Iranian officials have been working on replacing conventional water and gas meters with smart counterparts for years, but the program has been delayed due to reliance on foreign suppliers, high costs and import bottlenecks.
A local tech company has developed an Automatic Meter Reading device that curbs the use of human resources in meter reading, prevents delay and saves money for utility companies.
Based in Semnan Province, Kumeshian is a company that designs and manufactures electronic and mechatronic devices, and embeds industrial software, ISNA reported.
Mona Qodsi, the deputy head of the company, noted that the device is installed on conventional energy meters.
“It can collect consumption data from the regular electricity meters and transfer the data to a central database for billing,” she said.
“The device delivers information in real time and saves human resources spent on reading the meter manually. Long life, high speed and accuracy, plus lower cost of new smart meters are its other benefits.”
Kumeshian has also produced an internet of things system for evaporative coolers that help users control their AC via their smartphones.
Qodsi said the system can eliminate switch pads, as it lets the operator remotely control their appliance.
“They can turn the AC on and off, or adjust the temperature even from outside the house using a smartphone app,” she added.
Earlier Efforts
In February 2019, a smart meter production line was launched by a knowledge-based company in Tehran to use high-tech in energy consumption and metering.
The company Electronic Afzar Azma manufactures three-phase static smart meters used in high-voltage, industrial automation and commercial facilities.
A three-phase power meter is a high-accuracy electricity measurement device that scans electrical specifications from current and voltage to resistance, continuity and more. It also can monitor everything from wires and circuit breakers to electrical panels and power transformers.
As the company reported earlier, its smart meters are equipped with a fraud detection system, remote tariff programming and update capabilities. They also have a special transmitter that relays electricity consumption data to utility companies.
Giving assurances about the quality of his product, the company's CEO Jamshid Bordbar said the meters have been checked and approved by the Special Evaluation Council of the Iran Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company (Tavanir).
Electronic Afzar Azma Company was launched by a group of university graduates of energy studies and electronics in 1980 to produce a variety of electronic equipment and tools.
Fortunately, the locally-made and imported meters are being installed in Iranian cities to replace old mechanical meters with advanced and more accurate gadgets, both for households and industries.
The move is part of the National Smart Metering Program (Faham in Persian) started in 2016.
According to local reports, by March 2020, old power meters in around 400,000 household, agricultural and commercial units and 100,000 agro-wells were replaced with smart systems.
Hadi Mohaqeq, the plan's operator, said earlier that the installation of 5 million meters is on the agenda and the job is expected to end in two years if financial issues are addressed.
Underscoring the importance of the initiative, Mohaqeq said the move has saved up to 1,000 megawatts and 3,000 MW in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
Referring to the plan’s other plus points, the official said the advanced infrastructure provides a far greater [and detailed] feedback regarding energy use and helps reduce blackouts.
Greater Use of Smart Tech
At the international level, IoT and smart solutions have been used in many sectors and are employed for offering high quality services. Smart devices connected via the internet have been installed in several cities across the world, which collect and analyze data in real-time.
By using this information, cities can map areas of high pollution, track changes and identify polluters, and if possible remove them.
Transforming the Iranian capital into a smart city has been a priority of Tehran Municipality, as the application of smart solutions and IoT technology in urban management was placed on its agenda several years ago.
Besides replacing old electricity meters with smart counterparts, other projects entailing the application of smart technologies have also been implemented in Iran.
Currently, TM and Tehran Traffic Police are using automated smart surveillance systems to spot old and dilapidated cars that are the main source of air pollution in the metropolis.
The installation of online air quality monitoring systems across the capital can also be named among technologies used in urban management.
Tehran Municipality has welcomed collaboration with companies and individuals whose products and services can help alleviate problems such as air pollution and traffic congestion.
