Semtech Corp. announced Thursday that its metering solution based on Semtech’s LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN protocol, has been developed as part of the MeDa project for one of Germany’s energy companies with Seluxit, a developer of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. The MeDa meter leverages LoRaWAN’s advantages for smart metering to enable consumers to change wasteful energy habits and save money.
The deployment of the MeDa smart meter across Germany is increasing following the rollout that began in November last year, with several hundred thousand units of the total 6.4 million currently planned for deployment. The MeDa meter leverages LoRaWAN-based solutions from Seluxit to provide real-time data monitoring of energy usage and proven connectivity to the Cloud for long-range data transfer.
Additionally, Seluxit’s LoRaWAN modem encrypts all data transfers as an element of compliance with Germany’s data security and privacy regulations. The meter’s long range capabilities allow end users to monitor energy usage remotely, even in large high-rise buildings. By closely monitoring energy consumption, customers can change wasteful energy habits and reduce their energy-related spending.
The MeDa smart meter solution uses a LoRaWAN-based protocol stack that not only leverages LoRa modulation for long range, but also utilizes FSK modulation for shorter distance transmission at a higher data rate. This is possible due to the versatility of the Semtech hardware. The higher data rate provides the end user even more detailed information about their energy consumption.
Semtech’s LoRa devices is a widely adopted long-range, low-power solution for IoT that gives telecom companies, IoT application makers and system integrators the feature set necessary to deploy low-cost, interoperable IoT networks, gateways, sensors, module products, and IoT services worldwide. IoT networks based on the LoRaWAN specification have been deployed in 100 countries and Semtech is a founding member of the LoRa Alliance, the fastest growing IoT Alliance for Low Power Wide Area Network applications.
LoRa Technology has revolutionized IoT by enabling data communication over a long range while using very little power. When connected to a non-cellular LoRaWAN network, LoRa devices accommodate a vast range of IoT applications by transmitting packets with important information.
LoRaWAN fills the technology gap of cellular and Wi-Fi/BLE based networks that require either high bandwidth or high power, or have a limited range or inability to penetrate deep indoor environments. In effect, LoRa Technology is flexible for rural or indoor use cases in smart cities, smart homes and buildings, smart agriculture, smart metering, and smart supply chain and logistics.
Like Wi-Fi, LoRaWAN operates in the unlicensed band and supports indoor applications; like Cellular, LoRa Technology is highly secure from end devices to the application server, and is suitable for outdoor applications. LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN protocol combine these features of Wi-Fi and cellular networks to offer an efficient, flexible and economical connectivity solution ideal for IoT applications whether indoor or outdoor and installed in public, private or hybrid networks.
Simple sensor data can fuel analytics platforms, such as those for artificial intelligence and machine learning. These require data diversity which is made possible by low-cost LoRa-enabled sensors.
“Seluxit chose Semtech’s LoRa platform due to the number of significant advantages the platform provides for the smart metering vertical market,” said Daniel Lux, co-founder and CEO at Seluxit. “LoRaWAN-based connectivity allows our customers to more closely monitor utility consumption in real time. After installing one of our LoRaWAN-based smart metering solutions, like the MeDa meter, customers typically get insight into their energy consumption patterns, which enables them to change appliances and/or habits to see a reduction in energy waste and total cost. As a global supplier for the smart metering market, Seluxit is committed to providing solutions that reduce energy waste and create more sustainable energy grids worldwide.”
“LoRaWAN is quickly becoming the de facto leader for IoT, and its long range, low power and ease of integration into existing infrastructure are clear advantages in the smart metering space,” said Marc Pegulu, vice president of IoT for Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group. “For developers and system integrators, LoRaWAN simplifies development and accelerates IoT applications to market.”
