Echelon Corp. has introduced a new Echelon Control Operating System-enabled control module that, when coupled with Echelon's data concentrator and system software, enables electricity meter manufacturers to quickly and cost-effectively offer a comprehensive solution for automated metering and low voltage grid optimization.
The new CPM 0600 control point module implements the Open Smart Grid Protocol (OSGP) and transforms the manufacturer's electronic meter into a smart meter plus grid sensor that leverages Echelon's open standard, and multi-application energy control networking platform. The company also announced that leading meter makers in Asia, including Mitsubishi Electric Automation (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Korea's VIDCOM, Malaysia's Comintel, and China's Holley Metering, will offer solutions based on Echelon's platform.
In addition to enabling these meter manufacturers to address their home markets with the latest technology, Echelon's CPM 0600 also provides an opportunity to offer OSGP compatible meters to utilities in other markets that are looking for multiple sources of interoperable meters and grid devices. The new CPM 0600 for smart meters complements the Echelon CPM 6000, which transforms other devices, such as solar micro-inverters, load control modules, power quality sensors and electric vehicle chargers, into OSGP smart grid devices that seamlessly plug into Echelon's three-tier energy control networking platform.
"Regional meter makers in Asia are a powerful force in their home markets, often having long standing relationships with the local utilities. Regional meter makers in several other emerging markets, such as Central and Eastern Europe, and the Middle East and Africa, also hold trusted partnerships with their utilities," said Bob Gohn, vice president at Pike Research, a market research firm focusing on global clean technology. Pike Research estimates that 162 million smart meters will be installed in these markets between 2012 and 2020.
"The OSGP-compliant module brings us the best of both worlds – we are able to produce our own smart meters based on the leading OSGP protocol, but we also get the benefits of plugging our meters into Echelon's end-to-end smart metering and grid optimization system," said Jun Young Lee, CEO of VIDCOM Co., Ltd., a meter manufacturer headquartered in South Korea, serving utilities in Southeast Asia. "We see rapidly growing interest in smart metering systems across the countries we serve; and with the new OSGP module, we save years of effort and are able to enter the market immediately and compete aggressively with a market-leading system."
