Date: 09/07/2010

Echelon enhances its NES Smart Grid Infrastructure

Echelon has enhanced its Networked Energy Services (NES) smart grid infrastructure including a new generation of CT (current transformer) meter, enterprise smart metering network operating system software, downloadable smart meter enhancements, and updated system tools.

The NES advanced smart grid infrastructure consists of a family of highly integrated, electronic electricity meters accessed via a Web services based network operating system over an IP networking infrastructure. The NES System embeds intelligence into the grid, which provides utilities with information about the topology of their network that is essential when building a smart grid and is unavailable from other AMI systems. The NES system provides utilities with a service-enabling platform that includes information about the status, operation and health of the grid.

"The promise of the NES System is a highly flexible infrastructure that we can adapt to our changing customer, operations, and regulatory needs. This latest system-wide update keeps us on track with new capabilities that can enable additional services and improved operations," said Erik Nordgren, project director, Vattenfall Distribution Nordic, a leading European energy company and Echelon NES customer. "We're excited at the prospect of extending our investment in the NES smart grid infrastructure with compelling services for our customers."

"NES is by far the leading smart metering system today in the Danish utility market. The NES enhancements will further improve the excellent performance of the system and further support our utility customers' ambitions to create state-of-the-art smart grid solutions, said Sonny Nielsen, CEO of Eltel Networks A/S in Denmark.

According to Friedrich Eidenberger, CEO of LINZ STROM, an Echelon NES customer "The NES System has provided us with substantial competitive advantages in our metering market. By extending the electricity metering infrastructure to other residential meters, and through the direct control of high-consumption devices inside the home, LINZ STROM has created a truly market leading project - not only in Austria, but globally."

Some of the key products under the NES system are:

1. NES CT Meter: The CT (current transformer) meters help utilities identify theft at the distribution transformer by monitoring the overall usage for comparison to individual metering sites on the transformer. The CT meter also provides the ability to measure electricity at residences and commercial sites using higher currents than serviced by direct-connected meters
2. NES Smart Meter Firmware: The meter firmware enables meters to provide load profiling for heat meters, water meters, and gas meters connected to NES meters via M-bus per DIN 13757.
3. NES System Software: The NES System Software provides a web services based network operating system for the smart grid. It works in harmony with the data concentrator and smart NES meters.

"The new products and updates across the entire NES product line enable utilities to evolve their existing NES system-based smart networks to become extensive energy networks," said Michael Anderson, Echelon's senior vice president of NES sales and market development. "We are continuing to invest in our smart grid infrastructure to offer utilities the very best solution possible for their investment, one that will last years into the future and meet their changing needs."

For more information visit: http://www.echelon.com