It’s no secret that the implementation of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) has impacted the energy landscape in North America and the ways energy is managed and monitored. In simple words, AMI 1.0 initially allowed the automated collection of energy data typically on an hourly, half-hourly, or quarter-hourly basis, marking an innovative approach to the traditional, manual meter readings that offered increased reliability, and energy usage accuracy along with less billing errors. Essentially, this was one of the first steps toward boosting the digital transformation within the energy industry, revealing an array of possibilities.
Transition from AMI 1.0 to AMI 2.0 data
The current condition of the energy ecosystem is increasingly becoming more complex and demanding on multiple levels. Distributed energy resources (DERs), such as photovoltaic panels (PVs) and electric vehicles (EVs), have paved the way for changes in the energy mix and, at the same time, have accentuated the need for grid stability via the utilities’ optimal performance across their diverse operations. Although this electrification brings so many positives in the net zero context, the truth is that today’s electrical grid was not built with this kind of context in mind: bigger residential electrical loads, bi-directional power flow from the residential installation back to the grid, etc. Leveraging the potential of edge analytics, AMI 2.0 provides a robust technology with vast and amplified possibilities to address these challenges as it is a more evolved, efficient, and flexible version of AMI 1.0. With AMI 2.0 data can now be collected and analyzed in near real-time at the grid-edge which allows for more granular visibility into energy consumption and grid conditions. Before grid-edge technologies, this type of near-real-time grid-edge insight could only be achieved by leveraging additional hardware and sensors, a huge logistical challenge. With AMI 2.0 utilities are empowered to practically address the challenges of the modern grid and how this translates into covering the needs of contemporary energy consumers with the meters that they would already be deploying at the customer premises.
This transition from AMI 1.0 to AMI 2.0 has multiple benefits that concern both the grid and the consumer as it offers enhanced visibility into the energy consumption of the consumer for grid management and planning while boosting energy efficiency that leads to consumer cost savings and informed energy decisions. Because of DERs and EVs’ increased adoption on a residential level, real-time data collection and advanced grid analytics become essential to manage those technologies optimally. By doing so, power quality, stability, and reliability within distribution networks can be ensured while also optimizing for renewables in the energy mix. At the same time, there is a need for real-time energy insights on consumers’ side; individuals are accustomed to receiving real-time information, updates, and instant notifications throughout the different facets of their lives. This trend is also present in the energy domain with utilities needing to meet such expectations to further empower consumers to manage their energy usage efficiently.
So, utilities in North America come up against several challenges that can be summarized like this: utilities need to stay relevant during a period of time that demands hyper-personalization, building strong customer relationships, and adherence to regulatory obligations while managing an ever-evolving and hyper-complex grid. Every step toward change can also entail re-prioritization of budget and human resources investments. Such concerns constitute a common ground for most North American utilities; nevertheless, utilities can be found at different levels of maturity that relate to the adoption and transition to AMI 2.0, meaning that they also face diverse types of challenges in this journey.
Utilities in North America have different levels of AMI maturity
First, there are utilities that have already benefited from the power of AMI 1.0 to build resilient relationships with their customers, helping them reduce energy consumption and costs as well as become more energy conscious. However, many of the first-movers in AMI 1.0 technology are seeing that their meters are coming to the end of their life cycle while at the same time, the energy landscape demands more personalization and premium customer experience, with the utilities turning into sophisticated entities, and energy transforming from simple commodity to genuine service. One aspect of this involves providing customers with highly personalized recommendations and tips to get control of their energy consumption across a growing diversity of appliances. This means that consumers’ expectations for energy solutions tailored to their specific needs have intensified while grid demands are also intensified making such utilities consider the transition to AMI 2.0 a necessity to keep on succeeding. See more information on how NET2GRID can support this specific decision-making stage with our brownfield solution brief.Â
Second, there are utilities that have yet to make a decision on AMI deployment and, now, they have the opportunity to deploy AMI 2.0, skipping AMI 1.0 entirely. However, the utilities that are found in this stage have to face certain challenges. They need to engage with their customers more intensively and educate them in their first steps as they become more energy aware and realize that understanding their energy consumption is empowering and beneficial; at the same time, utilities will deploy AMI 2.0 without the learnings and insights drawn from a first AMI 1.0 deployment. See more information on how NET2GRID can support this specific decision-making stage with our greenfield solution brief.
Third, there are utilities that are already harnessing the power of AMI 2.0, and they continue experimenting with innovative and state-of-the-art technologies. For utilities at this stage, the focus is steered toward the need to leverage and implement non-wires alternatives (NWA) and further boost customer experience in order to realize the grid of the future where customer engagement is foundational.
What to learn from the Hydro One case
Within a pilot environment, Hydro One in partnership with NET2GRID EnergyAI is testing the use cases that leverage the Riva meters’ diverse data streams to boost customer experience, strengthen grid intelligence, and improve power quality & stability, through real-time functionalities powered by Distributed Intelligence. The pilot includes EV events on the edge for customer engagement and grid management, 15-minute FAN data for low-resolution disaggregation and 1-second HAN data for high-resolution disaggregation. If fully implemented, there is an opportunity to provide customers with energy insights and recommendations to improve energy efficiency. With its partnership with NET2GRID, Hydro One is exploring innovative and state-of-the-art technologies that are available through the AMI 2.0. Using a phased pilot approach, the Canadian utility is providing a blueprint for others to test, validate and scale advanced metering capabilities.
Invest in the AMI 2.0 technology
By investing in AMI 2.0 technologies like Itron Riva, utilities find themselves in the position to boost customer experience and strengthen customer and grid intelligence leveraging real-time functionality powered by Distributed Intelligence. Throughout a utility’s AMI journey, NET2GRID EnergyAI™ empowers utility partners to support their customers with their personal energy transition journeys while managing a modern grid.
At every stage of this journey, there is value to be extracted from the AMI data. To help utilities with their AMI 2.0 testing and value validation journey, NET2GRID implements a Turnkey Field Trial offering our entire suite of analytical capabilities to utility partners so as to capture and prove the full value of next-gen metering and disaggregation technology. Read more about the Turnkey Field Trial here.