Tendril Integrates AMI with Home Area Network

Oct. 22, 2008
Tendril has announced the integration of a metering solution leveraging the Tendril Residential Energy Ecosystem (TREE) and the OpenWay by Itron advanced metering infrastructure (AMI).

Tendril has integrated the Tendril Residential Energy Ecosystem (TREE) and OpenWay by Itron advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). Through its collaboration with Itron, Tendril is using the Itron AMI network to provide real-time, two-way communications beyond the smart meter and into the home through a home-area network (HAN).

Energy providers looking to invest in AMI can now take advantage of the TREE to achieve reliable two-way communications over an advanced metering network. With OpenWay, Tendril integrates with the utility infrastructure at the head-end, providing ability to communicate directly into the home through the electricity meter. This allows utilities to extend interactive and consumer-centric energy efficiency, demand response and variable pricing programs to their customers.

“This collaboration is a big step on the nationwide path to energy efficiency,” said Adrian Tuck, CEO, Tendril. “It’s one thing to turn down a thermostat but quite another to enable a true two-way conversation between utility and consumer. That’s where the benefits of AMI accrue and energy efficiency becomes a reality.”

The HAN enabled by the Tendril/Itron integration takes advantage of the ZigBee Smart Energy public application profile to link the home network components – such as displays, smart thermostats and load control switches – to the smart meter. As a result, consumers within the home can interact with their utility and HAN in real time without needing a broadband connection.

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