Landis+Gyr reaches Milestone in ICG Meter Delivery
“The SyM2 concept has been very well received by energy providers”, confirms Peter Heuell, CEO of Landis+Gyr Germany. “As our sales figures show – and not to mention the number of incoming orders – the conversion of meter parks is already well underway. From the initial concept sketch to the project’s completion, the SyM2 standard and our E750 product family have focused on the practical requirements of industrial and commercial customers.”
The aim of SyM2 is to standardise meter parks for special contract customers. The heterogeneity of industrial meters has seen operating costs for energy providers soar in recent years. Currently, meter parks have a large number of different models, installed, operated, connected and read differently. This pushes costs up as technicians must be trained to use each individual meter type and several different installation processes, and a significant number of device drivers need to be integrated. Enormous process synergies will be achieved in future – from calibration to installation, reading and maintenance – thanks to standardisation.
The project to develop an open and interoperable industrial standard for special contract customers was launched jointly with RWE, EnBW and E.ON. As one of the leading global meter manufacturers, Landis+Gyr was charged with the task of translating the idea into reality. In close cooperation with energy suppliers, two years of development led to the birth of the SyM2 concept. The Landis+Gyr E750 – the first SyM2-compliant meter – was finally put into batch production at the end of 2009.
Modular assembly of the new industrial meters was key, in addition to interoperability. This means that the only components used are those which are actually required – unnecessary costs and needless potential sources of error are avoided. The required modules can not only be assembled flexibly, but can also be replaced at any time, or new modules can be added. Rapidly evolving components such as communication units can be replaced in a matter of minutes during ongoing use. Even counters and modules from different manufacturers can be combined thanks to open specifications.
Using state-of-the-art communication technology, reading time will fall significantly in the future; the E750 meter transmits measurements directly to the specified server over GPRS or a LAN/DSL modem. This shift from “Pull” to “Push” operation will optimise the reading process.
The new standard scores highly for systematic cost efficiency in calibration as well as in installation. Using spring-type terminals instead of screws, SyM2-compliant meters such as the E750 can be installed easily, safely and with considerably lower risk of electrocution. Furthermore, the time expenditure for calibration can be reduced by up to 60 percent (from seven to two-and-a-half hours).
About Landis+Gyr
Landis+Gyr is the leading provider of integrated energy management solutions tailored to energy company needs. With a global presence and a reputation for quality and innovation, Landis+Gyr is unique in its ability to deliver true end-to-end advanced metering solutions. Today, the Company offers the broadest portfolio of products and services in the electricity metering industry, and is paving the way for the first generation of smart grid. With annualised sales of more than US$1.3 billion, Landis+Gyr operates from 44 global bases in 30 countries across five continents, and employs almost 5,000 people with the sole mission of helping the word manage energy better.
Contact:
John Harris
Vice President and Head Communications
Landis+Gyr (Europe) AG
Phone: +41 41 935 64 39
Mobile: +41 76 315 36 10