THE CURRENT SITUATION
Enel Grids aims to provide top-quality services in energy distribution to its final customers. To do this, technicians perform regularly on field checks on the grid to ensure smart meters are working correctly. These meters measure energy use for homes and businesses and need real-time connections for tasks like reading and programming. However, some smart meters are hard for technicians to be read or not physically accessible, creating inefficiencies.
THE CHALLENGE SOLUTION’S REQUIRED FEATURES AND DETAILS
ENEL Grids is looking for a portable device that will be carried by field technicians in order to communicate with the device for reading/programming activities from a distance to the smart meter.
The device must be portable, small and lightweight to be carried in a pocket or little bag, with a rechargeable battery and an external RF antenna that can be dismantlable, for carrying or in case it must be changed, and with the possibility to interface with a smartphone for meter management.
The connection is done using the radiofrequency channel 169 MHz Wireless M-Bus that is already available in some types of Smart Meters, incapsulating the Meters&More protocol that is necessary to exchange information. It is in charge of the provider the acquisition, and compliances, of all necessary standards and instructions to provide the functionalities here described.
The device has to be linked and managed by an Android smartphone as first option, the possibility to be used by laptops or other Windows based end-points can be a plus. The connection between device and smartphone is suggested to be via Bluetooth for energy efficiency reasons but also Wi-Fi can be evaluated if it feasible in terms of battery duration and overall performances.
A LED bar or display is requested to clearly inform the actual operational statuses (e.g. ON, Trying-to-connect, Connected, Scanning, Alarm, etc)
The device could be also a prototype (TRL>5) at the date of the proposal and during testing phase.
Applicants are being accepted globally. But the testing phase will be conducted in Italy.
SOLUTION MUST HAVE
1. MAIN TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:
1.1. Reliability in terms of expected lifetime and failure rate that must consider all the conditions described in this document.
1.2. Portable with a maximum weight of 500gr. In terms of dimension the device must be easily handheld and resting on a flat surface.
1.3. Internal memory: storage area for at least 1000 messages and log, with rolling functionality plus storage area for errors and diagnosis.
1.4. End-point: the device must communicate to an Android device like a smartphone (e.g. Samsung Note8, Samsung Galaxy S22, more specifications will be defined during activities).
1.5. Terminals and interfaces:
1.5.1.USB Type-C for charging.
1.5.2.Bluetooth 5.0 or higher, with a range of 20 meters without obstacles.
1.5.3.Signaling LEDs or Display for power, actual operational statuses, and Bluetooth status (or other wireless).
1.5.4.Powered by a rechargeable battery for at least 12 hours of activity.
1.5.5.SMA male connector for a removable external RF 169MHZ antenna
.
1.6. TRL >5: The device could be also a prototype at the date of the proposal and during testing phase.
2. FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
2.1. Meter programming and reading through Wireless M-Bus
The device must be able to communicate by Meters&More via Wireless M-Bus to a specific meter. Using this interface the field technician will be able to interact with the Smart Meter for all regular maintenance activities, involving read and write actions on smart meter registers accordingly Meters&More data model.
The Bluetooth connection of the device will be restricted to the use of the smartphone application designed for reading instant parameters of the meter. The passwords for reading/programming these smart meter data will eventually be obtained through the application that will access the DSO system. The design of the application to access the DSO system is outside of this project, a demo smartphone application that demonstrate this functionality will be sufficient.
2.2. Sniffer mode
The device must monitor the RF channel to detect and store all messages that are passing between Smart Meters and the LV Concentrator, identifying the ones that are specific of wM-Bus protocol.
2.3. Test mode
A functionality that allows the field technician to evaluate if the RF channel is fine and all apparatus work fine requires to the device the possibility to:
· Send a specific message over the RF channel to simulate a LV concentrator and see Smart Meter reaction;
· Send a specific message over the RF channel to simulate a Smart Meter and evaluate LV concentrator reaction.
3. OTHER REQUIREMENTS
It is in charge of the provider the acquisition, and compliances, of all necessary standards (e.g. Meters&More association, Wireless M-Bus standard, etc) and instructions to provide the functionalities here described.
The device must be able to be tested on field using a smartphone or equivalent solution that allow Enel to verify each functionality here described.
The participant whose solution will be awarded as winning solution, shall make available at least 20 devices (or prototypes) for the Proof-of-Concept covered by the collaboration agreement to be negotiated in good faith with Enel Grids, as further described below. Such 20 devices (or prototypes) shall be made available within 1 month from the signing of the collaboration agreement.
SOLUTION NICE TO HAVE
1. Environmental: Temperature -20°C÷+70°C; Hr ≤ 90%; altitude 0÷2000m; Pollution degree 2 (CEI EN 61010-1); IP54 (in accordance to EN 60529).
2. a USB Type-C for communication.
3. a Wireless WiFi connection to communicate with Android Smartphones.
4. a webserver able to communicate with a variety of different endpoints (e.g. tablets, smartphones, laptops, etc).
5. an internal RF 169MHz antenna.
6. act as portable LV concentrator (as alternative to regular power line channel) storing all readings from Smart Meters in a certain area without the necessity to be connected to a smartphone for the entire process.
DELIVERABLES
Proposals shall be submitted to the platform openinnovability.com in a single stage including the following information in English:
1. Solution name/title and overview;
2. Solution detailed description (e.g., Technical, Functional, Cybersecurity and Operational specifications, etc.);
3. Solution design (e.g. Hardware, Software, Interfaces and electronic scheme, etc.);
4. An estimation of the price for at least 20 devices (or prototypes) available for a Proof-of-Concept;
5. An estimation of the final price of the solution for an amount of 1000 devices and multiple;
6. Supporting documentation: any additional supporting materials, diagrams, simulations, or research that help in understanding and evaluating the proposed solution could be uploaded.
The chosen proposal(s) will have the opportunity to collaborate with Enel Grids and test the devices (or prototypes) in a Proof-of-Concept agreement, in accordance with the terms and conditions better described in the REGULATION ATTACHED.
Enel Grids
Enel Grids, is a world leader in electricity distribution who guarantees electricity supply through efficient, resilient and digital grids: more than 30,000 people directly involved in the construction and operation of our infrastructure; 1.9 million km of electricity lines in seven countries; 387 TWh of electricity distributed in 2023. At Enel Grids, we operate with a constant focus on the highest standards of service, working on advanced grid digitalization to foster renewable’s development and to ensure a superior experience in our customers' journey towards electrification, leveraging the opportunities offered by emerging technologies. In the upcoming future, an increasing number of sectors of the economy will depend more heavily on electricity, requiring more resilient distribution grids to withstand climate change and extreme operating conditions. Energy will rather come from a much larger number of renewable plants, this requires the development and implementation of innovative approaches to ensure grid stability, reliability, and efficiency.
