Regular Meters vs. Smart Meters...
When it comes to energy meters, there are two main types available in South Africa today: A standard energy meter/ analog kilowatt hour (kWh) counter and then there are Smart, Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) meters.
Regular meters function by recording the the amount of electricity that travels through the meter each month. Each passing of a Watt Hour moves the needles/numbers. A metering technician then reads the meter once a month, usually by way of manually reading the meter by eye, and logging the total usage to date. This reading is then analyzed by the Municipality or Eskom and a simple equation of Current reading less Previous reading equals usage. This is then multiplied by the current NERSA approved tariff and invoiced on your monthly bill. This bill represents your energy consumption for the month.
AMI Smart meters, on the other hand, are more advanced electronic devices that keep track of your precise electricity usage and record and post the data in up to 60 second intervals. This data includes a host of important information related to the properties energy usage and is extremely accurate & powerful in the way that it is interpreted by a data reading platform. This results in more accurate readings as well as giving the consumer a better understanding of how and when their energy is being used. This can result in effective energy management and reducing (kWh) usage, thereby reducing the bill.
While Smart Meters are in fact being installed throughout the country, there is a key point to the SMART part of the meter. Communication.
Whilst Municipalities can download & view the Smart Meter Data, the consumer only sees what the Invoice shows, meaning that evidence and visualisation of the data is, mostly, one line on a Municipal account, and then requesting a data download only results in an Excel spreadsheet with a plethora of numbers that make no sense. Terms such as kVA, Time of Use, Reactive Energy etc, make sense to some but not all of us.
Solution...
This is where Assegai Utilities slots in.
A Smart, AMI, Bulk Check Meter installed after the Municipal Meter, with a User Friendly Online viewing platform, gives a bulk consumer, such as a Multi-Residential Property, Factory or Shopping Centre, the knowledge and power to see as well as understand their energy consumption. Giving opportunity to plan the month ahead, advise on energy reduction as well as verify Municipal billing accuracy.
The Smart platform has all of the tools needed to empower the bulk consumer on what is happening with the energy at their property
Smart Metering with Assegai Utilities also comes with the added service of Energy Management, Smart kWh Reduction advice, Bill Verification, Cost Calculator, Alternative Generation requirements, Municipal Consulting and Tariff Comparison.
Get in touch with our super helpful and friendly staff for more information on Bulk Utility Management and AMI Smart Metering at your Estate, Complex, Industrial Plant or Shopping Centre.
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