Load monitoring technology helps utility customers manage consumption of energy

Sensus, a provider of smart grid infrastructure technologies for electric, gas and water utilities, today announced an agreement with Navetas Energy Management to deliver the UK-based company’s patented energy management software that allows consumers to accurately and intelligently monitor the electricity consumption of discrete devices on their premise.

Utilities deploying the licensed wireless Sensus FlexNet advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system will be able to leverage the Navetas software as an optional service that provides residential and commercial customers with an online portal or mobile app showing precise electricity consumption data from various appliances. The system gives consumers access to detailed information about daily usage patterns and the cost associated with each device, allowing them to manage consumption and save money.

“Many utilities offer online portals that allow customers to see their aggregate electricity consumption,” said Sensus vice president of corporate strategy and business development, Matt Zafuto. “Our technology allows the customer to see disaggregated data such as the electricity consumed by a water heater in the basement or a toaster oven in the kitchen and know how much each device costs them to operate.”

The agreement strengthens the company’s global application portfolio as it continues to extend the versatility and flexibility of its open standards-based AMI system platform to customers in the U.S. and beyond. “The game changer,” said Zafuto, “is that utilities will be able to offer this service through the AMI system without their customers having to purchase or install equipment in the premises to gather and present the data.”

Utilities can offer the non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) technology as an added service to facilitate broader customer engagement, producing an online dashboard with comprehensive energy profile data so that the consumer can make informed decisions on their monthly utility spend.