The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) is inviting feedback on improving access for households and businesses to (near) real-time data about their electricity usage and generation.
One of the keys to this are smart meters, which many Australians already have. And while some have access to real time electricity production (in the case of solar owners) and consumption information, this not via the meter but through third-party hardware and monitoring services.
AEMC Chair Anna Collyer says smart meters are the “digital foundation” for a modern and efficient energy system.
“Smart meter technology also enables customers, and their authorised representatives such as retailers, to view energy usage information on a more timely basis and at a more granular level, and this is useful for everyone to make better-informed decisions that save consumers money.”
But much of this smart meter data is inaccessible to the average energy consumer. Some only get a report of their energy use when a bill shows up, although some retailers offer apps and interfaces showing daily summaries.
“… real-time access could mean individual households receive updates about their usage more frequently, for example every five minutes,” says Ms Collyer.
As things stand, consumers only have the right to access historical metering data; so introducing this would require a change to the National Electricity Rules (NER).
The AEMC is interested in views regarding data sharing arrangements, cyber security and privacy issues, how consumers could benefit and innovative consumer-focused products and services that could be developed.
And Another Opportunity To Slug Electricity Customers?
Improved access sounds good, but an infosheet regarding the consultation says this may come at a “significant” cost.
“The Commission considers that there may be a range of costs depending on the requirements imposed on parties to facilitate access,” it states. “These costs would likely be passed on to consumers in their bills.”
ECA Calls For “Unfettered” Smart Meter Data Access
The consultation was sparked by a rule change request by Energy Consumers Australia in June this year. Noting the AEMC’s desire to accelerate smart meter rollout and the Commission’s view smart meters will provide the data necessary for customers to make informed choices, ECA stated:
“Therefore, it is critical that as a key component of the roll out, consumers have unfettered access to their energy data (including their authorised representatives), in a format that makes sense to them, and in real time.”
But the ECA also made it very clear in its summary this access should be provided at no additional cost to consumers. However, further along in their rule change request the organisation acknowledges complying with any new obligations will likely flow through to consumers in the form of indirect charges, or recovered from third party service providers.
The AEMC is seeking feedback from industry and representative bodies (not consumers?) on the topic until 7 November 2024. Further information can be found on this AEMC project page.
The Commission also recently completed a consultation regarding proposed stronger consumer protections concerning smart meters. This was triggered after complaints some electricity retailers have been using smart meters as an opportunity to switch customers onto Time-of Use or demand tariffs without their consent; and without a way back to flat rate tariffs. A final decision on the protections is expected late in November.
Energy nerd tip: if you have a smart meter, here’s how to access the data in a NEM12 file. The data won’t be pretty or user-friendly, but it can be viewed in Excel. You can also put it to use with applications such as SolarQuotes’ battery calculator, which will calculate savings and payback if you’re considering adding a battery to your solar power system.
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I am currently requesting Zigbee access to my smart meter in NSW. Apparently Vic & SA allow zigbee connection, but even tho there are clauses in AEMO regs that seem to allow this access, it is not yet definite. Apparently all smartmeters have zigbee access, but not all are enabled in the meter setup (by the meter owner/controller).
Most meters in Vic & SA allow access to a remote display (accomplished by a zigbee interface). The RainForest Automation Eagle 3 interface (from Canada) can connect to meters in at least Victoria, & this then can interface to Home Assistant. (The Zigbee communication is encrypted, but the Eagle 3 decrypts the stream. The connection must be initiated by the Smartmeter, (as zigbee master) requiring the meter controller to allow access,
Direct Zigbee access allows access to not just Energy flow, but billing rate (usually 3 or 4: peak/shoullder/off-peak, & perhaps controlled load) in very close to real time.
regards, Doug
ps: this is virtually cost-free for the Energy Retailer: It only requires the Meter Controller to enable (zigbee) access.
regards, Doug
Brilliant advice, thanks Doug.
I know Victoria uses a mesh system to connect smart meters & streetlights too, so they don’t necessarily have a 4g cellular connection.
“… real-time access could mean individual households receive updates about their usage more frequently, for example every five minutes,” says Ms Collyer.
Any engineer will tell you “real-time systems are those that process data as it is received. This means that the system must respond quickly enough to influence ongoing processes,”
Five minute data is not real-time! You can’t use 5 minute data to control a load to self consume solar, or charge an EV from sunshine or export limit a system.
The solution is very simple. Make the real-time data available on an output port of every smart meter. Then the homeowners devices can tap into one source of real time import and export data, removing the need for bespoke energy meters and a switchboard full of CT’s reducing costs for everyone.
Preach!
Having access to the data connection used by the meter would also give the networks a RELIABLE link with which to control flexible exports & emergency backstop.
Finn,
The zigbee (read only) access is an open, standard interface. Yes, you do need a microprocessor to decrypt the data (which is what the Eagle 3 does), but once the meter controller grants access, the rest is easy. There is an opening for an Aussie co to build a local device, but so far no-one has. The Meter is a Zigbee Master, so the consumer device is slave. The data is then either sent to a display, or put on the local wifi/ethernet to be used by the consumer.
There are 2 reasons the power companies would be unlikely to give hard wired access: the first being Electrical safety, & second being International standards (ie the cost of non-universal hardware).
All the new Smart Meters have Zigbee access: It either just requires enabling, or at worst a change of Communication card. As I have said previously, I feel most meters would have Zigbee available because it is not worth having different boards, & most chip sets used would contain the Zigbee hardware.
btw, I think the Data decryption is proprietry: There is probably a need to sign NDAs to access the algorithym. I have yet to see a DIY module, & I have looked!
Once the data is available, it is easy to integrate into Home Assistant (Module available)
Question: has anyone seen a Consumer Remote Meter Display? Apparently they are available in Victoria…
btw, I have been pressuring Red Energy to give me Zigbee access. So far the answer is no, but I have appealed. Currently O/S, so will chase it up on return. (see the Paris Motor show tomorrow! All the new EVs!)
So the householder pays for the electricity from the grid and pays for the installation of the smart meters, but isn’t allowed access to the information from the smart meter – what a bloody joke!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi John,
Metering is now a retailer responsibility. I’d suggest changing retailer, or threatening to, on the condition they supply a new meter for you for free.
Data is yours & you’re entitled to access it.
https://support.solarquotes.com.au/hc/en-us/articles/360001312176-How-Do-I-Access-my-Smart-Meter-Data
Anthony
I’m in Perth so zero options to change supplier. The stupid thing is we upgraded to 3-phase 2 months ago and they installed a standard meter. Smart thinking would have been to install a smart meter, but not here in Perth.
Synergy / Western Power a law unto themselves here in WA, and we also have the most restrictive, archaic Solar rules too 👎
Ive recently installed a Virtual Machine on a home server that runs Home Assistant (HA). HA includes an Energy Dashboard and with the right Current Transformers and power reading wireless devices, which can be had for under $100 for the better quality ones (Shelly…as a starter) and under $40 for the Chinese ones. Trap for the unaware a Current transformer can read and differentiate current going in either direction. The electronics that attaches to it (The wireless power meters) have to be able to use that correctly and clearly delineate import and export in the software. All the suppliers claim Bidirectional (because the CT’s are) be sure that the device itself is, if you need that. Not every CT measurement will need 2 way, at the end of the day the pool pump, if that’s something you want to specifically measure will only ever consume power…
My Solar is 6.5kw from back in 2010 when remote reading the inverter specs meant walking over to it to look on the 2 by 16 char monochrome LCD display. HA has added pretty close to real time measurement and automation.
IN the last week Ive added automation to 2 Daikin Aircons so that if there is instantaneous solar generation I can run one or both in dry, heat or cool mode as the internal and external temps dictate. When the instantaneous solar excess drops below a threshold trigger point they turn off. In northern NSW close to the coast getting the humidity reduced so that mould doesn’t grow on every painted surface is a feature. Doing so without paying an electricity company is a minty moment imho….
So…the reason for the long post…As Finn says, a 5 minute update cant help me achieve this…. HA and the Current transformers is as close to real time as I can get at the moment.
Andy
P.S Ive use a VM for my HA instance, but it can live on a Raspberry Pi (circa $100) or an ESP32 (circa $50) if those are better for you…I used the Home server because I already had and use it… HA is good stuff IMHO.
Andy
I am another N Coast NSW Home Assistant user. I run mine on an Intel NUC with an old 128G SD drive. (NUCs are cheap now s/h).
I am on a 2 phase rural system, with the generation & the house separated. I use a IoTaWatt for the demand side, & read the data from the inZJBeny verters. My system is SolarEdge, Victron, & Zenaji Lithium Titanate batteries. I also have a Selectronic Inverter & 48v/1000ah L/A battery on another virtual off grid site.
We have 2 EVs: A Kona & an Imiev. The Kona is charged off a ZJBeny OCPP charger managed by HA.
As previously mentioned, I am trying to get zigbee access to my meter data.
regards, Doug
I’ve had one of these Pipit 500 Zigbee-based displays for ages. I don’t think they are still available to buy.
https://www.securemeters.com/product/in-home-display/pipit-500/
Well, I have just received a reply from AEMO, as follows:
(Start)
Hi Doug
Thank you for your enquiry.
We understand that you seek information on whether the National Electricity Rules (NER) allow local access to your smart meter. This access would allow you to attach a device that reads energy data from your smart meter.
Clauses 7.15.3(g and (h) of the NER provides:
A customer can request their electricity retailer for a read only password for local and remote access to energy data recorded by their meter
The retailer must provide the read only password within 10 business days
The access is subject to the authorisation of the relevant Metering Coordinator for the meter.
(end)
So, it seems under AEMO regulations, any smart meter in Australia should be Zigbee compatible (but you will need a device that can decode the encrypted datastream (a proprietry encryption that requires an NDA), such as the Rainforest Eagle 3.
I am still waiting on my Energy retailer to advise if I can get access. I will be really pressuring them now! My EDMI Atlas Mk10D meter is supplied by PlusES in South Australia. so indirectly, I will be pressuring them.
Regarding the Pipit500, they are not currently available. From my searches, the only supplier I could find for a device is Rainforest Eagle 3. Good potential opening for an Aussie company?
regards, Doug