Gas Advanced Metering Infrastructure Is A Market Primed For Innovation

Global natural gas reserves of over 6,000 Tcf would suggest abundant supplies to meet continuing increases in demand. Yet, like oil, it is a non-renewable resource. As society comprehends the inevitable decline of fossil fuels and the impacts of carbon dioxide emissions, energy utilities and consumers are realizing the significance of long-term energy sustainability and the expanding role of natural gas:

• As a storable energy, natural gas plays a vital part in the development of a smart grid.
• Low emissions make natural gas a clean fuel in a world concerned with carbon output.
• With an abundant supply, natural gas plays a central role in developing energy independence.
• Greater operational and delivery efficiencies help sustain the role of natural gas in a global energy future and reliable service to customers.

Due to its abundance, natural gas operators do not face the demand response hurdles that electrical operators confront. Rather, gas operators face fluctuating commodity availability and costs due to cyclical demands. In conjunction with long-term price uncertainty, gas utilities are up against operational and environmental constraints, along with an overburdened delivery infrastructure. In this evaluation, new business cases are identified in an effort to benefit gas utilities, as well as society:

• Reducing the number of utility vehicles on the road lowers operational and maintenance costs as it helps to moderate traffic congestion and lower carbon emissions.
• Empowering utility customers with up-to the minute gas usage information to actively engage them in their consumption decisions and subsequently lower their gas bills, in turn helping the utility to manage overall demand.
• Real-time gas distribution monitoring offers increased safety and reliability for the community, as well as utility workers, and lowers maintenance costs.
• Customers are afforded greater safety at home and utilities can avoid a truck roll by shutting off service remotely in case of a leak or safety event.
• Access to real-time customer usage information accelerates the resolution of bill inquiries to lower operational costs and instills greater confidence and satisfaction from customers.

Gas utilities are recognizing the importance of enhancing operational efficiencies, impacting consumer consumption behaviors, enabling conservation efforts and increasing distribution integrity, in addition to system safety. To achieve these goals, they are considering gas advanced metering infrastructure (gas AMI) as the answer.

AMI in the electric industry was initially associated with hyperbole, but several years later, vendors and electric utilities worked through the excitement and are now deploying AMI solutions that are truly transforming the operations of electric providers across the globe.

AMI is comparatively new to the gas industry, but it leverages the clarity and capabilities already achieved in the electric industry. After an exhaustive review of requirements and systems testing, gas AMI parallels the electric industry by providing time-synchronized interval usage data. A robust communications infrastructure also allows for two-way communications to monitor and control devices deployed throughout the gas distribution system.