Data from more than 1 million ANZ smart meters connected to AWS-based analytics platform

Data from more than 1 million smart meters in Australia and New Zealand is connected to an AWS-based analytics platform, it was announced at the AWS re:Invent conference this week.

The meter data is connected to data and analytics energy platform Diverge, developed by New Zealand’s Vector Technology Solutions Limited and AWS as part of an alliance formed in 2020. Vector Technology Solutions is a subsidiary of Vector Ltd, a New Zealand energy portfolio business.

Diverge is pitched as a platform to help energy companies optimise and manage the integration of renewable energy sources.

It processes “high-frequency” data from smart electricity and gas meters installed in homes and businesses, so energy companies can better understand energy supply and demand from across the grid, and the impact of distributed energy resources, like solar, batteries, or electric vehicle (EV) chargers, according to an AWS statement.

According to AWS, meter data has traditionally only been used for billing. Grid operators can use data insights from Diverge to “more effectively plan, build, and manage their networks; approve distributed energy resource connections quicker; provide network capacity and more reliable power quality where and when it’s needed; and optimise investment decisions to improve customer outcomes.”

Diverge provides secure access to this data in a “format and frequency that supports multiple and simultaneous use cases across customer service, grid operations, and planning applications.”

“For example, grid operators often lack visibility of the power quality at individual houses or streets. By providing faster and more reliable data analysis and alerts, Diverge can also improve outage detection and restoration capabilities,” AWS stated.

Data hosted on Diverge is “fully encrypted, benefiting from the security of AWS’s world-class cloud infrastructure.

Vector Metering operates the more than 1 million smart meters that are now live on Diverge.

“By using Diverge, we’re providing and developing innovative services for our customers that deliver and respond to their needs, including the growing demand for renewable energy,” said Neil Williams, CEO at Vector Metering.

“With Diverge, we can deliver five-minute settlement data to our Australian customers, hours earlier and more reliably. It also gives us the ability to support other data services, such as power quality data, without impacting billing and settlement data. “

“We’re expanding this system in New Zealand, where it already supports our advanced gas metering and network data services, so customers there can also benefit from valuable insights.”

VTS and AWS have extended their alliance until 2025.

“Diverge enables vast amounts of energy data to be quickly and securely processed and analyzed,” said Shailesh Manga, chief operating officer at VTS.

“This helps customers manage renewable energy deployment, dynamically manage complex networks, and respond to increasing demand for renewable electricity to meet carbon reduction goals. We’re excited to see growing adoption of Diverge and look forward to launching Diverge in other countries around the world.”

“As the transition to cleaner energy and electrification accelerates, energy providers require bold and innovative solutions to manage the complexity that comes with intermittent and distributed energy resources,” said Sarah Cooper, general manager of Industry Products at AWS.