Chugoku Electric Power, an electric utility company in Japan, has announced a partnership with Sense to bring grid edge intelligence that processes up to 1MHz data to Japanese utility companies. Under the partnership, both companies will first localize Sense software and develop a retrofit sensor for Japan, employing a chip capable of processing this high-resolution data.
They subsequently plan to bring an AMI 2.0 smart meter to market with Sense-enabled high-resolution data, distributed processing, and real-time networking to create a sensing, compute, and control platform for Japan's modern electric grid.
As Japanese utilities manage increasingly complex infrastructure in the face of extreme weather events, achieving a high-resolution view of the distribution grid is critical. Sense's and CHK's partnership centers around a shared commitment to this goal, and marks Sense's initial entrance into the Japanese market as utilities move to AMI 2.0 solutions.
"Next generation smart meters will help deliver the energy transition, and utilities across Japan are ready for this transformation," said Michael Jary, Sense's managing director of EMEA and APAC. "CHK is a forward-thinking company and a natural partner for arming the grid with data resolution that enables edge intelligence. Today's announcement is a consequential moment for Japanese utilities."
CHK and Sense will develop high-resolution data enabled smart meters for utilities to detect object-on-wire and arc faults. Additionally, the real-time intelligence provided will boost demand response and power forecasting capabilities. Sense's platform also offers a low-cost, scalable way for utilities to support the next generation of consumer applications with existing infrastructure, while providing consumers with personalized, actionable insights for energy and cost savings.
Working together, CHK and Sense will use their shared expertise and innovations to further transform the relationship between utilities, their customers, and shared assets and infrastructure. Armed with real-time insight into device-level energy use, CHK customers can make decisions and adjustments backed by data and easy-to-reference insights. CHK's grid visibility will strengthen demand flexibility, grid resilience, and customer engagement.
"Smart meters with high resolution data, the ability to run distributed software, and real-time networking are transformative. These capabilities turn meters into a connected intelligence system at the edge of the grid," said Sense CEO Mike Phillips. "Just like smart phones fundamentally shifted our view of phones, smart meters transform how we interact with energy. These latest meters open doors to an efficient, sustainable and resilient grid – for both utilities, and their customers."
