Tokyo Gas: I hope to promote the introduction of smart meters

Introduction: The concept of “intelligent instrumentation” is embedded in the concept of embedding communication functions in meters to remotely collect measured values ​​or wirelessly connect home appliances in homes for use in HEMS. Among them, domestic gas companies in Japan are very active. City Gas and LP Gas Co., Ltd. have unified the smart meter communication standards for gas in Japan, and plan to start empirical tests in the future.

The leading Tokyo Gas Corporation promoted communication standardization through the IEEE 802 in order to purchase wireless communication transceiver ICs at a low cost (see this site's report). A few days ago, a reporter from this station interviewed Gu Zejun, manager of the Communication Instrument Development Group of the Commodity Development Department of the Technical Development Division of Tokyo Gas, which is responsible for the development of gas smart meter communication standards.

-- Tokyo Gas has been actively working on the international standardization of gas meter communication methods. The IEEE 8022.15.4g wireless standard for low power consumption for applications such as gas meters has been implemented by the IEEE 802 standard. Why is your company actively committed to the standardization of overseas instrument communication methods?

Guzawa: This is to enable Japanese instrument manufacturers and communication equipment manufacturers to be more active in the global market. After standardizing communications, if Japanese technology can be used, Japanese manufacturers can easily expand their sales abroad. As a result, it is expected to reduce the price of the instrument through mass production. As a result, we can purchase gas meters at low cost.

Under the leadership of the Telemetering Promotion Conference, Japan's City Gas Company and LP Gas Company standardized the use of the "Ubus" dedicated communication interface for connecting gas meters and communication adapters. A variety of transmission methods can be used for communication adapters that connect instruments via the U bus. We have proposed the most suitable battery-driven gas meter communication method to the IEEE 802. This method is currently being established as the "IEEE802.15.4g/4e" physical layer and MAC layer standards. If the IC can be purchased at low cost, instrument manufacturers will also be more likely to manufacture products that support communications. To this end, we have vigorously promoted overseas international standardization.

- Is the "IEEE802.15.4g/4e" standard wireless IC used by the Tokyo Gas Project listed?

Gu Ze: The major semiconductor manufacturers have gradually begun sampling. Although the written standard for the 15.4 g standard is due to be completed after 2012, the general framework for the standard has been established, so semiconductor development is currently being promoted. ICs meeting the draft standards may first be used for verification experiments.

- The standards specified by the Telemetering Promotion Conference will be used for water meters and electricity meters in addition to city gas and LP gas. Is this trend of importing into other industries expanding?

Guzawa: First of all, it will focus on the adoption of gas companies. As for the water meter, as it is under the jurisdiction of the local government, it has not yet seen the trend of adoption. On the other hand, there is no strict requirement for low power consumption, such as the use of a built-in battery for 10 years, as in gas meters. Therefore, it seems that the low-power wireless mode developed by us does not seem to be adopted.

However, in the future, if the meter also has a demand for reducing power consumption, it may be used. For example, the IEEE802.15.4g standard wireless IC that we plan to use is expected to lower prices through mass production in the future. In this case, power operators, etc. may also position it as one of the low-cost wireless ICs.

- When will Tokyo Gas plan to start importing these systems?

Guze: We are just the development department, only responsible for how to make the system available for work. The time of large-scale import is decided by other departments. However, in order to support it immediately whenever it is imported, it is necessary to prepare in advance.

There are roughly three stages to go through, first to field testing, then to pilot import, and finally to full import. Among them, field testing is scheduled to begin in kind from the second half of 2011. About 400 wireless terminals will be imported to transmit data through multiple reflections to verify the reliability of communications and the performance of the look-up table services. We plan to conduct full-scale introduction after 2012 through this field test.

Initially, it may be introduced as a solution to difficulties in finding a watch. That is, remote lookups are performed through wireless communication for meters that are difficult for the inspector to access and for meters that are difficult to inspect within the automatic lock of a high-end apartment. Initially, experiments were conducted using radio waves in the 950 MHz band, and if the frequency transition of the Ministry of Internal Affairs was promoted, the 920 MHz band would be used.

We have already begun transmission experiments in some facilities and confirmed that data can be transmitted via Bucket Relay through frequency hopping.

- Your company is still advancing the linkage between smart meters and home devices. Is this to implement the HEMS?

Guzawa: The HEMS linkage system is also scheduled to begin verification experiments in 2011. It will cooperate with companies such as homes and home appliances to confirm its practicality.

——What are the trends of importing gas smart meters overseas?

Guze: Not long ago, Europe held a large-scale exhibition "Metering, Billing/CRMEurope" related to smart meters. The exhibition introduced examples of gas smart meter introductions in various European countries. Europe has set the goal of increasing the introduction rate of smart meters to 100% by 2020, and all countries are gradually introducing them.

For example, Italy introduced import regulations as an obligation very early, and in 2012 it will reach an import rate of about 5%. I heard that France has imported 20,000 items. The United Kingdom has pioneered the construction of a new business model using smart meters. It is estimated that it is prioritizing the establishment of business forms.

In Europe, the wireless connection communication standard "M-Bus (Meter-Bus)" for remote look-up has been standardized. However, it cannot be said that it has been widely used. In the future, operators around the world will discuss the standardization and trial operation of communications more seriously.