Communication Architectures for Advanced Metering Infrastructure

Home Area NetworkAugust 24, 2006

2 Draft © Copyright 2006, Southern California Edison

Objective

• to create an eco-system for low speed command and control devices which initially would support programmable communicating thermostats (PCT’s) and

• provides openness for adding additional devices to the premise over time as business value dictates– residential– light commercial and industrial

• encourage product innovation and creativity

• drive long term viability of the devices deployed in and around the home

• Open standards in this segment of the AMI solution is vitally important to long term value

3 Draft © Copyright 2006, Southern California Edison

Why ZigBee and 802.15.4 ?

• Vibrant industry support with thirty or more vendors supplying products and services

• Open Standards protocol with no or negligible licensing fees• Chipsets available from multiple sources• Remotely upgradeable firmware • No new wires• Low power (ability to operate on batteries measured in years) • Reliable• Low maintenance (meshing, self organizing)• Ability to scale to hundreds (thousands) of devices• Standards based security• Ability to read gas meters

4 Draft © Copyright 2006, Southern California Edison

What are the challenges?

• Providing the right amount of leadership and requirements guidance to the vendor community– Many stakeholders (IOU’s, manufacturers, regulators)– Consistently the vendors are asking for “How do you want us to do this?”

• CIM for PCT

• Specifying a Security and Application Profile– How do we get the right set of vendors engaged?

• PCT manufacturers• Meter manufacturers• Meter Communications manufacturers• Load Control system providers

• Business Model for Deployment– Need to understand the value chain (Customer, HVAC distributor,

manufacturer, Utility, others?)