According to a new report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the installed base of smart gas meters in Europe amounted to 55.9 million in 2023, equivalent to a penetration rate of 45 percent.

The installed base is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 6.8 percent between 2023 and 2028, reaching 77.6 million units at the end of the period. Annual shipment volumes amounted to 4.8 million units in 2023 and are expected to be around 5.0–5.8 million throughout the forecast period.

The UK, Italy and Belgium were the most active markets, together accounting for 86 percent of all smart gas meter shipments during the year. While the rollouts in Italy, France and the Netherlands are largely completed, the UK market is finally after several delays ramping up yearly installations to reach a peak of 3.2–3.4 million units per year during 2024–2025. Belgium and Ireland are two other markets that are expected to contribute with significant shipment volumes in the coming years. The Spanish market is expected to reach yearly shipment volumes of 1.0 million units by the end of the forecast period.

The smart gas meters deployed in Europe have over the past years not been networked in quite the same way as their counterparts in the electricity sector. A common model, observed in the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium, is to utilize a local wireless or wired interface to transmit gas data via the customer’s smart electricity meter. A mix of 169 MHz RF and 2G/3G cellular communications has meanwhile been the primary model for the largest projects in which smart gas meters have been deployed independently of smart electricity meters, such as in Italy and France. A change of the status quo is likely on the horizon as new types of LPWA technologies have become more readily available in the past couple of years.

Mattias Carlsson, IoT Analyst at Berg Insight, said:
“The Italian gas sector was the first in Europe to initiate large-scale adoption of NB-IoT as a primary smart meter connectivity choice and in 2023 the installed base of gas meters with NB-IoT connectivity in the country reached more than 2.5 million at the end of the year. We anticipate that by the end of the forecast period NB-IoT will become the go-to connectivity option for smart gas meters, not only in Italy but also in several other European markets.”

The composition of communications technologies in the installed base of smart gas meters has already begun to shift in favor of new LPWA technologies. 169 MHz still however remains the most popular communications technology with a market share of around 37 percent at the end of 2023, while Zigbee boasted a market share of 26 percent. By 2026, Zigbee is expected to surpass 169 MHz as the most prevalent connectivity option with an installed base of 23.4 million – a number that is further forecasted to increase to 25.5 million in 2028.

NB-IoT/LTE-M is expected to be the fastest growing connectivity option at a CAGR of 35 percent during 2023–2028 to reach an installed base of around 13.2 million units in 2028 and accounting for as much as 60 percent of yearly shipment volumes at the end of the forecast period.

Another emerging technology trend is the anticipated increase in the use of hydrogen in European gas supply operations.

Mr. Carlsson concluded:

“Projects are currently underway in for example the UK and Italy that pilots metering devices capable of measuring either pure hydrogen or a blend of hydrogen and natural gas. The interest in hydrogen meters is anticipated to increase as the technology matures.”

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According to a new report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the installed base of smart gas meters in Europe amounted to 45.9 million units in 2021, equal to a penetration rate of 38 percent.

The installed base will continue to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7 percent between 2021 and 2027, reaching 75.9 million units at the end of the period. Annual shipment volumes amounted to 6.6 million in 2021 and are expected to gradually decrease in the coming years with the completion of several large-scale nationwide rollouts. France, the UK, Italy and the Netherlands were the most active markets in 2021, together accounting for close to 95 percent of all smart gas meter shipments during the year. While the rollouts in Italy, France and the Netherlands will soon be completed, the UK market is on the other hand after several delays expected to ramp up yearly installations to reach a high of 3.4–3.6 million units per year during 2023–2025. Belgium and Ireland are two other markets that are expected to contribute with significant shipment volumes in the next few years.

The smart gas meters deployed in Europe have over the past years not been networked in quite the same way as their counterparts in the electricity sector. A common model, observed for example in the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium, is to utilize a local wireless or wired interface to transmit gas data via the customer’s smart electricity meter. A mix of 169 MHz RF and 2G/3G cellular communications has meanwhile been the primary model for the largest projects in which smart gas meters have been deployed independently of smart electricity meters, such as in Italy and France. A change of the status quo might now however be on the horizon as new types of LPWA technologies have become more readily available in the past couple of years.

Mattias Carlsson, IoT Analyst at Berg Insight, said:

“The Italian gas sector became the first in Europe to initiate large-scale adoption of NB-IoT as a primary smart meter connectivity choice and in 2021 the installed base of gas meters with NB-IoT connectivity almost doubled in the country to reach 1.7 million at the end of the year.”

The composition of communication technology in the installed base of smart gas meters is thus expected to shift in the coming years. In 2021, 169 MHz RF was the most common communications technology with a market share of 40 percent. By 2027, Zigbee is expected to surpass 169 MHz RF to become the most prevalent connectivity option with an installed base of close to 24.9 million units. NB-IoT/LTE-M is moreover expected to grow with an impressive CAGR of 35.6 percent during 2022–2027 to reach an installed base of 10.7 million units in 2027, making it the third most common connectivity option on the European smart gas meter market.

Another emerging technology trend is the anticipated increase in the use of hydrogen in European gas supply operations. “As the properties of hydrogen differ significantly from those of natural gas, meter vendors will have to put in place relevant technological and strategic roadmaps in order to position themselves in the new European renewable energy sector”, concluded Mr. Carlsson.

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Kiwi Technology’s Network Control Unit uses LoRaWAN® to connect and monitor gas meters in real time and potentially reduce gas leaks.

Semtech Corporation, announced that Kiwi Technology, an advanced Internet of Things (IoT) turn-key solutions and data analytics provider, is using Semtech’s LoRa® devices for its new third party class B Network Control Unit (NCU) that connects gas meters via the LoRaWAN® standard.

Due to low power consumption and bidirectional communication capabilities of LoRa, the NCUs are fully autonomous for up to 10 years.

The recently deployed NCUs remotely read indoor and outdoor gas meters and communicate data to a top tier Japanese gas utility company. Prior to the deployment and infrastructure upgrade by Kiwi Technology, this utility provider had only one measurement data point each month, obtained from a manual field process. The new NCU system and Kiwi Technology’s comprehensive gateway products utilizing LoRaWAN enable multiple, remote meter reads per day and allows customers access to their real-time and historical gas consumption trends to identify cost savings and waste reduction opportunities.

Kiwi Technology’s end-to-end smart gas solutions with wireless communication with LoRaWAN connectivity also ensure gas supply and infrastructure safety. The solution helps to quickly detect and send alerts about potential methane leaks, equipment malfunctions or breakdowns. The NCU anticipates and remotely shuts off gas in potentially dangerous situations before a failure or automatically when a hazard, such as a typhoon or earthquake, occurs.

“Choosing Semtech’s LoRa devices for building our IoT-enabled solution allowed us to create an innovative and advanced gas meter reading and monitoring system and deploy it using a carrier-grade network infrastructure,” said Judy Lee, chairperson of Kiwi Technology.

“With the digitization of utilities and municipalities, we are helping utility companies optimize their gas distribution while reducing harmful CO2 gas emissions exactly at the location where gas is consumed. This contributes to a more efficient and safer use of energy resources.”

“Utility providers that have deployed smart metering solutions are seeing a rapid reduction of waste and substantial improvements in operational efficiencies,” said Marc Pégulu, vice president and general manager for Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group. “The use of LoRa and LoRaWAN, as shown with Kiwi Technology’s NCU solution, showcases the power of IoT technologies to help gas utilities improve safety and achieve ESG goals while creating a smarter and safer planet for all.”

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New solution running on the LoRaWAN® standard detects dangerous levels of methane in gas, shuts off the valve and notifies the end user via a Nortegas mobile app.

Semtech Corporation announced its collaboration with Spanish utility metering systems provider Arson Metering.

Arson Metering is utilizing Semtech’s LoRa® devices and the LoRaWAN® standard for its new smart gas metering sensor solution. Through implementing LoRaWAN connectivity, sensors can detect dangerous levels of methane in gas, wirelessly send a notification to a mobile device and then immediately shut off gas supply. The sensor solution is universal in which it can read all types of water and gas meters from all manufacturers. According to Arson Metering, the sensor can be integrated to work with all types of metering technologies including current and future.

“We have demonstrated that LoRaWAN is the ideal Internet of Things (IoT) solution in Spain,” said Amador Martínez, CEO of Arson Metering.

“With LoRaWAN, our sensors can provide accurate and immediate gas usage information, keeping customers safe while also helping them reduce utility usage. Currently, Arson Metering has deployed enough LoRaWAN gateways, powered by solar panels and long-life batteries, to ensure network availability full time. In addition, the flexibility of the LoRaWAN network is allowing for secure transport of all the different protocols required by a variety of gas meters.”

In conjunction with Arson Metering’s expertise, Spanish gas provider Nortegas has validated the use of LoRaWAN to provide reliable connectivity to end customers. Through the integration of LoRaWAN, customers are able to be notified via a mobile app provided by Nortegas in case of a situation involving excessive methane concentration. As a result of the collaboration, Nortegas is now able to deploy sensors in homes and businesses to automate the gas meter readings on a daily basis as well as offer secure gas installation with methane and carbon monoxide (CO) gas sensors.

“Arson Metering’s successful implementation of Semtech’s LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN standard for its smart metering solution with gas safety sensors demonstrates how Semtech’s IoT solutions are reliable to protect lives, provide accurate data and are easy to deploy,” said Marc Pégulu, vice president of IoT product marketing and strategy for Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group. “Improving smart utility metering showcases Semtech’s ongoing commitment to create a smarter and greener world through IoT technology.”

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As Enlit is taking place tomorrow in Milan (Italy), we have met with Maxime Vincent, Sales & Marketing Manager at eLichens and Remi Demerle, Director, Developer Ecosystem, WSP LoRa Alliance and Community at Semtech to discuss how their LoRa-based smart gas monitoring solution can help prevent gas leak accidents.

IoT Business News: In field trials, or live applications, how well have the eLichens sensors performed in reducing gas leakage? Have they hit targets, or outperformed other methods?

Maxime Vincent, eLichens

IoT Business News: No drift seem an important advantage, how often other sensors need to be recalibrated?

Maxime: Gas sensors usually need to be recalibrated every 1-2 years, or the best ones on the market can barely reach five years. eLichens sensors doesn’t require any recalibration over their entire lifetime (>10 years).
IoT Business News: What other gas the sensor can allow to detect?

Maxime: The sensor embedded inside avolta is highly selective to methane, to avoid false alarms. However, we can provide avolta with other versions of our sensor: butane, propane, refrigerant gases (R32 among others), or even CO2.

IoT Business News: The sensors apparently have a battery life of 10 years, which sounds a long time, but they will ultimately need to be replaced. Are sensors with longer battery life being developed, or can sensors be powered by the flow of gas itself?

Maxime: We (eLichens) are constantly working on improving the power consumption of our sensors, and we already have prototypes able to increase the battery life to a lot more than 10 years. Our sensors have the lowest power consumption on the market for safety applications, so powering them with energy harvesting could be an option, yes.

IoT Business News: What are the advantages of the LoRaWAN communications protocol? Are there any applications where it cannot be used?

Rémi Demerle, Semtech

IoT Business News: Are the sensors equipment compatible with hardware from other manufacturers?

Remi: Yes, the sensors are compatible with any device that uses LoRaWAN. Developers can also now create smart devices featuring LoRa devices for all utilities applications, including smart metering for electricity, gas or water. The openness of the LoRaWAN standard makes it possible to integrate with existing technology including DLMS and M-Bus.

IoT Business News: And what about software, is it compatible with monitoring platform?

Maxime: eLichens maintains our own monitoring platform, but customers can connect our device to any monitoring platform, thanks to our API.

IoT Business News: Network operators often balk at the cost of installing sensors, when they are uncertain of the cost benefits that will flow down the line. What would be Semtech’s response, or the experience of some of your clients?

Remi: The cost of a gas incident in a residential area will always be more than the cost of installing one sensor per building.

IoT Business News: Is the price of installing a sensor networks going up – as they add functionality and features – or is it reducing, due to economies of scale?

Remi: In this field there are always economics of scale, and especially when open networks like LoRaWAN are installed. Once such a network is installed, it opens the possibility to connect additional sensors, hence opening the path to more safety and more services.

IoT Business News: Do gas network operators typically install sensors as part of maintenance programmes or other scheduled works, or as a standalone investment project?

Remi: It depends mainly on local regulations. However, we see lots of movement in this field right now, regulations are already in place in some U.S. states, and regulations are coming in several countries.

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According to a new report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the installed base of smart gas meters in Europe amounted to 39 million units in 2020, equal to a penetration rate of 33 percent.

The installed base will continue to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 10.1 percent between 2020 and 2026, reaching 70.1 million units at the end of the period.

Annual shipment volumes amounted to 6.5 million in 2020 and are expected to stay at similar levels during 2021–2022 before gradually decreasing along with the completion of several large-scale nationwide rollouts.

Italy, France, the UK and the Netherlands were the most active markets in 2020, together accounting for more than 95 percent of all smart gas meter shipments during the year. While the rollouts in Italy, France and the Netherlands will soon be completed, the UK market is on the other hand after multiple delays expected to ramp up yearly installations to reach a high of 3.0–3.6 million units during 2022–2025. Belgium and Ireland are two other markets that are expected to contribute with significant shipment volumes in the next few years.

The smart gas meters deployed in Europe have over the past years not been networked in quite the same way as their counterparts in the electricity sector. A common model, seen for example in the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium, is to utilize a local wireless or wired interface to transmit gas data via the customer’s smart electricity meter. A mix of 169 MHz RF and 2G/3G cellular communications has meanwhile been the primary model for the largest projects in which smart gas meters have been deployed independently of smart electricity meters, such as in Italy and France. A change of the status quo might now however be on the horizon as new types of LPWA technologies have become more readily available in the past couple of years.

Levi Ostling, Senior Analyst at Berg Insight, said:

“2020 was a significant year for smart gas metering in Europe as the Italian gas sector became the first in Europe to initiate large-scale adoption of NB-IoT as a primary meter connectivity choice.”

Another emerging technology trend is the anticipated increase in the use of hydrogen in European gas supply operations.

“As the properties of hydrogen differ significantly from those of natural gas, meter vendors will have to put in place relevant technological and strategic roadmaps in order to position themselves in the new European renewable energy sector”, concluded Mr. Ostling.

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Lorax Systems Shut-off Valve Integration with Senet’s LoRaWAN Network Cost-Effectively Enables Utilities to Scale Deployments and Improve Safety, Awareness and Environmental Impact.

Senet, Inc., today announced a new partnership with Lorax Systems Inc, a safety and environmental solutions company, to improve the ability for utility companies to monitor and prevent potentially hazardous natural gas incidents.

Through this technical collaboration, the companies have certified Lorax’s meter and service shut-off valves on Senet’s LoRaWAN network. The resulting integration provides utilities 24/7 monitoring with automatic and remote gas shut-off capabilities when hazardous conditions have been detected at any location using Senet’s Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) connectivity.

When a gas leak happens today, utility providers typically become aware of it after a customer reports it. By that point, a significant amount of leaked gas has already created a dangerous situation for anyone in the vicinity, not to mention utility employees who arrive to fix it. By adding state-of-the-art valve shut-off capabilities to sensing and alerting systems, this partnership ensures utilities gain complete awareness and control of their gas distribution systems, including automating the secure shutdown of single or multiple valves before a gas leak becomes a safety issue.

Using Senet’s LoRaWAN network to manage communications between the gas shut-off valves and the cloud maximizes network coverage and communication range while reducing operational costs.

Mark Bishoff, President and CEO of Lorax Systems, said:

“Our utility customers need a solution that provides situational awareness without requiring constant maintenance or exorbitant costs,”

“For many utilities that need to go beyond managing a small number of devices, it quickly becomes evident that a LoRaWAN network is more financially sound than other communications options, especially considering the need for sensor-enabled devices to last for ten years or more in the field. After researching IoT connectivity options, we found Senet’s carrier-grade LoRaWAN network provides the coverage and performance we need without compromising on our customers’ requirements.”

Lorax Systems offers meter and service valves that stop leaks when they happen. The Lorax Meter Valve is a cloud-enabled mechanical gas valve that provides automatic shut-off in the event of methane detection, over pressurization, fire, or flood using IoT connectivity to provide insights and remote operation. The Lorax Service Valve is an underground intelligent safety shutoff device that halts the flow of gas in the event of a breach in the service line, including the aforementioned events. With operation certified by Senet, utilities can easily use Lorax gas valves in combination with gas metering and other infrastructure monitoring solutions on the same network.

“Utilities are constantly evaluating new technologies to improve safety, operational efficiency and customer service,” said Bruce Chatterley, CEO of Senet.

“Recently, from a safety standpoint, several major disasters have happened because of gas line failures or breaks, not to mention commonplace leaks that harm the environment. Complementary technologies from Senet and Lorax represent a reliable and cost-effective solution to previously challenging problems. We’re excited to work with Lorax to demonstrate the impact of better IoT connectivity on improving safety, the environment and the bottom line of utilities.”

Through a joint go-to-market strategy, Senet and Lorax are engaged in field trials with large multi-utility service providers centered around improving safety levels and reliability across regional natural gas distribution networks. By progressing its partnership with Lorax and previously announced collaborations with natural gas leak detection solutions and utility providers, Senet aims to continually support the digital transformation of the utility industry with IoT-powered innovation.

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LoRa® devices enable utilities to remotely access meters in rural and dense urban areas.

Semtech Corporation today announced that Vision Metering, LLC (Vision), a leading developer of Internet of Things (IoT) utility advanced metering infrastructure (AMI)-based smart electric meters and meter interface units for water and gas meters, has increased its deployment of solutions by incorporating the LoRaWAN protocol across key markets in the U.S. and Latin America.

As a result of integrating Semtech’s LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN protocol, Vision has confirmed it has been quickly onboarding municipal utilities across the U.S. and Latin America with its metering hardware and software at a rate of two to three per week. Vision helps customers install their own LoRaWAN networks and provides them with plug and play tools to manage their systems, avoiding costly third-party connectivity contracts. Additionally, Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-Op, a Vision customer, reported it is conducting a full system deployment for its rural electric cooperative over a nine county area in Northeast Michigan to replace its monthly member-read honor system and annual “true-up” task of manually reading 47,500 meters. Moreover, a representative from the Ferry County Washington Public Utility District No.1 shared that District No. 1 is projected to save over $20,000 this year just by eliminating 100-mile round trip transportation costs to read the electric meters of remote customers in the Cascades through the adoption of the end devices featuring LoRa, according to a spokesperson.

“Semtech’s LoRa devices have been instrumental in our development and successful rollout of a new completely modular system for any combination of electrical, water and gas utilities,” said Randy Austin, President and CEO of Vision.

“Our cooperative and public owned utility customers are saving all kinds of money by upgrading legacy systems to Vision’s fixed, long range AMI solutions that eliminate traditional manual meter reading methods and expensive truck rolls to turn services on and off.”

Semtech’s innovative technology has a diverse range of applications including smart cities, health care, utilities, supply chain and logistics, and more, which aligns with Vision’s goal of designing and bringing smart electricity, gas and water meters throughout the globe.

“Vision’s smart meter solutions utilizing LoRa empower utility companies in both urban and rural areas with smart, sustainable and efficient utility management,” said Marc Pegulu, vice president of IoT for Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group. “The ease of deployment, scalability and cost-savings capabilities of LoRaWAN make it the de facto platform connectivity choice for a growing market of electrical, water and gas IoT monitoring applications.”

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• “Smart IoT” connectivity ensures a reliable and secure gas supply for its customers

• Improved truck routing saves fuel costs and reduces carbon emissions

SHV Energy has chosen IoT connectivity from Orange Business Services to deploy smart telemetry and meters on its gas tanks across Europe and the US.

The solution will provide an enhanced gas delivery service to its customers across the world. It will help SHV Energy to improve infrastructure management, customer satisfaction and supply security, while saving on fuel costs and reducing carbon emissions.

SHV Energy is a leading global distributor of off-grid energy such as LPG, LNG and is active in the area of biofuels and renewable energy solutions. It supplies gas under brands, including Calor Gas, Gaspol, Liquigas, Pinnacle, Primagas, and Primagaz across four continents.

The company will fit smart devices to both legacy and new gas tanks, along with an antennae and a magnet mechanism that measures the gas. Each of these smart telemetry devices includes an Orange global SIM, which transfers data to SHV Energy’s offices via the Orange global mobile network. There the data is collected and analyzed to ensure that a customer’s gas tank is never empty. SHV Energy is also alerted if the tank registers any malfunction or leak. The data is also used to optimize gas delivery routes to reduce the company’s carbon footprint.

Marieke Schoningh, SHV Energy Management Board Member, explains:

“The move toward smart metering and the deployment of digital functionalities are critical in delivering the best possible service in supplying gas to our customer base. With this innovative IoT connectivity solution from Orange Business Services we can increase the flexibility, reliability and robustness of our network, and become greener in the process.”

Orange’s global mobile network is enhanced by an alliance of operators and more than 500 roaming agreements. This ensures that data gets to the data platform at SHV Energy’s offices fast, efficiently and securely. In addition, Orange provides value-added services, such as service and implementation management, to accompany SHV throughout its entire IoT journey. Orange Business Services was positioned as a Leader in Gartner’s 2019 “Magic Quadrant for Managed IoT Connectivity Services, Worldwide.”

“Connectivity is a key enabler of IoT. SHV Energy’s smart monitoring deployment is an excellent example of how a company can use our IoT connectivity solution to connect devices safely and reliably to transport data for actionable business insight and build a successful IoT-enabled business,” says Fabrice de Windt, senior vice president, Europe, Orange Business Services.

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Semtech Corporation announced that AIUT, a hardware and software provider specializing in Internet of Things (IoT)-based solutions in the oil and gas markets, has integrated Semtech’s LoRa® devices and the LoRaWAN® protocol into its new line of intelligent sensors for measuring the volume of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in tanks.

The sensors enable the remote and automatic monitoring of gas consumption, improving the process of supply and reserve management for distributors to reduce operating costs.

Krzysztof Paramuszczak, Director of the LPG Division at AIUT, said:

“The oil and gas industry is increasingly demanding smarter, scalable and connected infrastructure to monitor LPG tanks in real time.”

“Semtech’s LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN protocol enable AIUT’s products to offer the attractive benefits of reliable, continuous and remote LPG monitoring, as well as deployment flexibility. These advantages allow customers to improve workflows, reduce operating cost and prepare for future challenges.”

Fuel stations and other gas suppliers require a consistent inventory of LPG to satisfy customer demand. As a result, these customers desire efficient, accurate and reliable remote monitoring solutions to predict tank levels and optimize refill schedules. AIUT’s new platform for smart LPG tank monitoring enables the efficient and real-time management of LPG data from the supply network down to the individual tank.

The applications leverage the proven capabilities of LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN protocol to provide tank data and metrics on use, creating a coherent tool for the effective management of the gas supply. This provides distinct cost and efficiency advantages over legacy solutions such as drive-by or in-person tank reading. Additionally, AIUT’s solutions include remote valve control to stop or re-enable gas flow through the pump or tank, increasing safety and reducing waste on-site.

“LoRa devices represent a proven choice for real-time resource monitoring, providing actionable insight to reduce operational expenses and increase efficiency in gas management,” said Marc Pegulu, Vice President of IoT Product Marketing & Strategy in Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group.

“LoRa-based products are flexible in deployment, allowing their use on tanks underground without sacrificing connectivity or requiring external infrastructure. AIUT leveraged this deployment flexibility with LoRa devices’ capabilities for long range and reliable data monitoring to deliver leading products for the future of LPG management.”

AIUT’s new LoRa-based LPG sensors will be available in the U.S. market beginning July 2020. To date, AIUT has a number of successful and growing deployments across Europe, including those in France and Switzerland.

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IoT Net Adria supports the transformation of HEP-Plin’s natural gas distribution and supply to customers by connecting their gas meters with Byte Lab retrofit smart devices.

HEP-Plin, part of the HEP Group, the national energy company in Croatia, is deploying Byte Lab retrofit smart devices powered by the Sigfox 0G network to digitize their gas meters.

The deployment will be finalized by end of the year and marks one of the largest deployments of smart utilities solutions to date in Croatia.

Automated meter reading reduces cost of capturing data

Byte Lab BL-SIG-AMR1 is a battery powered smart gas meter retrofit which uses the Sigfox 0G network for wireless data transfer. With several tamper detection alarms and very long battery life, the BL-SIG-AMR1 is an ideal choice for installation on existing diaphragm gas meters that do not support remote readout. To support different brands of diaphragm gas meters commonly found on the European market like Elster, Itron or Metrix, the BL-SIG-AMR1 has a modular design with interchangeable adapters.

Strong ecosystem supports project delivery

Digitizing the gas project was very challenging, but it was achieved thanks to a strong partnership between Axis who was in charge of the integration services, Byte Lab who delivered the best in class retrofit device and Comping who provided the IoT platform for data analytics. The end to end solution works on the global 0G network provided by IoT Net Adria, the Croatian Sigfox Operator.

Damir Pećušak, CEO of HEP-Plin shared his thoughts on the new solution: “The partnership between Axis, Byte Lab and Comping in integration, hardware and software development, brought our idea to mass production very quickly. The Sigfox ecosystem players’ competence and dedication have proven to be the key success factors in developing this cost-efficient and reliable automated meter reader retrofit for gas meters and their go-to- market strategy was just amazing.”

Silviu Neghina, Territory Sales Manager at Sigfox, said: “I am very happy to see the hard work of our partners in Croatia delivering one of the best utilities project in Eastern Europe. We are on our way to connect the utilities meters in Croatia to our global 0G network deployed by IoT Net Adria. Once again, this project demonstrates the amazing potential of our technology to extract the data with the lowest total cost of ownership for our customers.”

Ranjo Rezek, CEO of IoT Net Adria, said:

“The HEP-Plin gas metering project represents a first example of the benefits that our 0G IoT connectivity brings to large scale deployments. The mix of smart devices with more than 10 years autonomy, our global IoT dedicated network and platforms capabilities allow utilities companies to connect their meters quickly, affordably, and securely anywhere in the country, while increasing efficiency, sustainability and customer satisfaction”

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Led by UnaBiz and SORACOM, the smart makeover will allow the collection of real-time data without the need for a network overhaul.

850,000 Nippon Gas Co.,Ltd (“NICIGAS”) gas meters across Japan will get a smart makeover by the end of FY2020, thanks to a retrofitted gas meter reader developed by UnaBiz and SORACOM.

The project marks one of the largest deployments of smart utilities solutions to date.

SPACE HOTARU, an original concept by NICIGAS, is a reader that is easily retrofitted onto existing gas meters to enable “smart” features. The Network Controlling Unit (NCU) collects and transmits gas consumption data to NICIGAS’ IoT data platform, “NICIGAS Stream”, via Sigfox’s Japan-wide 0G wireless network allowing the gas valve to be controlled remotely. The NCU is energy-efficient and is expected to last more than 10 years on internal batteries.

Making low-cost and real-time gas metering a reality

The SPACE HOTARU addresses key issues that the gas industry commonly faces: collecting data in a cost-effective way to allow for real-time insights.

Since the adoption of the reader, meter data that used to be read manually by agents once a month is now collected by the NCU on an hourly basis, and sent to NICIGAS Stream daily. Collected data is used to visualise and predict the amount of gas remaining in households, allowing timelier replacement of gas cylinders and improving the quality of service to its consumers.

In addition, the NCU also reports on meter related incidents. In the event of an earthquake, the gas valve is programmed to auto-close, bringing convenience and real-time security to the properties.

High-speed partnership solution

The SPACE HOTARU was made possible thanks to the strong collaboration between NICIGAS, SORACOM, UnaBiz, Sigfox, and Kyocera Communication Systems. The solution runs on the 0G network operated by Kyocera Communication Systems, a subsidiary of Kyocera Corporation.

A spokesperson from NICIGAS shared his excitement on the new product:
“The combined expertise of SORACOM and UnaBiz in software and hardware development respectively has helped us bring our idea to mass production quickly. The team’s competence and dedication were the key success factors in developing this durable and cost-efficient smart gas meter, and their speed to market is simply unparalleled.”

“With more precise gas consumption data, we can better analyze our demand and supply and turn them into actionable insights for our logistics and distribution channels to achieve maximum resource efficiency. In addition, it will enable us to propose optimal energy usage plans to our existing and potential customers,” he added.

NICIGAS anticipates that the NCU project will give the company a technology lead in both the shifting Japanese consumer market and the global energy front. NICIGAS plans to offer SPACE HOTARU and the integrated system supported by NICIGAS Stream to other gas retailers and other energy retailers.

Ludovic Le Moan, CEO and Co-Founder of Sigfox, said:
“It’s really exciting to get this project turning to mass deployment thanks to this collaboration. Sigfox is on the way to exceed its target of 15 million objects connected to our network thanks to the increasing maturity of our market. This project demonstrates the amazing potential of industries to connect their assets for higher revenues and margins.”

Tapping the possibilities of IoT

Tasked with designing and manufacturing NICIGAS’ hardware solution, UnaBiz points to how effective and affordable IoT solutions can be, going well beyond the utilities sector, in logistics and facilities management, for example, allowing companies to optimise on the digitalization of their processes.

“We want to design high-quality, economical and sustainable solutions that can help companies and industries optimise their processes and grow sustainably. Getting connected doesn’t always have to mean having to completely rehaul assets. It is important that businesses, consumers and the environment all win in this process,” explained Henri Bong, CEO and Co-Founder of UnaBiz.

His view is shared by Ken Tamagawa, CEO & Co-founder of SORACOM, which provides the platform that connects devices in sectors that range from agriculture, energy and construction to consumer electronics, manufacturing and real estate.

He said:

“NICIGAS represents a prime example of the benefits that a smart IoT connectivity platform brings to large-scale deployments. The combination of IoT technology and cloud capability lets businesses connect devices quickly, affordably, and securely anywhere in the world, while increasing efficiency, sustainability, and customer satisfaction.”

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Utility providers deploying Goldcard’s LoRa-based solutions have seen an estimated up to 25% in savings.

Semtech Corporation announced that Goldcard Smart Group Co., Ltd. (Goldcard), a Chinese provider of leading smart public utility solutions, has incorporated Semtech’s LoRa® devices and technology into its smart gas metering products to help public utility companies improve efficiency and reduce management costs.

“Goldcard chose Semtech’s LoRa Technology due to its unique advantages for smart utilities, ability to simplify deployment and accelerate products to market,” said Ma Libo, Product Director of the Overseas Business Division of Goldcard.

“Since implementing LoRa Technology into our smart gas metering solutions, utility providers have seen a marked reduction of waste with an estimated up to 25% in savings. As a global leader in smart gas meters with the largest market share in China’s gas metering market, Goldcard is committed to providing solutions for gas companies to achieve successful and efficient operational management.”

Goldcard’s LoRa-based smart gas metering solutions are equipped with an intelligent controller and LoRaWAN®-based communication module. The metering solution utilizes LoRa Technology’s proven long-range platform to connect to the Cloud and monitor gas consumption data, battery charge status and valve status. Data from the meter is accessible from Goldcard’s Cloud-based connection management platform, which parses the data packet, completes the settlement and forwards the accurate information to the utility provider for more efficient billing of their customers. Goldcard’s LoRa-based solutions are available now for public utilities management in China and abroad.

“Semtech’s LoRa Technology is ideally suited for the smart meter industry, providing long range, easy-to-deploy and flexible capabilities,” said Marc Pegulu, Vice President of IoT in Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group. “LoRa Technology is a proven leader in the smart metering application industry, creating scalable, secure and reliable solutions to help companies like Goldcard better create more efficient metering solutions to reduce waste and utility spending.”

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NEC Corporation today announced the provision of a LoRaWAN-compliant network server in trials of remote liquefied petroleum (LP) gas meter reading performed in Tochigi City, Japan, through a LoRaWAN network that utilizes a cable television (CATV) network.

These trials are being implemented from October to December of this year.

During the trials, LP gas meters installed in homes in Tochigi City will be connected by a LoRaWAN network, which is part of a new wireless communication technology, “LPWA,” that achieves wide-area communications with low power consumption, and meter reading information will be accumulated in a LoRaWAN network server through a backhaul CATV network. The accumulated meter reading information is visualized on an application that enables performance to be evaluated and verified, such as assessing the quality of LoRa(TM) communications and the effectiveness of remote control functions for LP gas meters.

In this demonstration experiment, NEC is providing a LoRaWAN network server and gateway and creating the demonstration environment of LoRaWAN.

It is expected that the use of LoRaWAN will expand as an IoT communications network suitable for wide-area data collection with low power consumption. NEC is also promoting the creation and spread of services utilizing IoT, such as starting a partner program together with LoRaWAN related companies through the provision of a LoRaWAN network server.

NEC focuses on the Social Solutions Business and will continue efforts to promote the use of LoRaWAN while helping to create a safe and affluent society where IoT is utilized.

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Smart utility IoT (Internet of Things) solutions automate gas and water management, minimizing costs and maximizing efficiency.

Semtech Corporation announced that Suntront Technology, a leading smart meter solution company for heat, gas, water, and energy located in Zhengzhou City, China, has incorporated Semtech’s LoRa® devices and wireless radio frequency technology (LoRa Technology) into its smart gas and water meters for more advanced coverage and analytics.

Dong Yide, Research and Development Director at Suntront, said:

“Our metering solutions provide the highest quality in water and gas management. Through usage of Semtech’s LoRa Technology, the data is shared through our Cloud-based application which enables end-to-end hands-on management of utilities.”

“Suntront’s customers include many of China’s largest utility companies, and it is very important that we offer best-in-class reliability and efficiency. LoRa Technology offers an unparalleled combination of long range, and low power that handles more messages per gateway than competing hardware. This combination of precision and performance has allowed our products to succeed.”

Suntront’s smart gas and water metering solutions utilize LoRa Technology to remotely measure and adjust the levels of flow through piping by accessing a LoRaWAN network and transmitting data via third-party applications. A simple user management software service connects to Suntront solutions and provides the utility manager all necessary functions, including the ability to view usage trends and to monitor each meter remotely. Utility managers then use the data to program the LoRa-enabled devices to automatically shut off or change valves when certain thresholds are met.

“Suntront provides cities and public utility managers with a highly accurate and easily installed solution for utility management,” said Marc Pegulu, Vice President and General manager of Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group. “Suntront’s IoT solution works to automate the management process to limit human error. As more cities move to smart utility solutions, LoRa and the IoT will continue to expand and improve efficiencies for a smarter planet.”

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Pietro Fiorentini, an Italian pioneer in NB-IoT Smart Meters, said its RSE model Smart Gas Meter with 3GPP NB-IoT enabled connectivity has achieved European Union approvals.

The smart device, with Quectel Wireless Solutions module inside, becomes the first Smart Gas Meter with NB-IoT connectivity on the market to bear the EU’s RED (Radio Emission Directive), MID (Measuring Instrument Directive) and ATEX (Installations in Explosive atmosphere) approvals.

As a partner of Pietro Fiorentini, Quectel supported the product development with its flagship BC95 NB-IoT module, which ensures that the smart devices can connect even in complex environments such as indoors or underground. The NB-IoT smart meter also enables real-time collection of meter reading, remote operations and value-added services based on big data analysis.

Battery life spanning up to 15 years is another outstanding achievement of NB-IoT technology. Now battery life matches the metrological life of the meter. This is a consistent step ahead in the overall economy of smart gas metering.

In addition, Huawei’s joint NB-IoT Open Labs working with European carriers provided Pietro Fiorentini with a pre-integration testing environment to explore the potential capabilities of NB-IoT as well as integration of the end-to-end solution ahead of the trial and commercial phases. Pietro Fiorentini has already carried out successful trials of its NB-IoT Smart Gas Meter in Italy, Spain, China, Portugal, Iran, Sweden, Ireland, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland.

Now utility companies can manage their networks in a more efficient and transparent way for their customers. Utilities using this technology will be able to develop a better informed and responsible consumption model.

Pietro Fiorentini source said:

“We are proud of being the first company in getting the full set of approvals necessary to introduce an NB-IoT smart gas meter to the market. We are ready now for massive production in our factories in Italy and China.”

“Quectel has been committed to helping partners grab new opportunities in the thriving connected economy, and I am really excited to see our joint effort becomes a concrete application,” said Dominikus Hierl, Quectel’s EMEA VP. “Our BC95 module reached mass production in 2017 and up to now, it has supported more than 500 NB-IoT cases worldwide.”

Besides smart metering, Quectel NB-IoT modules can also be adopted in segments such as smart city, smart home, home appliances, security, asset tracking, agricultural and environmental monitoring.

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According to a new report from the M2M/IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the installed base of smart gas meters in Europe will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 37.8 percent between 2016 and 2022 to reach 62.0 million units at the end of the period.

Deployments of smart gas meters on the European market accelerated in 2017 as the number of installed devices reached 17.3 million.

The growth is mainly driven by nationwide rollouts in France, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK. Italy is the largest market with annual demand projected to peak at more than 5 million units towards the end of the decade. France entered the mass-rollout phase in 2017 and the UK market is expected to take off in 2018. In the Netherlands, the full-scale rollout is already underway and will continue until the early 2020s.

The European smart gas meters use a variety of communication methods, including fixed RF networks and local interfaces to master electricity meters. Short-range radio communication using the 169 MHz frequency band is the de-facto industry networking standard in France and Italy where smart gas meters are deployed independently of smart electricity meters. In the UK and the Netherlands, local wired or wireless interfaces are used for transmitting readings via the customer’s smart electricity meter. Several vendors have performed successful trials of using NB-IoT networks for connecting smart gas meters in the past year.

Tobias Ryberg, Senior Analyst, Berg Insight, said:

“Berg Insight expects that smart gas metering will become one of the first high-volume applications for NB-IoT. The combination of low data volumes and the need for 10+ year battery operation is an ideal match”.

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Sagemcom strengthens its positions on the multi-energy market, by acquiring Meter Italia S.p.A., leader in gas metering in Italy.

As of July 27, 2017, Sagemcom becomes a 100% shareholder of Meter Italia S.p.A through its subsidiary Sagemcom Energy & Telecom SAS.

Meter Italia joins the Sagemcom group and becomes Sagemcom Italia S.p.A.

This acquisition represents an opportunity for the Sagemcom Group to access and actively participate in the growth of the gas metering market. Meter Italia has a complete portfolio of traditional and smart residential gas meter, as well as a range of industrial gas meters.

Combining the competencies of Meter Italia and Sagemcom will also allow Sagemcom to address new technology breakthroughs in the world of multi-energy metering, in order to meet the expectations of the market and its customers.

For Patrick Sevian, CEO of Sagemcom:

“This acquisition is at the heart of our growth strategy, especially because the smart multi-energy metering market is a promising future for our Group. This strengthens our position as a leader of the multi-energy metering market, specifically in EMEA thanks to Meter Italia’s positions and our presence on the Italian market. We are pleased to see Meter Italia join Sagemcom”.

“The integration of an actor like Meter Italia is a real opportunity to immediately become a major player in gas, thanks to the combination of Meter Italia’s know-how and reputation in the manufacture of gas meters, together with Sagemcom’s expertise in energy management solutions, communication infrastructures and IoT”, adds Eric Rieul, VP of Sagemcom Energy & Telecom.

“Joining the Sagemcom Group is a tremendous opportunity for Meter Italia. We will be able to get support from a structure and teams that will allow us to develop our business internationally”, concludes Boris Ferraresi, CEO of Meter Italia.

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According to a new report from the M2M/IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, annual shipments of smart gas meters in Europe will increase 118 percent between 2016 and 2018 to reach 11.8 million units.

The adoption of metering in the European gas market took off in 2016 as the number of installed devices more than doubled to 10.1 million units. By 2022, the installed base is projected to reach 62.4 million units.

The increase will mainly be driven by nationwide rollouts in France, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK. Italy will be the largest market with annual demand projected to peak at more than 5 million units towards the end of the decade. The nationwide rollouts in France and the UK will pick up speed in 2017 as both countries enter the mass deployment phase. In the Netherlands, the full-scale rollout is already underway and will continue until the early 2020s.

The smart gas metering systems use different forms of wireless communication. Short-range radio communication using the 169 MHz frequency band has somewhat unexpectedly become the de-facto industry networking standard in France and Italy where smart gas meters are deployed independently of smart electricity meters. Emerging LPWA technologies have arrived too late to have any significant impact on the market in the short term.

Tobias Ryberg, senior analyst, Berg Insight, says:

“There is clearly a big gap between the wireless networking solutions pitched by the technology industry and the technologies adopted by utilities. In this case conventional point-to-multipoint radios can do the job at a reasonable cost and with proven reliability.”

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SARA-G350 ATEX is designed for use in gas metering applications in residential and industrial areas.

Pietro Fiorentini S.p.a., a leading company producing components, systems and services for the regulation and metering of natural gas, has announced the launch of the RSE gas meter family, in collaboration with u-blox, a global leader in wireless and positioning modules and chips. The devices are used for gas metering in residential and industrial areas, where power efficiency, as well as product robustness and reliability are crucial. The u-blox cellular module, SARA-G350, is certified according to ATEX, an EU Directive defining the technical requirements and conformity assessment procedures to be applied to equipment deployed in potentially explosive environments.

Pietro Cerami, Marketing Director at Pietro Fiorentini, explains:

“We needed a high quality and reliable smart technology for critical gas telemetry in residential and industrial areas. SARA-G350, the ATEX certified cellular module from u-blox was therefore the right choice. This is another step towards better, more efficient, stable and safer gas distribution networks and management.”

The SARA-G3 series of GSM/GPRS modules features extremely low power consumption and a miniature LGA form factor. SARA-G350 is the quad-band version for global connectivity, while the ATEX certified variant is the ideal solution for the development of smart devices deployed in potentially explosive environments. u-blox also complies with ATEX regulations by manufacturing in ISO/TS 16949 certified production sites.

“It was very exciting to collaborate with a market leader such as Pietro Fiorentini in developing a product that would guarantee secure and high quality wireless communication in smart gas metering applications,” explains Stefano Moioli, Director Product Management Cellular at u-blox.

“Professional grade SARA-G350 ATEX follows the u-blox ‘nested design’ philosophy: to maintain form factor and software portability. This enables customers to easily upgrade their products with each new generation of u-blox wireless modules, without having to change the PCB designs. The easy migration between u-blox products contributes to a maximized investment, simplified logistics and drastically reduced time-to-market,” he adds.

Pietro Fiorentini and u-blox plan further collaboration with the advent of new mobile technologies, such as Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT).

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AirPrime HL modules well-suited to provide cellular connectivity to meet growing need for smart gas meters, with low power requirements that enable battery operation over long lifespan.

Sierra Wireless today announced that Itron has selected AirPrime HL Series modules to enable cellular connectivity in its latest line of smart gas meters. The point-to-point residential meters will begin shipping later this quarter to support smart metering initiatives across Europe, beginning with a deployment in Italy.

Itron selected Sierra Wireless based on the company’s smart metering expertise and the global reach the AirPrime HL Series provides. The two companies have previously announced their collaboration to provide smart electrical meters. This is the first time they have collaborated to provide connected gas meters.

“We look forward to combining Itron’s expertise in smart gas technologies, and in particular with battery-powered devices, with Sierra Wireless’ experience in providing wireless solutions for the energy industry, which enables us to deliver the highest level of service to our customers”, said Guillaume Garros, vice president of global solutions marketing for gas at Itron.

“Sierra Wireless provides both the expertise in smart metering requirements and an innovative solution to meet the low-power consumption requirements for our new gas metering projects. In addition, the Sierra Wireless modules enable us to leverage a single design for worldwide deployments and across multiple generations of our products as the technology evolves.”

The HL Series uses the new CF3 form factor from Sierra Wireless, which is footprint-compatible across product lines and network technologies and will remain fully interchangeable with future versions of the modules, including those for LTE-M networks when they become available. LTE-M technology is expected to provide a highly efficient cellular LPWA (Low-Power Wide Area) technology option for smart metering and smart grid applications, with lower radio-frequency complexity, significantly reduced power consumption (up to 10 years of service on a single AA battery), better in-building signal penetration, and lower costs. Sierra Wireless is an active contributor to the LTE-M standard definition process within the 3GPP and has committed to launching compatible modules timed with network deployments, expected to begin in 2017.

“We are seeing significant interest from utilities in expanding smart metering from electrical grids to initiatives in gas metering as well,” said Dan Schieler, Senior Vice President, OEM Solutions for Sierra Wireless. “We are pleased to expand our collaboration with Itron to address these opportunities with innovative solutions that meet the stringent power requirements of these applications and provide a clear technology path as networks evolve to better support the Internet of Things.”

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SARA-G350 modem is ATEX and IECEx certified for safe operation in hazardous environments such as residential and industrial gas meters and fuel depots.

Swiss-based u-blox, a global leader in wireless and positioning modules and integrated circuits for the consumer, industrial and automotive markets, introduces the SARA-G350 ATEX, an ultra-compact, low power, surface mount GSM/GPRS modem module certified for use in devices operating in potentially explosive environments such as smart gas meters.

Thomas Nigg, VP Product Marketing at u-blox, said:

“Our SARA-G350 ATEX extends our feature-scalable SARA 2G module series to address devices that must operate in potentially explosive environments such as residential and industrial gas meters, fuel storage facilities, chemical plants, and oil platforms.”

“Our ATEX and IECEx certified modem significantly lowers the hurdle for our customers to ATEX/IECEx certify their end devices.”

The ATEX-95 and IECEx equipment directive are EU and international regulations specifying the safety criteria for electrical equipment used in explosive atmospheres. It requires extensive testing at the module level as well as regular audits at design and manufacturing sites in order to continuously verify adherence to stringent requirements.

Packaged in a compact 16 x 26 mm LGA module, SARA modules provide a perfect solution to a wide range of M2M applications requiring dual or quad-band GSM/GPRS, voice and/or data, optional Internet suite (embedded TCP/IP, UDP/IP, HTTP and FTP), and in-band modem support for eCall and ERA GLONASS vehicle emergency call applications. Extremely low power consumption, less than 0.8 mA in standby mode, makes the SARA-G350 ATEX perfect for portable and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication applications.

The SARA Land Grid Array (LGA) form factor enables compact and supports A-GPS for accelerated positioning used in telematics devices, and u-blox’ unique CellLocate® hybrid positioning technology to facilitate advanced location-aware systems requiring indoor positioning.

RIL software for Android and Embedded Windows is available free of charge.

SARA modules are manufactured in ISO/TS 16949 certified sites. Each module is intensively inspected and tested during production. The modules are fully qualified according to ISO 16750 – Environmental conditions and electrical testing for electrical and electronic equipment for road vehicles to provide high durability and reliability.

SARA-G350 ATEX samples are available in July 2013.

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