Smart grid monitoring and broadband satellite communication for rural electricity networks supporting renewable energy sources and reduced carbon emissions

The project will look at the opportunity to use the latest broadband satellite communications
services to provide smart grid monitoring of electricity networks in rural areas.
The project will implement a smart grid communication and monitoring node, installed in the
rural electricity network, which will provide comprehensive measurements back to the central
control centre using a broadband satellite connection. The node will have the capability to use
Ethernet and/or WiFi to communicate with, and collect information from, other co-located
smart grid devices. In a rural location wireless communication could be utilised for remote
consumer meter reading. The wirel;ess connectivity can also be used by an on site electricity
company engineer to obtain local equipment information, and status, and to communicate
with the central control centre over the satellite connection.
In addition the node could be used as a hub for the rural community providing voice and
broadband data services over a single satellite connection.
The project deliverable will be a market feasibility report and a presentation.