The Integration of Smart Meters Into Electrical Grids to Ensure Maximum Benefit for Consumers, Generators and Network Operators.

The term “smart metering” has been used in many project descriptions and publications produced by utility companies (e.g. gas, water and electricity), conference papers and journal papers, but the true meaning of the term has been fudged. Does smart metering signify rapid recording of data (i.e. data logger) or does it give totals (e.g. maximum, minimum and average), as neither of these are truly “Smart” or “Intelligent” virtues in themselves, or is there some additional role that needs to be explored. This dissertation examines the “smart metering” idiom jointly from energy supplier, grid manager and consumer perspectives and formulates a detailed model of the interfaces that are currently being touted as necessary for realising a smart system. Other aspects such as infrastructure, networking of data, ownership, location etc are also explored. Using a base model of the existing approach, this research shows where true “Smart” or “Intelligent” virtues could be incorporated. The proposed model alterations are verified using scenarios, thereby stress-testing the use of the components employed and illustrates limitations of the approach. This research highlights the necessity for a Home Area Network (HAN), to manage the use of energy in the home, and for a Consolation Entity, to fairly distribute and manage in a collaborative way the available energy on the grid. Not only are the needs for these shown but functional definitions for the HAN and consolation entity are also introduced. These two aspects have a particular importance as we, as a nation, introduce more renewable resources (e.g. wind, wave, solar), that are variable in their availability