Gridspertise, a global player dedicated to supporting distribution system operators around the world in accelerating the digital transformation of power grids, and STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor supplier, announced that they have entered a new phase of their long-term collaboration in smart meter technologies.
The two companies' collaboration began in the early 2000s with one of Gridspertise's shareholders, Enel. Today, more than 65 million Gridspertise smart meters are deployed across Spain, Eastern Europe and Latin America, leveraging power line communication (PLC) technologies provided by ST.
Additionally, ST's latest PLC system has been integrated into Gridspertise smart meters for Italy to enable a near real-time cyber communication channel for home devices – the so-called Chain 2 technology. Now, Gridspertise and ST are working together to extend Chain 2 to new measurement solutions in the Gridspertise portfolio, making it suitable for the US and other geographies.
For end customers, Chain 2 technology improves awareness of consumed and self-produced energy. It enables a multitude of new, improved services that simplify energy use through home automation . Chain 2 technology encourages a more active role of all players in the energy market, as well as the penetration of distributed renewable sources.
For example, the technology allows you to recommend personalized behaviors to the end customer based on the production of real-time data from your own generation system, such as photovoltaic panels. It also allows the smart meter to collect real-time data on household appliance consumption, which can be used, for example, to modulate the charging power of an EV charger according to available capacity and other energy needs in the home.
Gridspertise and ST are also collaborating in several other areas. In addition to working on the ANSI C communications standard for the US market, the companies are cooperating to adopt the latest DLMS certified standards in Gridspertise smart meters, to further improve interoperability and interchangeability between devices and systems.
“We are pleased to strengthen our strategic collaboration with STMicroelectronics, leveraging shared best practices to develop innovative solutions to serve an increasing number of markets and bring benefits to new customers, starting in the US, where Gridspertise is enhancing its activities across the North American Platform to better support electrical grid operators and utilities in the region,” said Gianni Ceneri, CTO at Gridspertise.
This latest step in the collaboration between Gridspertise and ST delivers on Gridspertise's mission to deliver a new era of sustainable and reliable smart grids, which is extremely timely in the current US context where new federal policies have triggered a wave of investment in the transition. energy and network modernization.
Together, ST and Gridspertise are unlocking the penetration of new sustainable, flexible and distributed energy sources and the active participation of end customers through increasingly digitalized networks. Both companies have branches across the U.S. to engage directly with technology companies, power grid operators, policymakers and regulators, accelerating the region's electric future.
“As Gridspertise accelerates the growth of its business, ST continues to develop and contribute our unique system know-how, dedicated support and turnkey solutions based on our advanced semiconductor integration capabilities,” said Domenico Arrigo, general manager of the STMicroelectronics industrial unit. and Power Conversion Division in the Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group. “We are maintaining and enhancing our connection as a leading technology provider for Gridspertise solutions and services, and with them, delivering smart, sustainable grids that are robust, secure, resilient and reliable.”
