DLMS releases AC electricity smart meter generic companion profile
Image: DLMS UA
The DLMS UA has released the AC Electricity Smart Meter Generic Companion Profile (GCP) to meet the demands of the AC electricity smart meter market.
The profile defines 21 smart metering and smart grid use cases and functionalities, to ensure that devices adhere to the minimum functional expectations demanded by the electricity smart meter market, while allowing for future enhancements.
By acting as a standardised guideline, the profile is designed to promote seamless data exchange between smart meters and headend systems, irrespective of the manufacturer, thereby fostering a globally interoperable metering ecosystem.
Some of the key use cases include remote tariff programming, periodic meter reading for multi-utility meters, load management by relay, consumer information and prepayment.
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Key benefits of the ACESM GCP highlighted are:
- Device exchangeability: Enables seamless device exchange from various manufacturers and facilitates data exchange across different systems.
- Communication agnosticism: Supports all communication technologies, including wired/wireless, PLC, mobile and both public and private networks.
- Multi-market versatility: Adaptable to diverse regional and market-specific requirements, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.
- Accelerated market entry: Shortens time to market and reduces research and development costs for smart meter manufacturers.
The DLMS UA reports that the release of the ACESM GCP underscores its dedication to fostering innovation and advancing standardisation within the energy sector.
The initiative should not only enhance life-cycle cost management and maintenance efficiency for smart metering infrastructures but also ensure that new generations of AC electricity smart meters can seamlessly replace older models, facilitating smooth transitions across utilities.
The generic companion profiles are precise selections of features and functionalities specified in the DLMS UA Core Specifications, specifically tailored to meet the requirements of various use cases.
By aggregating multiple use cases and parameterising and configuring the core functionalities, a specific application can be developed to cater to devices or services within a particular industry.
