When the cybersecurity industry warns about the nightmare of hackers causing blackouts, the scenario they describe typically entails an elite team of hackers breaking into the inner sanctum of a power utility to start flipping switches. But one group of researchers has imagined how an entire power grid could be taken down by hacking a less centralized and protected class of targets: home air conditioners and water heaters. Lots of them.

At the Usenix Security conference this week, a group of Princeton University security researchers will present a study that considers a little-examined question in power grid cybersecurity: What if hackers attacked not the supply side of the power grid, but the demand side? In a series of simulations, the researchers imagined what might happen if hackers controlled a botnet composed of thousands of silently hacked consumer internet of things devices, particularly power-hungry ones like air conditioners, water heaters, and space heaters. Then they ran a series of software simulations to see how many of those devices an attacker would need to simultaneously hijack to disrupt the stability of the power grid.

Their answers point to a disturbing, if not quite yet practical scenario: In a power network large enough to serve an area of 38 million people—a population roughly equal to Canada or California—the researchers estimate that just a one percent bump in demand might be enough to take down the majority of the grid. That demand increase could be created by a botnet as small as a few tens of thousands of hacked electric water heaters or a couple hundred thousand air conditioners.

“Power grids are stable as long as supply is equal to demand,” says Saleh Soltan, a researcher in Princeton’s Department of Electrical Engineering, who led the study. “If you have a very large botnet of IoT devices, you can really manipulate the demand, changing it abruptly, any time you want.”

The result of that botnet-induced imbalance, Soltan says, could be cascading blackouts. When demand in one part of the grid rapidly increases, it can overload the current on certain power lines, damaging them or more likely triggering devices called protective relays, which turn off the power when they sense dangerous conditions. Switching off those lines puts more load on the remaining ones, potentially leading to a chain reaction.

“Fewer lines need to carry the same flows and they get overloaded, so then the next one will be disconnected and the next one,” says Soltan. “In the worst case, most or all of them are disconnected, and you have a blackout in most of your grid.”

Power utility engineers, of course, expertly forecast fluctuations in electric demand on a daily basis. They plan for everything from heat waves that predictably cause spikes in air conditioner usage to the moment at the end of British soap opera episodes when hundreds of thousands of viewers all switch on their tea kettles. But the Princeton researchers’ study suggests that hackers could make those demand spikes not only unpredictable, but maliciously timed.

The researchers don’t actually point to any vulnerabilities in specific household devices, or suggest how exactly they might be hacked. Instead, they start from the premise that a large number of those devices could somehow be compromised and silently controlled by a hacker. That’s arguably a realistic assumption, given the myriad vulnerabilities other security researchers and hackers have found in the internet of things. One talk at the Kaspersky Analyst Summit in 2016 described security flaws in air conditioners that could be used to pull off the sort of grid disturbance that the Princeton researchers describe. And real-world malicious hackers have compromised everything from refrigerators to fish tanks.

Given that assumption, the researchers ran simulations in power grid software MATPOWER and Power World to determine what sort of botnet would could disrupt what size grid. They ran most of their simulations on models of the Polish power grid from 2004 and 2008, a rare country-sized electrical system whose architecture is described in publicly available records. They found they could cause a cascading blackout of 86 percent of the power lines in the 2008 Poland grid model with just a one percent increase in demand. That would require the equivalent of 210,000 hacked air conditioners, or 42,000 electric water heaters.

The notion of an internet of things botnet large enough to pull off one of those attacks isn’t entirely farfetched. The Princeton researchers point to the Mirai botnet of 600,000 hacked IoT devices, including security cameras and home routers. That zombie horde hit DNS provider Dyn with an unprecedented denial of service attack in late 2016, taking down a broad collection of websites.

Building a botnet of the same size out of more power-hungry IoT devices is probably impossible today, says Ben Miller, a former cybersecurity engineer at electric utility Constellation Energy and now the director of the threat operations center at industrial security firm Dragos. There simply aren’t enough high-power smart devices in homes, he says, especially since the entire botnet would have to be within the geographic area of the target electrical grid, not distributed across the world like the Mirai botnet.

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The Seventh Circuit just handed down a landmark opinion, ruling 3-0 that the Fourth Amendment protects energy-consumption data collected by smart meters. Smart meters collect energy usage data at high frequencies—typically every 5, 15, or 30 minutes—and therefore know exactly how much electricity is being used, and when, in any given household. The court recognized that data from these devices reveals intimate details about what’s going on inside the home that would otherwise be unavailable to the government without a physical search. The court held that residents have a reasonable expectation of privacy in this data and that the government’s access of it constitutes a “search.”

This case, Naperville Smart Meter Awareness v. City of Naperville, is the first case addressing whether the Fourth Amendment protects smart meter data. Courts have in the past held that the Fourth Amendment does not protect monthly energy usage readings from traditional, analog energy meters, the predecessors to smart meters. The lower court in this case applied that precedent to conclude that smart meter data, too, was unprotected as a matter of law. On appeal, EFF and Privacy International filed an amicus brief urging the Seventh Circuit to reconsider this dangerous ruling. And in its decision, released last week, the Seventh Circuit wisely recognized that smart meters and analog meters are different:

“Using traditional energy meters, utilities typically collect monthly energy consumption in a single lump figure once per month. By contrast, smart meters record consumption much more frequently, often collecting thousands of readings every month. Due to this frequency, smart meters show both the amount of electricity being used inside a home and when that energy is used.”  

The Seventh Circuit recognized that this energy usage data “reveals information about the happenings inside a home.” Individual appliances, the court explained, have distinct energy-consumption patterns or “load signatures.” These load signatures allow you to tell not only when people are home, but what they are doing. The court held that the “ever-accelerating pace of technological development carries serious privacy implications” and that smart meters “are no exception.”

This is critical precedent. Last year, roughly 65 million smart meters had been installed in the United States in recent years, with 88% of them—over 57 million—in homes of American consumers; more than 40% of American households had a smart meter. Experts predict that number will reach about 80% by 2020. And law enforcement agencies are already trying to get access to data from energy companies without a warrant.

In this case, a group of citizens called Naperville Smart Meter Awareness challenged Naperville’s policy of requiring every home to have a smart meter, objecting on Fourth Amendment and other grounds. The district court held that smart meter data—despite being collected directly a city utility, not any non-governmental third party—was subject to the so-called “third party doctrine.” In other words, the lower court reasoned that simply because the utility company held the data, it was automatically devoid of constitutional protection.

The Seventh Circuit reversed the district court’s decision, holding that the third party doctrine did not apply. The court first noted that application of the third party doctrine would make no sense in this case. The city itself collected the data; there was no third party. The court then cited the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Carpenter v. United States, which rejectedthe third party doctrine in a case involving cell site location information. In Carpenter, the Supreme Court held that this antiquated doctrine does not apply to the exhaustive stores of personal information information collected today by wireless carriers, which can be used “detailed chronicle of a person’s physical presence compiled every day, every moment over years.” The Court reasoned that people do not “voluntarily ‘assume the risk’ of turning over a comprehensive dossier of physical movements” just by choosing to use a cell phone. The Seventh Circuit held that the same goes for smart meter data: “a home occupant does not assume the risk of near constant monitoring by choosing to have electricity in her home.” As the court explained, the third-party doctrine rests on “the notion that an individual has a reduced expectation of privacy in information knowingly shared with another” and “in this context, a choice to share data imposed by fiat is no choice at all.”

After concluding that smart meter data is protected by the Fourth Amendment, the Seventh Circuit next assessed whether the municipal utility’s “search” was reasonable.  The court, after weighing the city’s interest in collecting the data with the residents’ privacy interest, concluded that the city’s collection of smart meter data in this context was reasonable. The court explained that smart meters play a crucial role in the modernization of the energy grid, allow utilities to restore service more quickly when power goes, permit utilities to offer time-based pricing to reduce the strain on the grid by encouraging consumers to shift usage away from peak demand periods, and reduce utilities’ labor costs because home visits are needed less frequently.

Critically, the court noted that its analysis would be different if Naperville conducted the search with “prosecutorial intent,” if the search was conducted by law enforcement instead of the city’s public utility, or if the data was more easily accessible to law enforcement or other city officials outside the utility. The court cited the city’s policy of not providing customer data to third parties—including law enforcement—without a warrant or court order.  The court also noted that its conclusion might also change if the city were to collect data at intervals shorter than every 15 minutes.

The court did, however, chide the city for failing to give residents the option of keeping traditional meters: “Naperville could have avoided this controversy—and may still avoid future uncertainty—by giving its residents a genuine opportunity to consent to the installation of smart meters, as many other utilities have.”

We applaud the Seventh Circuit for recognizing that smart meters pose serious risks to the privacy of all of our homes, and that rotely applying analog-era case law to the digital age simply doesn’t work. We hope that courts around the country follow the Seventh Circuit in concluding that the Fourth Amendment protects smart meter data.

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As utility companies across the state roll out new Internet-connected electrical meters, Smithfield Township supervisors are calling on Met-Ed to show how they’re protecting customers’ information. The Board of Supervisors penned a letter this week to FirstEnergy Corp., Met-Ed’s parent company, and state regulatory officials asking what protections are in place to keep private consumer data from unwanted eyes.

“What limits have been placed on data collection and permissions for data collection beyond monthly billing cycle totals?” it says in the letter, dated Nov. 14, to FirstEnergy’s president, regional president, state president, the state Office of Consumer Advocates and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. “The notice sent to our residents makes no mention of this, yet is it is of prime concern to us in order to protect and secure data of our residential households.”

“What security is in place, how is it administered, and who monitors its effectiveness in regards to preventing hacking of the system and the possibility of denial of service incidents?” the letter continues. “We strenuously urge that both of these issues be addressed before smart meter technology is allowed to progress.”

Pennsylvania Act 129 of 2008 requires large power companies in the state to install Internet connected monitoring devices, or smart meters, by 2023 or sooner. The mandate was enacted in an effort to increase efficiency, as the smart devices increase system-wide control and improve data availability for both utility providers and consumers by transmitting energy usage wirelessly.

Installations have begun in some households already. Met-Ed began its rollout for the greater Stroudsburg service area in June, and the company plans to transition its entire Monroe County service area by March of 2019, according to Met-Ed’s most recent deployment schedule.

On Friday, Met-Ed spokesman Aaron Ruegg said the company was making every effort to protect customers’ privacy.

“FirstEnergy places the utmost importance on the security and protection of all aspects of our electric system and associated sub systems,” he said in a Friday afternoon email. “Our communication network is a high security environment that uses multiple layers of protection from unwanted access — including the use of passwords, firewalls, data encryption, continuous monitoring and other security controls.”

The smart meters, which are in many ways similar to their unconnected counterparts, only monitor how much energy is used in total — not how it used within the household, he also said. Smart meters also do not store or transmit any personally identifiable customer information such as names or address.

“We follow the cybersecurity guidelines established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology,” Ruegg said. “FirstEnergy takes the responsibility to protect the privacy and security of our customers very seriously. And, we protect your information in the same way under current privacy protection laws, regardless of meter type.”

The National Institute of Standard and Technology declined to comment on its guidelines for cybersecurity. Experts within the NIST could not discuss any related threats without technical knowledge of the utility company’s implementation details, spokesman Chad Boutin said on Friday.

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Congress hasn’t allocated funding explicitly for the Smart Grid since the Obama stimulus package in 2009, the Congressional Research Service noted this month, and without Congressional support, the grid could develop in slow and piecemeal fashion, with increased risk of incompatible parts.

Richard J. Campbell, an energy-policy specialist for CRS, reports that current funding levels, delivered through Department of Energy programs, state programs and utilities, cannot meet the estimated cost to modernize the grid by 2030.

“Congress could provide funding to help bridge the funding gap if it chooses to accelerate adoption of the Smart Grid,” he writes in an April 10 report to members of Congress. “A number of near-term trends—including electric vehicles, environmental concerns, and the ability of customers to take advantage of real-time pricing programs to reduce consumer cost and energy demand—would benefit from investments in Smart Grid enabled technologies.”

If Congress were to legislate deployment of the Smart Grid, it could cost $338 billion to $476 billion over a 20-year period, according to an Electric Power Research Institute estimate. That investment would result in benefits worth $1.3 to $2 trillion, EPRI estimates.

But if current spending levels continue, the electric industry will invest only about 10 percent of that estimated cost: $46 billion by 2030.

Smart Grid technologies include sensors, controls, and data-management technologies that allow energy providers to optimize interconnected elements of the electric system. They are expected to reduce costs over time by increasing electric system reliability, flexibility, and grid resiliency.

They also empower consumers in the electricity marketplace, support energy storage, and enable more distributed- and renewable-energy generation.

Without federal support for a formal transition to these technologies, Smart Grid elements are being installed by utilities as older components are replaced.

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A smart grid sensor is a small and lightweight node that serves as a detection station in a sensor network. Smart grid sensors enable the remote monitoring of equipment such as transformers and power lines, and the demand-side management of resources on an energy smart grid. Smart grid sensors are generally used to monitor weather conditions and power line temperature, which can then be used to calculate the line’s carrying capacity. This process, known as dynamic line rating, helps in increasing the power flow of existing transmission lines for power companies. A smart grid sensor can also be used within homes and businesses to increase energy efficiency. A smart grid sensor can be of four types: microcomputer, transducer, power source, and transceiver .

Transducers can be used to generate electrical signals based on phenomena such as power-line voltage. Microcomputers can be used to process and store the sensor output. The transceiver receives command from a central computer and transmits data to that computer. The power for each sensor can be derived from the electric utility or from a battery. Smart grids require monitoring, control functions, and multiple sensing at various levels. Smart grids can solve various problems in managing current electric grid infrastructure by enabling broad knowledge and control of operations at all levels, from generation to transmission and distribution to end use. All these functions, such as monitoring, control functions, and multiple sensing, depend on real-time collection and communication of a wide range of data throughout the grid, which creates significant opportunities for various types of sensors.

Based on the sensor type, the global smart grid sensor market is divided into four segments: energy conservation sensors, humidity and temperature sensors, current sensors, and oil moisture sensors. On the basis of application, the global smart grid sensor market is divided into four segments: advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), smart meters, SCADA, lead management, and others .

In terms of geography, North America dominates the global smart grid sensor market. The U.S. represents the largest market for smart grid sensor, followed by Canada in North America. In Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the U.K. hold the major share of the smart grid sensor market. However, Asia Pacific is expected to witness high growth rates in the next five years in the smart grid sensor market. China and Japan represent the largest markets in Asia Pacific.

Convergence of severe weather, growing interest in green technologies, ageing infrastructure, and inefficient power balancing are some of the major driving forces for the global smart grid sensor market. Smart metering and meter data analytics, grid management, and renewable energy grid integration create opportunities for the global smart grid sensor market.

Some of the major companies operating in the global smart grid sensor market are Alstom, Atmospheric Systems, Corp. (ASC), AT&T, ABB, Axiom Power, IUS Technologies, Toshiba, Ford, Elster Solutions, GE’s Digital Energy, Silver Spring Networks, Cisco, Google, FreeWave Technologies, Honeywell, Honda, Schneider Electric, Mitsubishi, Eaton, and Siemens.

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Eurasian economic integration is one of the important goals that Russia and China are striving for. By combining their economies, the countries of Eurasia will be able to turn their region into the most powerful player on the world stage with all the resulting benefits. The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Chinese project ‘New Silk Road’ (NSR) exist for this purpose. However, integration requires not only the removal of trade barriers (this is successfully handled by the EAEU) and not only a unified transportation infrastructure (in the form of NSR), but also the creation of a unified energy system on the continent. This is one of the most important projects of Russia and China; the countries playing the key role in the Eurasian integration project.

In September 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to the UN General Assembly about the creation of a phased-project regarding a global intercontinental energy system that will unite the electric power networks of the whole world and transfer most of them to clean energy sources. This can be achieved by 2050 with a fair level of international cooperation, according to Chinese experts.

In March 2016, on the initiative of the People’s Republic of China, an international organisation for the development and cooperation of the Global Energy Association (GEIDCO) was established. It was chaired by world-renowned energy expert Liu Zhenya, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the State Electric Grid Corporation of China. GEIDCO also included prominent representatives from the energy sector in Russia, the United States, and Japan. In total, the Organisation has more than 260 members from 22 countries that are specialists in energy, economics, environmental protection, and other fields.

In May 2016 the presentation of the book ‘Global Energy Association’ by Liu Zhenya took place in Moscow. This book outlines the project of the same name for the creation of a worldwide electric power network, the one which Xi Jinping spoke about. According to the Chinese side, this project must be carried out for the full implementation of the global project ‘One belt, one path’. 

Due to seasonal weather changes, many countries have periods of peak energy consumption and periods of decline. Because of climatic differences in different countries, these periods occur at different times of the year. This means that a country experiencing a decline in consumption can sell its surplus energy to a country experiencing a peak period. This long-standing idea of a unified world energy system is very tempting, because a harmonious distribution of electricity would help provide regions that are in short supply and would permit a surplus to go to waste. The saving of electricity and the resulting reduction in harm to the environment are the advantages that Liu Zhenya focuses on in his book. As is well known, ecology is one of the most pressing problems in modern China. The project suggests the active use of alternative energy sources depending on their availability in different climatic conditions. It is planned to develop solar energy in southern latitudes, while developing wind resources in northern ones. According to the Chinese, in the event of the successful implementation of the Global Energy Association (GEA), up to 80% of the world’s electricity by 2050 can be produced by environmentally friendly methods.

The first step on the road to the GEA will be the modernisation and integration of China’s energy networks. This is planned to be carried out by 2025. Ultra-high voltage networks and smart grid technology will be widely used in the unified Chinese energy system. If successful, the united networks of China will become a model for a future global unification.

The PRC is hoping on the help of Russia to carry out its plan. Due to its geographical position and developed energy system, Russia is a natural bridge between Europe and Asia. Russian electricity networks are already now connected with the networks of 11 neighbouring countries. It is through the territory of Russia that the European and Asian energy networks should be connected. Representatives of the government and energy of the Russian Federation, present during the presentation, enthusiastically embraced the new Chinese project. It was supported by the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation and the largest Russian energy company ‘Rosset’. According to their representatives, the GEA is one of the most important projects of the 21st century, which will help humankind to provide itself with energy along the rational use of natural resources. In addition, the joint work of Russia and China on the GEA will lead to the significant strengthening of their bilateral relations.

In the area of energy, Russia and China have already been cooperating for a long time. According to the Chinese Ambassador to Russia Li Huai, there is a comprehensive strategic partnership between the countries on all types of energy, which is already bearing fruit. According to the Chinese, it is the energy cooperation between Russia and China that laid the framework for the GEA.

For several years, ‘Rosset’ and the State Energy Commission of China have been working on the China-Russia-Europe energy bridge project. The old project ‘Asian Energy Ring’, designed to unite the power grids of Russia, China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and many more countries of South-East Asia, has received new life. With time, both of these projects will become an important part of the GEA.

Another important sub-project of the GEA, which is already under way, is the ‘North-South’ energy corridor, which will connect the power grids of Armenia, Georgia, Iran, and Russia. In its creation, in addition to ‘Rosset’ and the State Energy Commission of the People’s Republic of China, a number of companies from other countries, including Germany, are participating. After a long investigation regarding possible environmental consequences and economic feasibility, it was decided to begin construction of the power transmission line and two substations in Armenia by the end of 2017.

It should also be recalled that in 2019, the work of the General Electricity Market of the EAEU is planned to begin.

The identification of malware tied to a cyberattack on Ukraine last year is putting a renewed focus on threats to America’s electric grid.

Security firms ESET and Dragos revealed the malware, dubbed “Crash Override” or “Industroyer,” this week. According to the researchers, the malware is only the second to be tailored to industrial control systems and developed and deployed to be disruptive — the first was the Stuxnet virus that ravaged Iran’s nuclear program years ago.

The attack, which knocked out power in Kiev for about an hour, was one of two targeting Ukraine’s electric grid in recent years. Russia, which annexed Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula, is widely believed to have a connection to both attacks.

Experts say the cyber weapon could be deployed against electric infrastructure in Europe and much of Asia and the Middle East and, with slight modifications, could be used against the United States as well.

“This threat should absolutely make grid operators and the security community take these types of threats more seriously,” Robert M. Lee, CEO and founder of Dragos, told The Hill. “This is definitely an evolution of tradecraft we haven’t seen before.”

The discovery of Crash Override triggered an immediate response from the government and industry. The computer emergency readiness team at the Department of Homeland Security  (DHS) warned that, while there is no evidence the malware has affected U.S. critical infrastructure, it “could be modified to target U.S. critical information networks and systems.”

The National Cybersecurity and Communications Center, the DHS said, is working to assess the risk the malware poses to U.S. critical infrastructure.

On Tuesday, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), a regulatory body of the electric industry, issued a public alert to its members to limit access to their networks to protect against the threat.

Lee said that his firm notified the government and key players in the electric sector on June 10, immediately after confirming the analysis of the malware and before publicly releasing details about it on Monday.

“Everybody actually took the threat seriously,” Lee said. “I was really impressed with the response by government and the sector.”

Lawmakers, meanwhile, have been raising questions about the vulnerability of the U.S. electric grid since the threat came to light.

“I worry about cyberattacks on our power grid,” Rep. Pete Olson (R-Texas), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said at a hearing Tuesday.

“I think that’s an ongoing challenge,” Amit Yoran, chairman and CEO of Tenable Network Security, told the House panel. “From a security perspective, there’s a great challenge in that industry in that the systems are incapable of being updated or there’s tremendous risk in updating those systems, which unlike our mobile phones or desktop PCs, have a lifespan measured in decades.”

“Here in the U.S., I think we are probably more advanced on our security of those power grids,” Bill Wright, government affairs and senior policy counsel at Symantec, told the lawmakers. “That said, there’s always going to be susceptibility.”

If deployed in the U.S., the malware would need to target multiple elements of the electric grid — which is comprised of numerous smaller units — to cause widespread outages.

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The global smart grid sensor market is estimated to be valued at nearly US$ 174 Mn in 2017 and is projected to reach nearly US$ 1,450 Mn by 2025 end. Sales revenue is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 30.3% during the forecast period (2017–2025).

Increasing R&D expenditure is aiding the market growth of smart grid sensors in North America

Advancement in measurement science and standards for smart grid technologies is resulting in increasing expenditure on research and development. These new methods and standards are being developed to enhance the potential of smart grid sensors. Demand for these grid sensors is increasing and thus, innovation in the technology for grids is necessary. This is one of the driving factors for the growth of the smart grid sensor market in the region. For instance, Emera Inc., which is a utility service company based in Canada, is investing US$ 6.2 million in setting up a research center for smart grid technologies at the University of New Brunswick.

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Weather changes in North America are driving the growth of the smart grid sensor market

Extreme weather conditions is one of the leading cause for power outage in the North America region. Several power companies in the country feel that extreme weather events are driving growth of the smart grid sensor market. Heat waves, blizzards, hurricanes, and other severe weather events have shown numerous vulnerabilities in the U.S. power grid system by encouraging blackouts and massive power outages throughout the country. The concerns regarding system flaws are increasing and this is resulting in increasing investment in smart grid sensors.

Smart grid safety and security concerns may act as a restraint to the smart grid sensor market

The smart grid is a next-generation power system that is increasingly attracting the attention of government and industries. In smart-grid technology, the utilities play a significant role, which introduces new security challenges that must be addressed. Various issues such as grid instability, utility fraud, and loss of user information and energy-consumption data are hindering growth of the market in the region. For instance, smart meters autonomously collect massive amounts of data and transport it to the utility company, consumer, and service providers. This data includes private consumer information that might be used to infer consumer activities, devices being used, and times when the home is vacant.

Global Smart Grid Sensor Market Analysis 2012–2016 and Forecast 2017–2025, By Application

In terms of value, the smart energy meter segment in the global smart grid sensor market registered a CAGR of 32% from 2012–2016 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 29.4% from 2017–2025. In 2016, the smart energy meter segment in the global smart grid sensor market was valued at US$ 53.3 Mn and is projected to reach US$ 565.8 Mn by the end of 2025. The smart energy meter segment is expected to create incremental opportunity of US$ 493.8 Mn between 2017 and 2025.

Older version power grids in the U.S. provide a huge opportunity in the smart grid sensor market

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At the PT Expo China 2017, in Beijing, Huawei is exhibiting the world’s first 5G network slicing application for smart grids. The application is based on Huawei’s 5G Core solution Service-Oriented Core (SOC), part of Huawei’s E2E 5G solution.

The exhibition demonstrates the overall automated establishment of 5G network slicing customised to service requirements. In addition, the exhibition demonstrates how the ultra-low latency of 5G can help restore power, within just 300 ms, to an area where the power lines have been damaged or power is lost for some other reason.

It also shows how 5G enables a smart distribution network and how it ensures secure, reliable, and stable operations on the power grid as a whole.

5G does not just offer higher data rates, it also enables a wide range of diverse industries to achieve digital transformation. The power grid industry is a typical vertical industry which could benefit. It requires high security, reliability, and performance for the proper provisioning of diverse services. According to Huawei’s Wireless X Labs research, constructing a smart distribution network on top of a communications network is key to an efficient, high-quality power grid.

Traditionally, the distribution network is constructed based on a dedicated or public carrier network. Building a dedicated network is expensive and inflexible. Public networks cannot isolate services well enough to keep services secure and latency low.

5G network slicing is the ideal choice, dividing the telecommunications network into isolated network slices, allowing the power grid to be customised to specific industry needs. 5G network slicing lets utilities deliver reliable, high-performance services at a low price.

Using 5G network slicing for smart grid services is a brand-new approach. Network resources provided by carriers can be converted to mutually isolated network slices, to meet the differentiated network requirements of various services on the smart grid. Network slicing can also be used to collect data on electricity usage, for distributed power, for pile control at electric vehicle charging stations, for precise load control, and for other crucial services a smart power grid should offer.

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As per the latest study by Future Market Insights (FMI), the global smart water grid market is likely to witness robust growth during the forecast period. Registering 18.8% CAGR, the market is projected to reach US$ 52,212.3 million revenue by the end of 2026. Key priorities including carbon footprint reduction and financial savings are driving water utilities to optimize operations by deploying advanced analytical software, automation, control, design and other services. Increasing focus on integrating smart water grid with information and communication technologies is leading to the remote maintenance, monitoring, and tracking.

Various advanced features in smart water grid that are expected to drive the market are demand prediction, real time sensing, quality monitoring, ease of detecting leak and burst, supporting planning and operations and helping in reducing water loss. Increasing emphasis on improving water management and supply, developing accurate billing method, reconstruction of old water infrastructure are some of the factors contributing to the growth of the smart water grid market. Municipalities across various countries are focusing on implementing smart water grid technology that can offer information and communication technologies at the same time in a single smart water management scheme, thus increasing efficiency. Increasing investment in repairing old water infrastructure and improvement in water distribution systems are also driving the market for smart water grid.

Key Highlights on the Global Smart Water Grid Market

The global market for smart water grid is segmented on the basis of application, technology, and region. On the basis of region, North America is expected to remain dominant in the global market for smart water grid throughout the forecast period 2017-2026. Owing to the advancement in technologies, increasing initiatives by the government to improve water infrastructure and stringent regulations, North America is witnessing a significant growth in the smart water grid market.

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Meanwhile, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ) and Europe are also likely to witness the growth in the market during 2017-2026. Due to the increasing demand for new installations for water supply, and the increasing awareness about using smart water grid in order to conserve the limited fresh water are fueling the growth in APEJ. While, Europe is witnessing rise in the water infrastructure development and strong government support, thereby resulting in the increasing deployment of smart water grid.

On the basis of technology, the market is segmented into design & engineering, ICT & analytical software, smart infrastructure, and control & automation. Among these, smart infrastructure is expected to witness the highest growth in the global market for smart water grid. By the end of 2026, smart infrastructure is projected to exceed US$ 2,200 million revenue.

Based on the application, the market segment consists of commercial, residential, and utility. Smart water grid is expected to find the largest application in the utility segment. By 2026 end, utility is estimated to bring in nearly US$ 24,900 million revenue. Meanwhile, commercial segment is also likely to witness robust growth in the global market for smart water grid.

Region-wise, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Latin America, Japan, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). North America is expected to emerge as the largest market in the global dimethyl ether (DME) market during 2017-2022. Various companies, especially in North America are planning to use DME as an alternative to LPG in urban fleets and commercial vehicles. Moreover, on-going improvements in vehicle emission technology and increase in adoption of bio-based fuel are also driving the growth of DME in North America.

Key Players Competing to Sustain in the Market

Siemens AG, Itron Inc., Sensus Worldwide Holdings Ltd., Badger Meter, Inc., Neptune Technology Group Inc., Schneider Electric, Toshiba Corporation, The Whitmore Group Arqiva, Wetsus, ABB Group, ICT, co., Ltd., Prezi Inc., and Xinapse Systems Ltd., are some of the key players operating in the global smart water grid market.

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Siemens is one of the suppliers of the new smart meters that EDP Distribuição is already installing at the clients’ homes, in a phased strategy. But in addition to the smart meters the company also developed the system that will allow to manage and control all data of the electrical network.

More precision in consumption measurements but also more detailed information, and more regular data communications with the power service provider – no need for manual counts – are some of the advantages that the new smart meters (also known as smart meters or Energy Boxes ) allow. And the immediate benefits are transferred to customers and to EDP Distribuição, but they also prepare the system for future challenges, such as the possibility for each user to be a producer and store of energy.

By 2020, 80% of customers’ home-installed meters will be smart, gradually replacing analog meters that are still in the vast majority of Portuguese homes and bringing the model closer to what has been developed in Evora with the InovGrid project, which is globally recognized as a case of innovation. And by 2022 all accountants have to be changed, by imposition of the European Union.

The transformation is being done in a phased way and 1.3 million meters must be installed by the end of this year. This year there are 600 thousand that are in the plan, as confirmed by EDP Distribuição to TeK.

EDP ​​Distribuição adds that it has already installed “around 900,000 equipment that is more than a mere meter of electricity consumption. They are state-of-the-art equipment, generators of efficiency throughout the system.” And it guarantees that the installation of the equipment is free and in no moment will be charged any value by the installation or the equipment.

The new counters are installed without customer intervention and the energy company explains that “all new places of consumption are equipped with this new equipment. We are also already assembling this equipment in all places of consumption of urban areas of the capitals of district “.

And who will receive these accountants? In addition to new installations, there are also substitutions “for other technical reasons”. “The abovementioned program follows a criterion of structured expansion around the transformer stations supplying low voltage networks, covering, as long as there are conditions of access, all the places of consumption technically linked to those processing stations, independently of the marketer with which each customer has its supply contract, “explains the company in response to the TeK questions.

A significant part of the new meters installed is the result of a contract signed by Siemens Portugal and Landis + Gyr with EDP Distribuição, which provides for the installation of 800 thousand Energy Boxes by the end of 2018. Among the suppliers qualified to provide smart meters are also the ZIV, ENERMETER, ZTE and JANZ.

EDP ​​Distribuição also notes that smart meters are only part of the investment that the company is making “as part of its program to renew the measurement park at low voltage points of delivery up to 41.4 kVA of contracted power.” “In the expansion of these assets, it is necessary to consider other necessary technical devices such as communication systems and controllers in the processing stations. Overall, taking into account other activities and associated developments, the investment value is around 35 million euros, “he says.

Large design 

In a meeting with journalists, Fernando Silva, responsible for the Energy Management division of Siemens Portugal, explains that the project is one of the largest in the area of ​​smart meetering and brings great advantages in terms of energy consumption management and tools for customers to measure and track expenses, opening doors to flexibilization and dynamic tariffs.

“This system has a great potential since the billing is based on real values ​​and not estimates, and brings more transparency to the process, with providers to be able to provide more detailed information on consumption, which reduces litigation” , explains Fernando Silva.

He says analog meters, which are still being used in most cases, have a longer lifespan, staying for 25 years or more, but this is because digital counters evolve according to progression of the energy supply business and allow new tools for operators. The reliability of the counts is always one of the important criteria in the selection of these equipments, being the minimums above 99.9%, but in the case of Energy Boxes of Landis + Gyr it is also contemplated the possibility of software and firmware upgrade remotely, and some control alerts.

Currently the company is already delivering, per week, 9 The10 thousand Energy Boxes manufactured by Landis + Gyr. EDP ​​Distribuição is already installing the equipment in the customers’ homes, with the goal of reaching 2 million homes by the end of 2018, and 100% of households by 2022, as defined by the European Union targets for the use of smart counters.

A platform for smarter network management

In addition to the provision of smart meters, Siemens Portugal is also implementing a network information management system at EDP Distribuição that bridges the new meters and analogue models, and also allows the collection and management of network data .

The Energy Data Manager is based on the Siemens EnergyIP platform but integrates Portuguese know-how and ensures greater flexibility for EDP Distribuição, which is one of the largest implementations of the platform worldwide.

The system is being developed about a year ago and goes into production in early July, on a scale of 1 to 10 by the end of the year, with the connection to 600,000 meters, and should be running in full across the network until January 1, 2019, when it will manage 6.2 million customers in Portugal.

“The biggest challenge was to integrate legacy systems (analog meters) and new smart meters, with the same reliability,” explains journalists Fernando Silva, who also highlights the volume of data that will be managed.

“With 6.2 million meters, and even if the count is done hourly, we are talking about 150 million readings per day,” he says. And if the regulation allows readings every 15 minutes the challenge is even greater.

“Siemens has a great advantage in these integrations because we know the whole course, from electrification to automation and now we are in digital transformation,” says Fernando Silva.

So far EDP Distribuição had several different systems to process all this information and it was necessary to put everything together in a single platform that integrates with the company’s SAP billing system.

The objective is also to use the system in other operations of EDP Distribuição, of electricity and gas, but also to export this know-how added to the platform to other geographies, namely in the region of Australia but also in Brazil. “We are working in these countries with these projects with the experience engineering and software from Siemens, and also with the proximity of the language, ” he told TeK.

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A bill prefiled in the Oklahoma House would ensure utility customers could opt out of installing “smart meter” technology on their homes and businesses. Passage of the bill would allow Oklahomans to protect their own privacy, and it would take a step toward blocking a federal program in effect.

Rep. Scott McEachin (R) prefiled House Bill 1435 (HB1435) for introduction during the 2017 legislative session. The legislation would give residential and business utility customers the right to refuse installation of “smart meters.”

Any person or lawfully recognized business entity shall have the right to decline the installation of a “smart meter” or any similar device that monitors electrical usage in real time or which broadcasts information regarding electrical usage using radio waves or other forms of electromagnetic radiation.

Smart meters monitor home energy usage in minute detail in real time. The devices transmit data to the utility company were it gets stored in databases. Anybody with access to the data can download it for analysts. Without specific criteria limiting access to the data, these devices create significant privacy issues. Smart meters can also be used to remotely limit power usage during peak hours.

Passage of HB1435 would ensure customers in Oklahoma could opt out of this invasive technology.

Privacy Concerns

The proliferation of smart meters creates significant privacy concerns. The data collected can tell anybody who holds it a great deal about what goes on inside a home. It can reveal when residents are at home, asleep or on vacation. It can also pinpoint “unusual” energy use, and could someday serve to help enforce “energy usage” regulations. The ACLU summarized the privacy issues surrounding smart meters in a recent report.

“The temptation to use the information that will be collected from customers for something other than managing electrical loads will be strong – as it has been for cell phone tracking data and GPS information. Police may want to know your general comings and goings or whether you’re growing marijuana in your basement under grow lights. Advertisers will want the information to sell you a new washing machine to replace the energy hog you got as a wedding present 20 years ago. Information flowing in a smart grid will become more and more ‘granular’ as the system develops.”

The privacy issues aren’t merely theoretical. According to information obtained by the California ACLU, utility companies in the state have disclosed information gathered by smart meters on thousands of customers. San Diego Gas and Electric alone disclosed data on more than 4,000 customers. The vast majority of disclosures were in response to subpoenas by government agencies “often in drug enforcement cases or efforts to find specific individuals,” according to SFGate.

“Mark Toney, executive director of the Utility Reform Network watchdog group, said the sheer number of data disclosures made by SDG&E raised the possibility that government agencies wanted to sift through large amounts of data looking for patterns, rather than conducting targeted investigations.”

No Smart Meter, No Data

While encrypting smart meter data and warrant requirements for law enforcement address some of the privacy issues, refusing to allow a smart meter on your property is the only sure-fire way to ensure your energy use data won’t fall into the hands of government agents or private marketers, or end up stored in some kind of government database. Passage of HB1435 would make opting out an option for Oklahomans and give them control over their own privacy.

Impact on Federal Program

The federal government serves as a major source of funding for smart meters. A 2009 program through the U.S. Department of Energy distributed $4.5 billion for smart grid technology. The initial projects were expected to fund the installation of 1.8 million smart meters over three years.

The federal government lacks any constitutional authority to fund smart grid technology. The easiest way to nullify such programs is to simply not participate. HB196 would make that possible. If enough states pass similar legislation, and enough people opt out, the program will go nowhere.

We’ve seen a similar opt out movement undermining Common Core in New York. Opting out follows a strategy James Madison advised in Federalist #46. “Refusal to cooperate with officers of the Union” provides a powerful means to fight back against government overreach. Such actions in multiple states would likely be effective in bringing down federal smart meter programs.

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