Besides providing Elmar with crucial electrical usage and power generation data to improve grid efficiency and functionality, the installation of GE’s AMI solutions is also expected to facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources into the grid.
Specifically, Aruba’s wireless AMI network will feature 170 P2MP meters interconnected through seven access points, each of which can communicate with up to 20,000 smart meters and 64,000 distribution automation devices within a 40-mile radius.
The new access points are expected to enable the country’s entire installed smart meter base to efficiently and effectively communicate crucial data back to Elmar for analysis.
Elmar will be able to access and utilize GE-hosted monitoring software to help maintain its new wireless AMI network, for the first six months of the operation.
Elmar director Robert Henriquez said a part of the island’s future energy plan is to generate more renewable energy and implement it into its electrical grid, to realize its long-term goal of becoming a 100% ‘green’ country.
"GE’s Grid IQ P2MP AMI solution provides utilities with important information such as how much power is generated by a country’s wind farms and solar power facilities and when the majority of this power is being generated, helping them to better understand their electrical grid and what can be done to optimize it," Henriquez added.
In addition, the Grid IQ P2MP wireless connectivity solution will reduce deployment and operational costs through provision of thousands of square miles of ubiquitous coverage with minimal network infrastructure.
