Smart meter gas:
WaterTech's offering
Gas smart meters are advanced technological devices that precisely and automatically monitor gas consumption. Made mandatory by ARERA resolutions for energy resources’ management, they are a decisive step forward for the efficiency and safety of distribution networks. This constitutes a breakthrough for the rationalization of user consumption, too. WaterTech has combined excellence in measurement and reliability in electronics to give utilities and multi-utilities durable and accurate products capable of building efficient and sustainable systems.
Gas smart meters are equipped with onboard electronics that record consumed gas flows and numerous other data, transmitting the collected information in real-time to a remote management system through various communication technologies.
Smart gas meters – using data transmission systems via Fixed Network- enable more timely, accurate, and efficient consumption readings than traditional methods which require on-site personnel. It means suppliers can more effectively manage gas distribution and improve billing accuracy while reducing operating costs.
For consumers, gas smart meters offer several benefits as billing based on actual data, a solution that avoids advances or rough estimates. Most importantly, by monitoring one’s gas consumption in real-time, one can have greater control over costs, taking measures to reduce consumption, avoid energy waste, and help in environmental protection.
The gas sector in Italy is governed by stringent resolutions set by ARERA, the body that regulates energy, grids, and the environment. WaterTech, which can boast a great deal of experience in smart metering in the water sector as well, has developed products for measuring gas consumption that are extremely accurate and reliable.
All WaterTech gas products fall well within the parameters required by regulations. They are distinguished by the quality of their construction materials and the reliability of their measuring components, electronics, and batteries. In addition, WaterTech provides companies with flexibility and possibilities for extensive customization of supplies, as well as consulting to seek the best solutions for implementing tailor-made and perfectly optimized networks over time.
Offering both gas smart meters and water smart meters allows us to better serve multi-utilities that distribute both resources. In this way, they can have a single point of contact for upgrading the existing grid with new meters. Integration between the smart metering networks that manage water and gas, is also facilitated.
SYNERGIES BETWEEN GAS AND WATER SMART METERS
The possibility of using technological convergence in communication protocols between gas and water smart metering makes it possible to accelerate the process of rationalization and efficiency of distribution services for the two resources.
While the gas sector is extensively regulated, as the replacement of traditional end-customer meters with gas smart meters was initiated by the ARERA Authority as far back as 2008 (with the Oct. 22 2008 resolution), for water there is still no reference standard regarding the measurement technologies and data transmission systems to be used.
Despite this, WaterTech’s experience has shown that a synergy between communication protocols in the two systems makes utilities’ multiservice projects more efficient and effective. An approach already promoted by ARERA that stimulates the enhancement of integrated smart metering services to concretely measure the spin-offs in terms of investment and efficiency.
In addition, it has been shown that having a single network in the territory available to the various utilities (water, gas, and electric), standardizing communication technologies, and stimulating collaboration or aggregation among utilities, means leaping forward for rationalization and sustainability of energy consumption and distribution networks.
WaterTech’s choices in network technologies used by smart meters cover all protocols to enable utilities to make wise choices based on their network development projects. We have developed evolved meters for gas as well, alongside offering static smart meters for water. This is in all classes G4, G10, G16, and G25, to offer even more possibilities to multi-utilities and to meet the multiple needs of the Italian market, which adopts many different standards.
As with water meters, WaterTech’s gas smart meters meet different demands by offering all the main communication solutions and protocols currently popular, all with fully two-way communication: NB-IoT, 169 MHz, and GSM. A broad response capable of best meeting customer demands while retaining a resource optimization-oriented approach.
