SmartSynch News
Duke Energy to Demo, Test New SmartSynch Network Gearfrom Smart Grid Today SmartSynch is developing a smart grid communication solution it will sell to utilities and Duke Energy has plans to bench test, demo and deploy the product in Ohio. SmartSynch's universal communications module (UCM) is meant to serve as an IP-addressable, external interface offering WAN, LAN and HAN connectivity, Don Denton, general manager for smart grid implementation, strategy and planning at Duke Energy, told us yesterday. And it's badly needed, he added. SmartSynch is using a “future-proof design” that is conducive to remote upgrades as wireless and power technologies advance, said Denton. Still, since variety is the name of the game in smart grid technology today, “it's not like it's a commodity in the marketplace,” he said. “It's one of toolsets we will use as part of our architecture.” SmartSynch described the UCM as a box that acts as a “wireless pipe” capable of transmitting and receiving data over public wireless networks using internet-based or other open standards. The module should facilitate spot-deployment of smart grid applications such as load profile and power-quality monitoring plus support smart metering programs such as DR and real-time pricing at residences, the Jackson, Miss-based firm said. Additionally, the UCM might have a transmission application, Denton said. Duke, which is based in Charlotte, NC, and operates in five states, is for the moment focused on the box's power application — among Duke's 690,000 power customers in the greater Cincinnati area. Thus far, Ohio is the only state to win PUC approval for smart grid implementation, Denton reported.
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