New Business Chance for Power Utility Companies

Electricity meters that can be used in a wideband network may bring new business chances for power utility companies. If the electric meters act as a network hub, it will be easier to bring in broadband networks into the homes. It will be a big cost for electric companies to have to replace electric meters at each home. However, making this big investment in the new meters will make sense because it will not only make the implementation of the smart grid possible, but it will also bring in new business opportunities such as internet services and other information related services. This is why the networks which connect to the electric meters need to be capable for the broadband data transmission. HD-PLC provides high speed transmission using existing power lines, making it the biggest contender as the technology of choice for the smart grid.

Brazil: Using HD-PLC for Smart Grid

Brazil is going a step forward in implementing the smart grid using HD-PLC. They plan to install electric meters with HD-PLC modules, measuring electricity usage via the network, and also provide broadband connection to each home using power lines. Shortage of power has become an issue in Brazil due to its sudden economic growth. By using electric meters with HD-PLC, they want to closely monitor electricity usage in the surrounding area and homes. This will make it possible to constantly provide the right amount of electricity by carefully controlling the transmission of electricity. This is in fact what the smart grid aims to bring to the future, a reduction of CO₂ emissions by optimizing the power supply.

Seeing that actual implementation of the smart grid has become a reality, the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) has begun the international standardization of communication equipment for the smart grid. There is great possibility that HD-PLC, approved as the baseline technology for PLC Standard IEEE P1901, will be chosen as the communication standard. If the IEEE, headquartered in the U.S., one of the first countries to propose the implementation the smart grid, recognizes HD-PLC as the standard necessary for the smart grid, it is almost certain that an environmental protection model using HD-PLC will become a new precedent.

• Implementation of the smart grid has already begun in Brazil using electric meters with built in HD-PLC modules