Dive Summary:
- GE’s new device, the Multillin EPM 6010 is capable of communicating with two of the three main building automation systems – Modbus and BACnet, but GE isn’t commenting on whether smart meters will be a part of any upcoming technology.
- Matt Lecar of GE Energy’s Smart Grid Strategy has said recently that utility companies aren’t always in favor of consumers' submetering plans since the information on specific submeters might not match the utility’s master meter.
- Despite the apparent benefits of localized metering, submetering is only in 10 to 15 percent of commercial and multi-family building space, which indicates the industry’s general lack of interest in the concept and its related devices.
From the article:
Submetering discrete building power systems -- HVAC, lights, plug loads, common spaces, security and emergency evacuation systems, etc. -- can also help a facilities manager optimize each, whether it’s predicting which equipment is about to fail and replacing it, or running it when electricity is cheap and shutting down when it’s about to skyrocket in price.
Still, after decades on the market, submetering has only captured about 10 percent to 15 percent of commercial and multi-family residential building space, indicating that for now, at least, it has been seen as too expensive, too experimental, or too boring to choose as a focus for spending for building owners. ...
