Quadlogic, Lantronix PLC to allow better energy management for utilities

Quadlogic has selected Lantronix UDS1100 Ethernet device server to enable serial-to-Ethernet conversion in its metering systems. As a result, Quadlogic can now offer remote access, monitoring and control of its energy metering technology over Ethernet, dramatically improving communication and reducing support costs for its customers. Quadlogic provides its residential and commercial customers access to timely and accurate metering data which is especially important due to rising energy costs, deregulated markets and complex energy pricing.  

Lantronix UDS1100

Utilities are continually investigating and deploying ways to provide greater efficiency into the way they generate, distribute and manage energy. Better energy management helps utilities be more efficient and keep their rising costs in check.

"This technology helps the utilities' end users better manage their consumption of energy in real time as well as look at the history of their energy consumption," Paul Pishal, Vice President of Product Management for Lantronix, told FierceEnergy. "Utilities will provide financial incentives to end users who manage their energy usage effectively, which is critical during peak times of the day where energy costs are the highest."

In the past, islands of metering technology have been expensive to manage and deploy.

"Before, meter readings had to be conducted manually whereas now, they can be handled via the Internet," Pishal said. "The technology allows for more creative ways to manage energy usage events from devices like smartphones or home computers. Using cloud computing capabilities will allow Quadlogic and others to deploy smart energy management solutions very quickly and cost effectively so more end users can adopt it."

By having networking technology that allows end users to view and control their energy usage, utilities can introduce more effective variable-based pricing for their service to the benefit of both the utility and its customers.

"These benefits will start changing how end users consume energy and start shifting the times of the days where there is peak usage. By reducing peak usage rates, utilities can lower their overall cost of generating and distributing power," Pishal said. "These operational benefits reduce overall energy costs; these savings can be passed along or the rates of energy costs can be reduced."

For more:
- see this release

Related Articles:
Semitech PLC addresses challenge of large-scale connected meter deployments
CEVA leads Israeli Smart Grid Consortium to advance smart grid technologies