ESB tap the EIB for €200m for Smart Metering

Sponge Bob

The total cost of the project will be €500m they say.

http://www.eib.org/projects/pipeline/2011/20110213.htm

DWCommuter

The ESB can pay it back.

Heroditas

Bit misleading. They're going to spend €470m but only part of that will involve smart metering. In fact it looks like the money will be used for the specification work.
The rest is for transmission and distribution work and infrastructure for electric vehicles.
There's about 2m domestic meters in the country - changing all of them is easily going to cost €1bn.

dubhthach

Isn't the whole point of stuff like smart-metering is that you have a high speed internet connection to provide the data back to base. For example the folks in power company in Chattanooga Tennessee used this as excuse to build out the FTTH network there. Thence you been able to get 1Gbps (symmetrical) for $350/month (or if you want any speed from 10Mb/s up -- lot cheaper) as well as having smart meter etc.

I'm assuming all of this would have to tie in with the "NewEra" proposals that FG were talking about prior to the election.

ukoda

dubhthach wrote: »

Isn't the whole point of stuff like smart-metering is that you have a high speed internet connection to provide the data back to base.

I don't think a high speed internet connection makes much of a difference to be honest, The only info being sent is a 5 digit meter reading every 15mins or a command code to disconnect or change the tariff. They use 3G modems for the trials and I would imagine they will use them for the role out, which means 95+% of houses can have a smart meter without any changes to broadband infrastructure.

Heroditas

ukoda wrote: »

I don't think a high speed internet connection makes much of a difference to be honest, The only info being sent is a 5 digit meter reading every 15mins or a command code to disconnect or change the tariff. They use 3G modems for the trials and I would imagine they will use them for the role out, which means 95+% of houses can have a smart meter without any changes to broadband infrastructure.

They're also looking at using PLC (power line carrier) for a national rollout.

Also, consideration is being given to proper smart networks, i.e. can the meter control appliances in the home and shut them down if overall demand is too high or even link appliances like freezers to the amount of wind power being generated at any one time.