Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Saturday, 25 September 2021

Welcome, Prepaid Smart Meters

 


 

Context :

Soon You Can Track Your Power Consumption On An App. BEST Plans Prepaid Smart Meters  /  WhatShot / 23 Sept 2021


Extract :

Ø  According to a Times of India report, BEST’s power utility department is planning to install prepaid smart meters across Mumbai city by next year.

Ø  Just like SIM cards, smart meters will also have the option of prepaid and postpaid. The prepaid smart meter will also have a top-up facility. This seems to be a more efficient way to keep a tab on one’s power consumption.

Ø  For prepaid meters, one has to download the BEST app; then choose a payment plan of a certain denomination in multiples of 500

Ø  The moment you are close to your exhaustion limit, BEST will send warning messages; you can add top-up if you wish to continue; if you don’t, power will be disconnected.

Ø  The smart meter is priced Rs 3000 and BEST will recover the cost of it in installments.







Ø  Using this app, you can track your power consumption by the hour, day, week or month. This will also help in adjusting power consumption patterns and usage.

Ø  Lokesh Chandra, GM, BEST said, “Prepaid smart meters will help the consumers study consumption patterns every week, reduce power consumption and save money”.





 

My Take :

In this context I sent to our Policy Makers an e-mail on 19 May 2017, which was reproduced in :

Ø  Electrifying : Smartly ………………………..( 25 Sept 2017 )

 

Extract :

But , how about a Prepaid Electricity Meter , with following features / functionality ?

 

 

·   It will be a Tablet look-alike device

 

 

*   It will show daily – weekly – monthly , power consumption of the premises

 

 

*   It will show the “ average / highest / lowest “ monthly consumption 

 

            

*   It will also show how many UNITS remain to his BALANCE , at any given time

 

 

*   It will show a GRAPH comparing consumptions during any two “ periods “

 

 

*   It will have facility to enter ( type in ) , customer’s Aadhar Number ( of course,

     linked to his Bank Account  Number )

   

 

 

*    After login ( using biometric identification of Finger + Iris + Voice ) , customer

     can “ Re-charge “ his “ Account “ with ( say ) , Rs 1,000 / - at the beginning,

     using the built-in Virtual Keyboard ( Device will have  built-in camera )

 

                

*    When the “ balance “ to his credit falls to ( say ) Rs 100 / - , an alarm will ring

      and he will also get Email /  SMS / WhatsApp Reminder 

 

                        

*    If he fails to “ Re-Charge “ his account , power will get disconnected upon th

      balance falling to Rs 10/-  !

 

 

*    Power will start flowing again as soon as consumer “ re-charges “ through

     device

 

  

 None of this ( hardware + software + wireless telecom ) , is a Rocket Science !

 

  Any Start Up can come up with such a total , end-to-end , solution within 6 months !

 

  Only thing, this device cannot stop is UN-METERED THEFT of power, where wires

 get pulled from a power-line  , bypassing the meter !

 

  

Other than this one limitation , this suggestion has the potential to dramatically improve the Financial Positions of the State DISCOMS !

 

 

 Dear Shri Goyalji ,

 

 Would you like to pose this challenge to our Start Ups ?

 

==================================================

Question :

Over the next 4 years, can we build around the SMART ELECTRIC METERS, an SMART POWER ECO-SYSTEM ( SPES ), comprising of, Electricity Consumers / Electricity Producers / DISCOMS / Domestic Appliance Manufacturers / Manufacturers of Smart Meters etc.), which will incentivize :

#   manufacturers of appliances consuming less power

#   consumers of electric power


Yes, we can. And we must . As described in my following e-mail to Shri R K Singhji :

Ø  Carbon Finance through Carbon Credits……………………… ( 12 Mar 2021 )

 

Extract :

Ø  Here is a partial list of domestic appliances which consume electricity ( apart from LED bulbs ) :

TV sets – Refrigerators – Air Conditioners – Fans – Deep Freezers – Ovens – Electric Stoves – Mixers – Computers – Cloths Washing Machines – Dish Washers – Radios – Tablets – Robotic Floor Sweepers – Massagers – etc


Ø  By 2030, all of these must be made “ Energy Efficient Appliances “ , certified by Bureau of Energy Efficiency [ BEE ]


Ø  Just as was done in respect of ICE vehicles ( BS IV > BS VI compliance ), all electric Appliance Manufacturers must be mandated to switch over to manufacture of only BEE certified appliances in 4 phases ( April 2022 – 24 – 26- 28 )


Ø  Each such appliance MUST be pre-installed / integrated with SENSORS which will continuously monitor its,


#   State of Usage ( ON or OFF )

#   Rate of Consumption of electricity ( Units )


These INTERNET-CONNECTED appliances will continuously relay / transmit these data to the SMART ELECTRIC METER installed in each home


In turn, each SMART METER will relay / transmit to concerned DISCOM ( and to any other specified govt agency servers ), such usage / consumption data, through Internet ( IoT / Internet of Everything ).


These data-transfer will be separate for EACH INDIVIDUAL APPLIANCE


This will enable DISCOM / concerned Agencies, to know / monitor, IN-EFFICIENT appliances, operating above the CERTIFIED THRESHOLD for each type of appliance


Appliances operating “ above “ the threshold, will be assigned / allotted “ CARBON DEBITS “ , whereas those operating “ below “ the threshold, will be assigned “ CARBON CREDITS “


If the NET of these two is POSITIVE ( + ), that home will be incentivized by a lower tariff – and vice-versa


This model ( of INCENTIVIZATION ) must be further strengthened by measuring the amount of ROOF TOP Solar Power , flowing into the SMART METER , with appropriate linkages to CARBON CREDIT


This linkage will motivate a large number of households to install ROOF TOP solar panels


This scheme will enable us to take the CARBON MARKET / CARBON CREDIT / CARBON FINANCE concept, right inside our 290 MILLION households !

 

Ø  All manufacturers of House-hold Electric Meters must be told to manufacture only SMART ELECTRIC METERS , starting April 2022


Ø  All DISCOMS to replace existing meters in each and every home, with a SMART METER, by April 2024


This is only a CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK whose details are not difficult to work out


Dear Shri R K Singhji


During past 3 years, you have initiated many reforms to replace FOSSIL-FUEL power with RENEWABLE power

If implemented, my above-mentioned suggestion will ensure that we exceed our commitment given in Paris Agreement

==================================================

 With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  26  Sept 2021

 

Related Readings :

Ø  Smart Meter : No Pending Payments ?.....................( 08 Dec 2017 )

Ø  A Smart Move , Shri Singh !.................................. ( 07 June 2018 )

 

 

 

 

 

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