SMART ENERGY METER WITH NET ENERGY METERING SYSTEM

By, J.V.A.SRIKANTH 2210610160

Energy meter
An energy meter is a device that measures the amount of electrical energy consumed by a residence, business, or an electrically powered device. Electric meters are typically calibrated in billing units, the most common one being the kilowatt hour.

 The smart grid is a digital infrastructure that sits on top of the already existing electrical grid. This serves to monitor grid conditions, energy consumption and generation as well as automate many of its operations Improve the reliability of the electrical grid Improve its overall efficiency Lower costs of distribution and generation

Allow for real time monitoring of the electrical grid

What is a prepaid energy meter???

Description

A scheme of Electricity billing system called PREPAID ENERGY METER WITH TARIFF INDICATOR can facilitate in improved cash flow management in energy utilities and can reduces problem associated with billing consumer living in isolated area and reduces deployment of manpower for taking meter readings. Every consumer can buy a memory card (is nothing but an EEPROM IC) with a password stored inside it using a MC program

 The card reader will read the stored information and delete the information from the EEPROM IC(smart card) using the MC program,so that the smart card cannot be reused by others. In this project there is a provision to give an alarm sound to consumer before the whole amount is reduced.

Circuit diagram

Components of circuit diagram

The meter consists of a microcontroller, a current feedback section consisting of a current transformer, a signal conditioning circuit & adc. A prepaid smart card containing a serial number & amount has to be inserted into the meter. This project uses regulated 5v, 500ma power supply. 7805 and 7812 three terminal voltage regulators are used for voltage regulation. Bridge type full wave rectifier is used to rectify the ac output of secondary of 230/12v step down transformer.

Pin Description:

Pin No 1 2 3
4 5 6 7

Function
Address input pins; Provide addresses when more than one EEPROM is interfaced to a single microcontroller; Ground when only one EEPROM is used Ground (0V) Bi-directional pin for serial data transfer Provides clock signals Ground allows normal read/write functions; Vcc enables write protection Supply voltage; 5V (up to 5.5V)

Name AD0 AD1 AD2

Ground Serial Data Serial Clock Write protect Vcc

Smart cards

 Smart cards used here are based on eeprom technology.

Eeprom is an acronym for electrically erasable programmable read only memory. This module contains the password and amount of electrical charge to be given. This amount is then reduced according to the usage at the consumer or individual household. This has a provision for giving the alarm when the amount reaches the low level. The eeprom is then erased when it attached to the smart card reader by the microcontroller so as to stop the reusage of the smart card.

 Arduino is a single-board microcontroller to make using electronics in multidisciplinary projects more accessible
The hardware consists of an open-source hardware board designed around an 8-bit Atmel AVR microcontroller, or a 32-bit Atmel ARM

The software consists of a standard programming language compiler and a boot loader that executes on the microcontroller. The Arduino integrated development environment (IDE) is a crossplatform application written in Java, and is derived from the IDE for theProcessing programming language and the Wiring projects.

 After consumption of each unit of energy the meter , the meter sends a pulse through the interrupt signal detector. The detector interrupts the mcu. The mcu displays the number of units used. The eeprom saves the information regarding the tariff and units of energy paid for.

When the total energy is consumed the relay cuts off power supply to the load.

 Net Energy metering system is used in Renewable energy resource production and in this system every home acts as an individual power station Thus delivering power to the grid and in which the distribution companies pay for the delivered power by excluding the power used at the individual homes. The individuals are paid in kwh(kilo-watt hour) delivered to the Grid. This works out as energy supplied to the grid = Units consumed in kwh-Units delivered to the grid.

Photovoltaic Modules

Inverter

Isolation Transformer

Manual Disconnect

To Grid

Bi-Directional Energy Meter

Automatic Relay

 The photovoltaic modules produce the electricity from the sunlight received. Then the inverter converts the dc power generated into ac power. This is then passed through the isolation transformer. This is then given to an automatic relay system which is used for cutoff of the electrical power. This is then given to bi-directional energy meter for net energy metering. This power is then given to the grid.

 The conventional electro-mechanical meters are being replaced with electronic meters to improve accuracy in meter reading. Asian countries are currently looking to introduce prepaid electricity meters across their distribution network, buoyed up by the success of this novel methodology in South Africa.

The existing inherent problems with the post-paid system and privatization of state held power distribution companies are the major driving factors for this market in Asia. Over 40 countries have implemented prepaid meters in their markets. . The prepaid program in South Africa was started in 1992, since then they have installed over 6 million meters. The concept has found ground in Argentina and New Zealand with few thousands of installations.

Advantages
A grid-connected photovoltaic power system will reduce the power bill as it is possible to sell surplus electricity produced to the local electricity supplier. Grid-connected PV systems are comparatively easier to install as they do not require a battery system. Grid interconnection of photovoltaic (PV) power generation systems has the advantage of effective utilization of generated power because there are no storage losses involved.

A photovoltaic power system is carbon negative over its lifespan, as any energy produced over and above that to build the panel initially offsets the need for burning fossil fuels. Even though the sun doesn't always shine, any installation gives a reasonably predictable average reduction in carbon consumption.

Benefits of Prepaid Meters

Improved operational efficiencies: The prepaid meters are likely to cut the cost of meter reading as no meter readers are required. In addition, they eliminate administrative hassles associated with disconnection and reconnection. Besides, going by South Africas experience, prepaid meters could help control appropriation of electricity in a better way than conventional meters. Reduced financial risks: Since the payment is up-front, it reduces the financial risk by improving the cash flows and necessitates an improved revenue management system. Better customer service: The system eliminates billing delay, removes cost involved in disconnection/reconnection, enables controlled use of energy, and helps customers to save money through better energy management.

Market Drivers
Power sector reforms: The upcoming competitive and customer focused deregulated power distribution market will force the market participants to make the existing metering and billing process more competent. This is likely to drive the prepaid market. Increasing non-technical losses: Metering errors, tampering with meters leading to low registration and calibration related frauds are some of the key components of non-technical losses. India reports greater than 10 percent of non-technical losses. It has been reported that prepaid meters control non-technical losses better than conventional ones. Opportunities in the emerging electrifying markets: Most of the Asian countries do not have 100 percent electrification; hence new markets are being created by the increasing generating capacity. Prepaid systems can be more easily introduced in such new markets rather than the existing ones.

 Modem Connection Between the meters and the electricity supply office User friendly System GSM Technology can be used Central database More energy can be produced with lesser carbon footprint.

 This project has various other aspects which have scope of up gradation. Immense future prospects.