Metering Latin America to Offer Unique Insight Into InovGrid Smart City Project

Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 02, 2011 --(PR.com)-- The upcoming Metering Latin America conference and expo will feature several case studies to illustrate the business case for smart meter implementation, including the InovGrid smart city project in Évora, Portugal.

Metering Latin America, which will once again unite utilities, smart metering and smart grids experts, regulators and global technology giants in Sao Paulo from 25-27 October. This is the same month that Brazil’s energy regulator Aneel will announce the first of two regulations regarding the implementation of smart meters nationwide, launching a billion dollar smart meter installation rollout in that country.

Lessons learnt in implementing smart grids
The InovGrid smart city project, currently being piloted in the Portuguese city of Évora, aims to improve understanding of the impact of smart grids throughout the distribution network, from the substation up to the customer, says EDP Distribuição’s director of planning and management control, João Martins de Carvalho.

According to João Martins de Carvalho the project has developed a pilot solution which has included the installation of 30,000 energy boxes and 40,000 distribution transformer controllers and the respective integrations with the company’s systems. He continues: “in parallel with the installation of the hardware, we have proceeded with the definition of work groups dedicated to the analysis and quantification of the potential benefits of the technology. The project has also been marked with openness to alternative communication solutions, which have been gradually integrated into small complementary pilot projects.”

Chosen from more than 200 projects
Launched in 2007, the InovGrid project was chosen from among more than 200 projects to test the methodology in Europe says EDP Distribuição’s João Martins de Carvalho and he explains that it "seeks to demonstrate, in an integrated and complete way, the various benefits of smart grids both to customers and the electricity distributor, through improved quality of service, more information to the consumer enabling them to have an active role in their energy consumption, and improved operational efficiency for the operator."

Involvement of end-users
One important lesson learnt thus far is the importance of the involvement of end-users says João Martins de Carvalho. “It is very important to manage the expectations, to explain clearly the benefits of the solution and to understand their needs and difficulties. After all, the client has most to gain from the solution. For example, we saw that in the beginning there were customers who didn’t know what the new device (the energy box) was and did not know if it would cost them money. This forced quick action on our part with personnel and installers so they could better explain to the customers.”

More speaker highlights at Metering Latin America include:
· André Pepitone de Nóbrega, Director, Aneel, Brazil
· Sidney Simonaggio, Operations Director, AES Eletropaulo, Brazil
· Manlio Coviello, Chief Natural Reserouces and Energy Unit, ECLAC, United Nations
· Glenn Steiger, General Manager, Glendale Water and Power, USA
· Valerio Vadacchino, Smart Grid Project Manager, ENEL, Italy
· Fabio Toledo, Distribution Board Advisor, LIGHT, Brazil
· Humberto Muñoz, General Director, SEAPAL, Mexico
· Marcelo Salles, Technology and Enviroinment Director, SABESP, Brazil
· Oscar Armijos, General Manager, Electrica de Guayaquil, Equador
· Miguel Setas, VP Distribution, EDP Group, Portugal
· Ricardo Van Erven, Technology Director, AES Eletropaulo, Brazil

Event dates and location:
25-27 October 2011
Frei Caneca Convention Center, São Paulo, Brazil

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