GITT EUMD

2G is proud to be taking part in an international collaborative effort to develop standards for a smart interconnected electrical grid. We are working with a number of other companies and organizations that comprise the Grid Interaction Tech Team (GITT) to develop a proof-of-concept, low cost End Use Monitoring Device (EUMD).

In the summer of 2011, the prototype for a level 2 smart-metering measurement device was showcased by our partners at Argonne National Labratory. The device communicates over a ZigBee wireless network to transmit accurate power consumption data about the device interfaced. One of the design profiles shown in the slideshow would give an electric utility the ability to install a power source for electrical vehicles to integrate with a smart grid. We were pleased that the design was well received by several electrical utilities.

You can view some images from the slide show for a peak at what we’ve been working on. The components demonstrate the possibility of using a vehicle charging station to keep a transaction-based record of the energy being used to charge an electric vehicle. The pictures in the slideshow below show a few concepts and working prototypes that demonstrate that a low-cost, standardized, and accurate measurement device can be securely implemented into a smart grid.
Establishing standards for more intelligent and secure communication between consumer devices and the utility companies is a large part of the process. SAE J2847 is the proposed standard for electronic communication between electric vehicles, utilities, charging stations, and home gateways. This will form a vital link between the basic components of a future smart grid in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Currently we are working to develop a level 1 end use measurement device that will accommodate the more common lower-power chargers used by electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The device will show that the same functionality can be achieved in a device with a much smaller profile, with the potential of providing consumers with a smart metering device for their vehicles that installs directly to an existing electrical receptacle.

For more information, you may follow this link to a pdf document to read more about GITT.