Strategies for Power Line Communications Smart Metering Network Deployment

Alberto Sendin, Ivan Peña and Pablo Angueira
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Alberto Sendin: Division of Control Systems and Telecommunications, Iberdrola, Av. San Adrian 48, 48003 Bilbao, Spain
Ivan Peña: Department of Communication Engineering, Bilbao Faculty of Engineering, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Alda. Urkijo S/N, 48013 Bilbao, Spain
Pablo Angueira: Department of Communication Engineering, Bilbao Faculty of Engineering, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Alda. Urkijo S/N, 48013 Bilbao, Spain

Energies, 2014, vol. 7, issue 4, 1-44

Abstract: Smart Grids are becoming a reality all over the world. Nowadays, the research efforts for the introduction and deployment of these grids are mainly focused on the development of the field of Smart Metering. This emerging application requires the use of technologies to access the significant number of points of supply (PoS) existing in the grid, covering the Low Voltage (LV) segment with the lowest possible costs. Power Line Communications (PLC) have been extensively used in electricity grids for a variety of purposes and, of late, have been the focus of renewed interest. PLC are really well suited for quick and inexpensive pervasive deployments. However, no LV grid is the same in any electricity company (utility), and the particularities of each grid evolution, architecture, circumstances and materials, makes it a challenge to deploy Smart Metering networks with PLC technologies, with the Smart Grid as an ultimate goal. This paper covers the evolution of Smart Metering networks, together with the evolution of PLC technologies until both worlds have converged to project PLC-enabled Smart Metering networks towards Smart Grid. This paper develops guidelines over a set of strategic aspects of PLC Smart Metering network deployment based on the knowledge gathered on real field; and introduces the future challenges of these networks in their evolution towards the Smart Grid.

Keywords: smart metering; smart grid; PLC; broadband (BB); narrowband (NB); ultra-narrowband (UNB); strategy; deployment; distribution grid (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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