Technology
When the number of smart meters reaches millions of units, it is not an easy task to achieve secure and reliable communications with utility control centres. Even more difficult is to guarantee the real time capabilities often demanded by smart grid applications. For such situations, cost-effective telecommunications pose a great challenge for the successful roll-out of smart metering systems.
PRIME provides a forum for the definition, maintenance and support of open and comprehensive solutions for Smart Grid communications in Medium and Low Voltage Networks.
Advanced Metering
PRIME PLC Dataconcentrators
PRIME PLC Meter Devices
Grid Control
Control & Automation along the Medium & Low Voltage Network
Asset Monitoring
Monitoring of DG, DR and In-Home Automation assets
Utility Communications
Medium Voltage Network Communications
Low Voltage Network Communications
In-Home Network Communications
PRIME (PoweRline Intelligent Metering Evolution) represents a public, open and non-proprietary telecommunications architecture which supports present and future AMM functionalities and enables the building of the electricity networks of the future, or smart grids.
The target of PRIME is to establish a complete set of international standards which will allow for full interoperability among equipment and systems from different providers. Thus, competition in the metering market will benefit utilities and its customers.
The components of PRIME architecture (modulation and coding techniques, protocols, data formats etc.) are not subject to any Intellectual Property Rights. Specifications are comprehensive and detailed enough so that any new entrant will be able to provide interoperable solutions to the market.
PRIME Benefits for new deployments
License Free
PRIME is a license free public communication standard based on utility-owned assets
Independence
PRIME is a not controlled or directed by any entity but driven by utility needs and hence provides cost efficiency, flexibility, freedom, security, and accountability.
Adaptability
Ensuring long-term viability by focusing always on the cutting-edge of technology
Lower Cost
Non-proprietary, license-free open standard that results in lower meter device costs (CAPEX) & lower communication carrier cost (OPEX)
End-to-End Solution
A solution serving utilities communication needs due to vertical integration of medium and low voltage networks, in-home and distributed energy resources
Reality Proven
The only PLC based open standard that is mass deployment proven, providing a mature and complete ecosystem
Future Investment
A system platform based on open standards eases the integration of future communications, grid monitor & control solutions in MV, LV and in-home networks
Convergence Sub-Layer
Classifies traffic associating it with its proper MAC connection. This layer performs the mapping of any kind of traffic to be properly included in MAC SDU’s. Multiple CS’s are defined in order to accommodate different kinds of traffic into MAC SDU’s.
MAC Layer
Provides core MAC functionalities of system access, bandwidth allocation, connection management and topology resolution. It has been defined for a connection oriented Master-Slave environment, and optimized for low voltage power line environments.
PHY Layer
Transmits and receives MAC PDU’s between neighbor Nodes. It is based on OFDM multiplexing in CENELEC A band and reaches up to 130 kbps raw data rate.
PRIME initially defines lower OSI layers of a narrowband PLC data transmission system over the electricity grid. The whole architecture has been designed to be low-cost but high-performance. It uses Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) in narrowband frequency ranges.