You are here: Home » Smart grids » IBM and Cisco in Amsterdam smart grid pilot

IBM and Cisco in Amsterdam smart grid pilot

Tony Chan | July 24, 2009 | 0 Comments

At least two big IT names, IBM and Cisco, will be headlining a trial by Dutch utility, Nuon, to put in a smart grid for 500 homes in Amsterdam. As part of the trial, 500 households in Amsterdam will get smart meters and home energy management solutions to optimise their energy usage.

The pilot is being implemented by a consortium of organisations, including housing corporations Far West and Ymere, Amsterdamse Innovatie Motor, Home Automation Europe, ROC Amsterdam, the University of Amsterdam and Grid Operator Liander. The pilot, a part of the Amsterdam Smart City initiative, is co-funded by the European Fund for Regional Development.

“Now that more than half of the global population lives in cities, we need to acknowledge that achieving a sustainable future lies in our urban centers,” said Guido Bartels, General Manager of IBM’s Global Energy & Utilities industry. “Smarter energy initiatives are foundational for other critical infrastructure systems that make up a city–this project will enable the City of Amsterdam to leverage integrated, intelligent and interconnected technologies to transform their systems and optimize the use of finite resources.”

Within the consortium of participants, Nuon and IBM will develop the applications for the energy management system, making use of intelligent IT systems and well-protected web technology while Cisco will be responsible for the IP-based home energy management solutions that help enable real-time, highly secure connectivity between household appliances and the energy system, resulting in substantial efficiencies, an IBM release said.

IBM and Cisco say the pilot will enable the households to cut their energy cost and reduce carbon emissions by at least 14%.

“Giving the citizens of Amsterdam more information and better control over their energy use will cut down on costs and consumption as well as reduce their overall impact on the environment,” said Marthin de Beer, senior vice president of Cisco’s Emerging Technologies Group. “Innovative cities like Amsterdam recognize the opportunity in using the standards-based intelligent communications network as a platform for economic development, better city management and improved quality of life for citizens. With this pilot, we hope to demonstrate how smart and connected communities can be more energy conscious and more green.”

Be Sociable, Share!