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Analog Devices unveils energy metering ICs
By siliconindia
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Tuesday, 08 December 2009, 19:59 IST
Bangalore: Semiconductor firm Analog Devices (ADI) introduced four energy metering ICs (integrated circuits) designed to improve the accuracy and performance of commercial, industrial, and residential smart meters.
A smart meter measures how much electricity is consumed or generated, and communicates with the local utility for power monitoring, billing, and other purposes. ADI claims that the new energy metering ICs can enable smart electricity meters to deliver improved customer billing accuracy, better power quality monitoring, and reduced operating costs for utility companies.
"ADI is pleased to offer our customers the best in energy measurement technologies," said Ronn Kliger, Energy Group Director, ADI. "The new devices are significant in that they are able to measure total active and reactive energy with accuracy and dynamic range exceeding Class 0.2 specifications for energy meters. The four new devices are also the first in the industry to measure both reactive energy and active energy with 0.1 percent accuracy."
ADI recently formed a dedicated energy group, headed by Kliger, to address the growing technology needs for electric metering, substation automation, and emerging applications, such as solar/wind generation, energy storage, and others. "As a key supplier to power grid equipment manufacturers, ADI has developed a deep understanding of their needs," said Kliger. Along with energy metering ICs, ADI offers radio frequency, power-line carrier communication, power management and digital signal processing in support of smart grid applications
Over the next five years, analysts report that up to 200 million smart meters will be installed worldwide fueled by the growing number of smart grid deployments. In China, a $596 billion stimulus program for smart grid expansion is currently underway with 170 million smart meters expected to be deployed within the next three to five years.
Eighteen million homes - 13 percent of all U.S. households - will get smart meters within three years as part of U.S. government grants to upgrade the country's electric grid. In Europe, Italy and Sweden have already completed Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) deployments that converted all meters to smart meters. France, Spain, Germany, and the UK are expected to complete AMI roll-out within the next 10 years.
