Smart prepaid meters monitor a consumer’s daily energy consumption and with this they receive accurate data on their mobile phones in real time via a secure smart data network
Prepaid smart meters, as the name implies, work on a prepaid system, supplying electricity to the home until there is balance in the resident’s e-wallet
To avert, balance and save the ever-increasing amount of energy consumed on a daily basis, smart prepaid meters come to the rescue. To build a climate conscious future, these meters enable the monitoring of daily energy consumption, backed by cloud-based applications and the Internet of Things (IoT). Additionally, e-wallets that act as payment gateways for these meters help in keeping defaulters in check.
The world is on the verge of a major energy crisis. Energy consumption has risen exponentially as a result of the rapid increase in population. Energy is consumed everywhere—including by appliances at home, from a computer to a water heater. Buildings and transportation account for the majority of energy consumption.
Buildings waste more than 30 percent of their total energy consumption. This rapid increase in consumption has also added to climate change. People could not previously track their consumption, with incorrect billing, water and energy waste, electricity theft and security breaches being among the common issues faced. With the advent of cloud-based applications and the Internet of Things (IoT), it is now possible to not only track but also to save energy.
Smart prepaid meters monitor a consumer’s daily energy consumption and with this they receive accurate data on their mobile phones in real-time via a secure smart data network. It is an intelligent system that tracks the consumer’s Maximum Demand (MD) and, when the electricity consumption exceeds this demand, it automatically cuts off the power supply to save the consumer from hefty penalties, saving both money and energy.
Prepaid meters are classified into two types: single phase meters and three phase meters. When the load is less than 5kW, a single phase meter is used; when the load exceeds 5kW, three phase meters are used. The meters used in residential apartments are dual source dual register meters that can detect whether the supply is from the grid or from DG (Diesel Generator).
Prepaid smart meters, as the name implies, work on a prepaid system, supplying electricity to the home until there is balance in the resident’s e-wallet. When the account balance falls below zero, the power is turned off. This assists the builder with payment defaults, and the builder does not have to chase down defaulters.
Smart prepaid meters are the future of metering in India. The initial cost of the infrastructure is not cheap, and it will necessitate the involvement of both the Centre and the state governments to create an interconnected network of smart meters. The status of these meters can be tracked in real time by stakeholders using cloud technologies and appropriate and timely actions can be taken if any meter goes offline.
