, which was ingrained in my 1960s childhood: "Rest in bed, drink plenty of fluids, and take aspirin to reduce pain and fever." . . . Or now that I think about it, this may have been a Bayer aspirin commercial–Simple . . . Fast-forward to the age of AI and endless medical information at our fingertips, and guess what? Not much has changed. Yet, somehow, this week, Lori and I were blindsided by a cold—the first in over five years. My incredulous "How could this be?" quickly morphed into a dawning realization. Our company's annual meeting, a melting pot of colleagues from Illinois, Texas, Vietnam, Colorado, Northern California, and the Central Valley, was a veritable petri dish of germs. And, oh, the germs found me! Getting sick, especially after a long str...

Whispers of Spring

In this episode, Whispers of Spring . . . Spring has a way of sneaking in when you’re not looking. One day, you’re shaking off the last chill of winter, and the next, you realize the light has shifted, stretching shadows just a little longer. It didn’t make a big fuss about it—no dramatic entrance, no trumpets—just a quiet unfolding, like an old dog settling into a sunny spot on the porch. Last week, Daylight Saving Time kicked in, which meant we all fumbled with our clocks, grumbled a bit, and then, like frogs taken aback by a warm rain, leapt forward into longer evenings. The sun now lingers, in no rush to set, hanging in the sky like a tossed coin that refuses to fall. With the extra daylight, we find ourselves drawn outside once again, migrating to the back patio like folks are drawn to a warm campfire. The lawn chairs are right where we left them, waiting like old friends. The air hums with wind chimes, their tuned cylinders catching the breeze and weaving together something that...

Special April Fools' Edition: Did You Fall For It?

In this episode: Special April Fools' Edition: Did You Fall For It? (And a Little Baseball Nonsense) Welcome, fellow baseball aficionados and purveyors of the peculiar, to a very special, dare we say unpredictable, issue of On the Fly! Today, the air is thick with . . . well, probably just regular air, but a specific mischievous something is buzzing around. Can you feel it? Does that tingling sensation make you double-check your shoelaces and suspiciously eye any unusual packages? Yes, dear readers, it’s April 1st! A day steeped in mystery, shrouded in playful deception, and frankly, a day where you shouldn't believe anything you read (except maybe this . . .maybe). But before we descend into a whirlwind of whimsical falsehoods (don’t worry, we’ll mostly keep it light!), let’s take a quick, slightly wobbly, historical flight through the origins of this most unreliable of holidays. Whispers from the annals suggest a few intriguing possibilities for why we dedicate this particula...

At 92–Don's Digital Daydream

Listen to the audio here. In a world of his own–lives, ole' Doctor Don, Not one world, but three, 'til the setting of the sun! There’s his Blog-World , so bright, with words all a-whirl, And Book-World , with stories of boy and girl! Then, Day-World , where legs didn't leap, didn't run, Just shuffled and creaked 'til each day is done. But his brain, oh, his mind, it’s zippy and keen, A most curious fellow that ever was seen! At ninety and two, with a twinkle so bright, He met Chatty and said, "What a strange delight!" This box with the answers, so quick and so bold, Of theology and stories, new truths to unfold!" "Integrity, relationships, where do they fit? This thing makes me wonder, bit by bit!" He ponders and pokes with laughter and a grin, "Til POOF! he has gone to a world from within! A world made of words, a fantastical place, Where limits of the body, left not a trace! He Soares, and he zooms, with a thought and a rhyme, Trans...