Infotech Lead America: Oracle Utilities Meter Data Management 2.1 has added capabilities to shorten implementation time for companies looking to transition to the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI).
To make billing simpler and more efficient, Oracle’s utilities management solution, a Web self-service platform, offers integrated program management, additional net energy metering options and prepaid metering for AMI.
Customers will benefit as they can pay bills online, request service, view outage information and review their usage data. Oracle Meter Data Management solution addresses issues during the merger of Customer Information System (CIS) and Meter Data Management (MDM) systems.
Oracle’s earlier version — Oracle Utilities Operational Device Management 2.0 — enabled the management of smart grid asset change, configuration and inventory. The updated version has additional features that reduce the time taken to generate service orders.
Deployment of smart meter technologies is an emerging market for Oracle. Last year, Oracle acquired DataRaker, a cloud-based analytics platform, to expand in smart-grid analytics platforms.
According to a report by Transparency Market Research, smart meters are among one of the fastest growing market because they reduce human efforts and increase efficiency and reliability.
One of the major factors driving this market is that smart meters are eco friendly. They help to reduce CO2 emissions while offering direct energy savings to consumers and indirect energy savings through efficient management of the smart meter, remote reading, and reduced peak consumption. The growth of this industry is backed by increasing economic support from governments across the world.
Some of Oracle’s competitors in this market segment are Badger Meter , Aidon Suomi, Circutor SA, Hydrometer GmbH, Echelon, Edmi, Elster Group Se, Esco Technologies, Ge Energy, The Hager Group, Isca India, Itron Inc., Neptune Technology Group, Secure Meters, Sensus USA, SenteC and Horstmann Controls.
MarketsandMarkets estimates that the global smart meter market will be worth $15,261.4 million in 2016, at an estimated CAGR of 20.8 percent from 2011 to 2016.
Oracle works with utilities such as Avista Utilities, Alliant Energy, Fayetteville Public Works Commission, Greenville Utilities Commission, Lee County Electric Cooperative, and South Jersey Gas.
Some of the utilities that have updated their fully integrated customer platforms in the past year are AboitizPower, Aetra Air Jakarta, Green Mountain Power and Middlesex Water.
Sangeeta Sudhakaran
