Honeywell, and Verizon Business announced that Honeywell smart meters will now include Verizon 5G connectivity to allow both utilities and end users to remotely access essential data, better manage energy usage and resources, and streamline operations to help alleviate strain on the grid.
The Verizon-connected Honeywell smart meters provide utility companies with a highly reliable and secure cellular network capable of sending information about energy usage, grid conditions and equipment performance. This information can be fed into utility management platforms such as Honeywell Forge Performance+ for Utilities to deliver heightened operational visibility that will support energy insights, provide near real-time “bottoms up” forecast of energy demand, and help improve grid reliability and resiliency.
“Put simply: secure, reliable connectivity in smart meters makes it easier to monitor the usage of resources and the performance of utility equipment. That means we can reduce waste, unburden our grids, 5g connectivity and generally take time and cost out of the utility management process,” said TJ Fox, Senior Vice President of Industrial IoT and Automotive at Verizon Business. “With massive changes on the horizon for utilities, connected capabilities are going to be critical for managing evolving demands for energy and minimizing outages or unforeseen maintenance events.”
“By leveraging the power of AI, Cloud and 5G, we are driving the shift to autonomy for utilities and fundamentally changing the way energy distribution is managed by offering real time connectivity,” said Amol Motivala, President of Honeywell Smart Energy. “Through Verizon 5G connectivity, we are reimagining the utility ecosystem with cellular connected smart meters that provide the needed insights to help improve grid performance and customer satisfaction.”
“With the growth of IoT solutions for utilities, there’s a clear trend toward using cellular-connected intelligence to monitor the grid for operational efficiency, health, resiliency, energy usage and overall performance,” said John Marcus, Senior Principal Analyst, GlobalData. “This is especially important as charging infrastructure and energy-management innovations continue to proliferate and are poised for rapid growth. Cellular connectivity, with its inherent security and reliability, is one of the most effective ways to enable the intelligence that can help unburden the grid and more efficiently, intelligently manage energy resources.”
The Verizon-connected Honeywell smart meters also support remote upgradability of new functionality and applications, extending the useful life of the investment and reducing the need for a technician to visit in person. With remote connectivity, customers can also anticipate fewer service interruptions and more reliable utilities.
Additionally, IoT management capabilities through Verizon ThingSpace are also available for the smart meters, offering customers visibility into the health and performance of their full fleet of IoT devices — including the meters — on a single pane of glass.
