Find out all about... The future smart gas meter

Transcription

1 Find out all about... The future smart gas meter

2 Your distributor of natural gas GrDF (Gaz Réseau Distribution France) is the subsidiary of the GDF SUEZ group responsible for managing the natural gas distribution network in France GrDF constructs, operates and maintains the natural gas distribution network and guarantees its safety and reliability on behalf of local authorities under public service concession contracts; GrDF guarantees free and non-discriminatory access to the network for all suppliers of natural gas chosen by customers; GrDF develops the natural gas network in a profitable manner to ensure it can be accessed by the greatest possible number of people; GrDF guarantees the quality, safety and economic performance of the distribution network; GrDF distributes natural gas and connects consumers to the distribution network. GrDF: in figures GrDF: in figures 11 million customers in France. 11 million customers in France. 9,400 towns served. 9,400 towns served. 350 billion kwh of natural gas 350 billion kwh of natural gas distributed. distributed. 3.3 billion euros turnover. 3.3 billion euros turnover. 26 active suppliers of natural gas. 26 active suppliers of natural gas. 12,000 employees in France. 12,000 employees in France. 1 million euros a day spent million euros day spent on safety. on safety. 192,100 kilometres of natural 192,100 kilometres of natural gas distribution network, the longest in Europe. 2

3 GrDF on the move towards smart meters GrDF launched its smart gas meter project at the beginning of 2007, in close cooperation with the French energy regulatory commission (CRE) and all the project s stakeholders: local authorities, licensing authorities, suppliers of natural gas, consumer associations Objective: modernize the current metering system to improve quality of service related to customers gas consumption. Two distinct projects are being conducted in parallel: A monthly remote gas meter reading system is being rolled out for industrial and commercial customers until mid A remote gas meter reading system for residential and professional customers is in a construction phase and mass deployment is scheduled as of The benefits of the future smart meters More practical: remote readings with no need to disturb customers. More frequent and accurate: read - ings every month and whenever there is a change in the contract (activation), allowing invoicing systematically based on real meter readings. Better control over the consumption of natural gas: regular monitor - ing of natural gas use to make energy savings. 3

4 Remote meter reading For industrial and commercial customers GrDF has implemented remote metering since 2004 for customers whose consumption is metered on a daily basis. Currently, and until mid-2012, GrDF is deploying remote metering for its 100,000 customers on monthly metering. For residential customers Work carried out with the French energy regulatory commission (CRE) has led to the choice of an automated meter reading (AMR) solution based on: A fixed network (no mobile meter readers). A radio technology that transmits remote gas readings. No remote shut-off/reconnection to the grid. There are different technical solutions to see this project through. To test their technical and economic feasibility on a full scale, GrDF conducted four experiments in 2010, each with approximately 5,000 customers. 4

5 How do smart gas meters work? 5

6 Bench testing In the first half of 2010, nearly 20,000 smart gas meters and their infrastructures were installed in 4 areas in France by 4 different equipment manufacturers. Up to mid-2011, GrDF conducted the maintenance phase and measured the performance of the installed solutions. Further to these experiments, GrDF selected the best ones and pinpointed the economically viable solution best meeting customer requirements. Saint-Omer 62 Nord Pas de Calais ITRON Étampes 91 Ile-de-France ELSTER Auch 32 Midi Pyrénées ONDEO SYSTEMS Saint-Genis Laval Pierre Bénite 69 Rhône Alpes PANASONIC Customer requirements In parallel with the technical tests, GrDF wished to meet with customers to better understand their requirements. GrDF organized focus groups on desired future services with suppliers, licensing authorities, local authorities, consumer associations and social housing bodies. A panel of 400 customers was set up to record their reactions to their monthly consumption figures and various other tests. After these tests, 26% of customers stated they had taken or intended to take energy management measures. 6

7 And now The proposed solution for the deployment of GrDF smart gas meters, combined with the CRE s technical and economic study, was the subject of public consultation in June 2011 and was favourably received by the 35 respondents. Based on the results of all this work, on 21 July last the CRE ruled in favour of continuing the project. The construction phase of the adopted solution thus began in the autumn of It is structured around three main areas: designing and implementing the communications chain (meters, radio modules and data concentrators), designing and developing new information systems to deploy and operate the new communications chain and manage meter data, and adapting affected existing information systems (OMEGA, DISCO), preparing the deployment phase and related change management phase, including an assessment of the impact on GrDF business and the requisite support measures. This phase will involve many in-house and outside stakeholders in preparing all these projects. A possible decision to proceed with mass deployment is expected mid If this decision is made, the operational deployment phase will take place from 2014 to How much does it cost? The findings of the technical and economic study show that the investments required for the project are evaluated at approximately 1 billion euros (50% for equipment, 35% for deployment, 10% for developing the solution and the information systems, 5% for project management costs) and that the project will have no financial impact on customers when considering only 0.2% of energy savings (0.2% less consumption of gas). These figures will be confirmed by mid

8 CONCEPT & GRAPHIC DESIGN d PHOTOGRAPHY GrDF (HAMID AZMOUN, G. BRANDEL, CÉDRIC HESLY, PATRICE MAUREIN) / TECHNOLOG / THINKSTOCK MAY 2012 GrDF 6, rue Condorcet Paris Société Anonyme au capital de RCS PARIS