AMR/AMI

The AMR Challenge

Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) has evolved rapidly in the past 15 years, with improvements in existing technology and the introduction of new technology to provide a range of solutions for end users. However, the rapid growth in AMR has also become a potential minefield for utilities with reliability, longevity and installation issues. In addition, there are also a number of legacy systems that are failing, or providing management headaches for operators.

The AMR evolution has also made the planning process far more complex, as it's not just the technology that is evolving, but the AMR process as a whole, from application identification to long term asset management. The days of starting with a simple trial to assess the technology is potentially creating a legacy system for future management.

The following is a simple outline of some areas for consideration in the AMR process:

• The Business Case
• Hardware Options
• Software Solutions
• The Deployment Strategy
• Risk Identification & Risk Management

Business Case

The big improvement in AMR/AMI is the business case, or viability! AMR/AMI is providing greater scope for a cost benefit for identified application/s for the short, medium and long term, including:

• Hard to read, inaccessible and remote meters
• Leak detection
• Water conservation
• Infrastructure management and planning

Depending on the complexity of application/s, the right solution will most likely be a combination of technology that will more than likely change, or evolve within the life cycle of the project, which is essentially an unknown that needs to be planned for and it may be years before you know if you made the right choice.

In essence, the business case starts with two simple questions:

1. Is there is a cost benefit for my business?
2. What solution/s, or application/s are applicable to my business?

Simple questions with complex answers!

Hardware Options

The choice in technology is changing as suppliers and technology come and go from the market with options such as:

• Wired
• RF
• WiFi
• GSM
• Bluetooth

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is potentially the game changer for AMR/AMI with the following technologies offering more then just meter reading:

• LoRaWAN
• Sigfox
• NB1/NB IoT

IIoT combines data collection and device management for lights, parking, security and just about anything that has a data/control interface. The benefit for utilities is it spreads the cost of data collection and potentially reduces the cost through economy of scale and competition. The downside is it complicates the business case and procurement process. However, at this point in time (2018), the technology is unproven and unless you have a compelling application and business case, our advice is to be AMR/AMI ready and simply wait and see.

Software Solutions

Software potentially has the ability to future proof AMR networks, it can evolve with hardware and has the potential to marry old, current and new technologies through the management of systems, processes and most importantly, data.

Note: ITOnline does not sell AMR hardware, but we provide software solutions.

The Deployment Strategy

The deployment strategy is another key factor and probably a defining factor for the business case. There are a number options, or strategies that could make a project viable. It could be as simple as a small number of devices on inaccessible meters, or a complex 10 year, all of fleet roll out plan, based on the hardware life cycle, budget constraints and return on investment.

Risk Identification & Risk Management

Last on the list, but a major priority is risk identification. A number of utilities around the world have been burnt by their AMR experience and as the market and applications evolve, the risks increase. Identifying and managing risks is an essential part of the process and should be included in the business case. The 3 main issues with AMR fleets today are:

1. Poorly installed hardware.
2. Failing hardware.
3. Unsupported hardware/systems.

Risk indentification should have a 10 year forecast and include answers to potential problems such as:

1. Sourcing and applying the appropriate technology, or technologies.
   • Hardware 
     • Are my current and future meters compatible?
     • Will the technology work with below ground installations?
     • Is my geography suitable for the preferred technology?
     • What percentage of meters Will my preferred technology cover?
   •  Software
     • Is the software compatible with billing, analytics and other systems?
     • Can the software support other AMR hardware?
     • How will the software manage my processes?
2. Will the hardware and software be supported for the life of the project?
3. What industry history does the supplier have?
4. Who does their installation? Will my staff be trained to support it?
5. Third party reliance:
   • Will I own my hardware (all, or part)?
   • Will I own the data, and/or data flow?
   • What carrier, network, or technology is to be used?
   • What happens if my supplier fails
6. What is the upgrade strategy?

Each site will have it's own issues, questions and identified risks to be managed.

ITOnline can help you navigate the minefield as well as providing a solution to manage the process and your data.