USA - Utilities Broadband - Smart Grids & Broadband over Power Line (BPL)

Synopsis

As the imperative to address global warming has become a matter of social, political and economic urgency, utilities are rapidly developing smart grids as part of the need to improve the efficiency of energy production and use. In the background of a deepening recession, there is a growing consensus within the US that clean energy is a platform for rebuilding the American economy and that smart grids are critical to a sustainable energy future. An integral aspect of smarts grid are smart meters, with the proportion of US homes equipped with smart meters estimated to rise from 6% to 40% over the next five years. As broadband over power line networks are able to support the upgrade to smart grid systems, the development of smart grids is now the key driver behind the development of BPL. Significantly, in January 2009 the Obama economic stimulus package earmarked $11 billion for smart grid developments. In addition, BPL is also well-placed to play a broadband role in areas underserved by DSL and cable. This report provides an overview of smart grid and BPL developments in the USA.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
  
• 2. Overview
  
  • 2.1 Background
    
  • 2.2 Smart grids
    
  • 2.3 BPL
    
• 3. Smart grids
  
  • 3.1 Introduction
    
  • 3.2 Smart meters
    
  • 3.3 GridWise
    
  • 3.4 Smart grid developments
    
• 4. Broadband Powerline (BPL)
  
  • 4.1 BPL technology
    
  • 4.2 BPL opportunities
    
    • 4.2.1 Smart meters and smart grids
      
    • 4.2.2 Broadband and triple play
      
    • 4.2.3 Home networking and consumer electronics
      
  • 4.3 BPL deployment issues and obstacles
    
    • 4.3.1 BPL technology hurdles
      
    • 4.3.2 BPL competition issues
      
  • 4.4 BPL regulations
    
    • 4.4.1 FCC regulation
      
    • 4.4.2 State-based regulations
      
  • 4.5 BPL trials
    
  • 4.6 BPL standard setting bodies
    
    • 4.6.1 HomePlug Powerline Alliance
      
    • 4.6.2 United Power Line Council (UPLC)
      
    • 4.6.3 IEEE Standards Association
      
    • 4.6.4 Universal Powerline Alliance
      
• 5. Related reports
  

• Exhibit 1 – Smart Grid Applications
• Exhibit 2 – Oncor (TXU) and the Current Group
• Exhibit 3 – Smart meters planned for Massachusetts
• Exhibit 4 – CURRENT Group’s Smart Grid fault detection
• Exhibit 5 – Xcel Energy’s Smart Grid Consortium
• Exhibit 6 – CURRENT deploys the US’s first utility HAN (home area network)
• Exhibit 7 – BPL technology overview
• Exhibit 8 – BPL in Manassas reduced to a smart metering system
• Exhibit 13 – DirecTV and Current Communications terminate BPL venture
• Exhibit 10 – Unsuccessful BPL trials highlight the difficulties