INESC TEC promotes interaction between customer and supplier of electricity through smart meters that allow a more efficient and a more rational energy consumption.

The InovGrid joined INESC TEC (entity coordinated by INESC Porto), EDP, EFACEC, Janz and Logica to develop new electricity meters. The goal was to create smart homes with reduced costs for consumers, providing the national grid with active and intelligent management. This project integrated the concept of "smart grids of the future" and adapted the system to distribute electricity according to the new demands of the market, immediately creating access conditions for microgeneration projects.

The most visible component of InovGrid is called 'Energy Box', a meter that allows energy consumption telemetry, and allows customers to change the tariff by request, as well as more efficient management of individual consumption of electricity, which makes it possible to reduce energy bills.

InovGrid intended, however, to be more than a telemeter system; it is also a system for monitoring and controlling the entire distribution network, allowing a more efficient management.

InovGrid took smart meters to 50 thousand customers, which implied a connection between the Energy Box meters and central information central on the customers. This meter makes it possible to know power consumptions recorded so far, as well as past consumptions. Thus, the system eliminates reading errors, contributes to a more efficient management and fosters more rational energy consumption.

Covering participants with profiles of various rural and urban parts of the country, this project also is not limited to traditional homes, and can also be used by business customers.

In this project, INESC TEC served as a center of knowledge in the fields of electricity markets, micro-generation and management, and optimisation of the operation of power grids; Efacec provided skills in the areas of automation and management of energy networks; Janz designed and manufactured equipment and systems in the area of ​​metering and energy management; Edinfor worked in the design, development, implementation and operational management of information systems.

Besides the benefits for consumers, the operator of the distribution network also increases the reliability of energy supply. InovGrid is more than a telemetering and remote management project, as it introduces a new form of managing and controlling the distribution of electricity.

Partners:

• INESC TEC
  
• EFACEC
  
• Janz
• Edinfor
  
• EDP
  
• Logica

 Contacts: João Peças Lopes