GE Launches WiMAX Smart Meter Pilot Program

From DailyTech: GE is a major company with a wide range of products and operations around the world. The company has announced that it intends to start a new trial using smart meters in homes and WiMAX 4G service to optimize energy delivery/consumption.

The new pilot program is the first to use WiMAX to give smart meters realtime connectivity with the backend control systems of the electric company in an effort to analyze demand and provide power needed. The pilot program is attempting to show how systems such as this can improve reliability and efficiency for all. Presumably, if the electric company can see demand increasing significantly in real time it can make more power available or prepare for possible overloads in advance.

“This infrastructure solution could be significant in its ability to provide far more real-time information and updates to distributed intelligent metering devices over utility equipment lifespans,” said Wayne Longcore, director of Enterprise Architecture and Standards for Consumers Energy.

The pilot program is taking place in Michigan and GE reports that the program aligns with the FCC National Broadband Plan by addressing a clear need for improved communications.

The data that the GE smart meters attached to home can gather will be fed to back-office management systems that let network managers and information systems have an accurate picture of the electrical grid and the demands placed on it at any one time. The information will allow the power company to route service personnel more efficiently when problems do occur and quickly determine the scope of an outage and reroute power to reduce the length of the outage. GE reports that the technology also uses "government grade" security to prevent tampering.

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