Moving from smart grids and smart meters towards smart cities and smart communitiesThere certainly is a lot of interest in the M2M (machine-to-machine) and internet of things (IoT) market in 2016; but we are only seeing what is happening on the surface.
Most of the M2M and IoT activities are taking place unnoticed. For example, all new electronic devices are now IoT devices. Tens of millions of smart meters have already been deployed by the electricity industry, with literally hundreds of millions of them in the pipeline. Healthcare is another key industry. All new hospitals now operate large-scale M2M operations, tracking their equipment with real-time information. Most local governments have invested massively in mapping their assets and this is now being followed up by adding connectivity to these assets – whether it be streetlamps, drainage, sewerage or trees, all are in the process of becoming part of a smart city.
The other critical element for the future of utilities infrastructure is to use the networks with all of the M2M devices connected to it in such a way that it collects the data from these devices, processes that data, and then delivers executable real-time analyses to the users of the M2M services. This development is also known as big data.
Despite the potential advantages of big data, there are still major concerns surrounding privacy. The big data that is floating around somewhere in clouds is becoming increasingly critical to business operations, but very few companies have a good understanding of where their data is at any given time. As well as this, the enormous amount of data that is now collected is placing a real strain on the tools that are used to analyse that data.
Furthermore, there is no doubt that we are in the midst of an energy revolution. Not only is the nature of energy changing from fossil-generated to renewable energy, a complete change is taking place in the distribution structure, with less focus on centralisation and more on distributed energy. Concerns about issues such as energy security, environmental sustainability, and economic competitiveness are triggering a shift in energy policy, technology and consumer focus. This, in turn, is making it necessary to move on from the traditional energy business models.
By making the electricity grid ‘intelligent’ and adding telecoms to it, the power will eventually shift – away from the electricity companies and to the customers, who will be able to control their energy consumption through smart grids and smart meters with interactive sensors, M2M and IoT devices.
‘Smart’ means communication, and since many countries are addressing the need for broadband networks the smart thing to do would be to roll out fast broadband infrastructure in combination with smart grids and, wherever applicable, other smart infrastructure. In that way, energy efficiency measures can be implemented throughout society and throughout the economy (buildings, transport, cities) with a minimum of extra infrastructure, as a trans-sector approach is based on sharing the infrastructure.
Unfortunately, one of the major obstacles to smart grid uptake continues to be the lack of good government policies. With all the knowledge we now have, it would be criminal if this generation were to allow vested interests to prevent us from developing trans-sector policies and holistic initiatives to address energy and environmental concerns. We need to break down those silos and force cooperation between the sectors wherever possible.
There is also a shift away from the traditional centralised energy systems to more distributed models and in this respect we see real leadership coming from local councils and local communities. The smart city movement could well take over where federal and state policies are failing.
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1. M2M trends and developments
1.1 Global overview
1.1.1 Analysis of the M2M and IoT market
1.1.2 OECD report on internet of things and M2M
1.1.3 Global M2M market
1.1.4 Internet of ‘Things’ (IoT)
1.1.5 Telcos and the science of Big Data
1.1.6 Sensors
1.1.7 Radio-frequency identification (RFID)
1.1.8 Application examples
1.1.9 Conclusion: Connected lifestyle
1.2 The Australian M2M market
1.2.1 Market and Industry Analyses
1.2.2 Statistical information
1.2.3 Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) Networks
1.2.4 Electricity companies and the M2M
1.2.5 Smart Factory – Industry 4.0
1.2.6 Selected Smart Projects
1.2.7 Change in services driven by Sensing and monitoring information
2. Smart cities - trends, developments, analyses
2.1 Potential value of smart cities to the economy
2.2 Australian cities statistics
2.3 Smart Cities and Smart Councils
2.3.1 Governments fail to build national consensus
2.3.2 Cities are leading where federal policies fail
2.3.3 The need for leadership from the top and ‘smart councils’
2.3.4 Advanced cities shifting focus
2.3.5 People are ready for smart environments
2.3.6 The funding dilemma
2.3.7 City-as-a-service – investment and business model
2.3.8 PPPPs – cities collaborating with citizens and private enterprise
2.3.9 The industry platform
2.3.10 Intercity collaboration
2.3.11 Smart Cities and the open data dilemma
2.4 Smart people are the key to smart cities
2.5 Telcos, industry platforms and smart cities
2.6 The Drivers behind Smart Cities
2.6.1 Customer-driven smart cities
2.6.2 Economy-driven smart cities
2.6.3 Society-driven smart cities
2.6.4 Greenfields Opportunities
2.6.5 Brownfields Challenges
2.7 Trends, Developments, Analyses
2.7.1 Councils should object to FttN
2.7.2 NBN critical in developing Australia’s first smart cities
2.7.3 The need for smart infrastructure policies
2.7.4 Cities of the future research
2.7.5 Smart Cities: sustainable engines for growth
2.7.6 Have plans ready for opportunities
2.7.7 Regulations for drones
2.8 Smart cities and smart countries - Analysis
2.8.1 The need for an holistic approach
2.8.2 How to build smart communities and smart countries
2.8.3 Stage one - infrastructure
2.8.4 Stage two – trans-sector policies
2.8.5 Stage three - the business game-changer
2.9 Rolling out infrastructure the smart way
3. Smart grids and smart meter market
3.1 Global trends and developments
3.1.1 The smart energy revolution
3.1.2 The future of the electricity industry
3.1.3 Smart grids analysis
3.1.4 Smart energy for the future
3.1.5 Smart grid vision
3.1.6 Global smart grid market
3.1.7 Global smart meter market
3.1.8 Remember the consumer
3.1.9 A concept, not a single technology
3.1.10 M2M a key component
3.2 Australia – trends and analyses
3.2.1 From UtiliTel to Smart Grid to Smart Energy and Smart Cities
3.2.2 Analysis: smart grid market developments in 2016
3.2.3 Electricity utilities and IoT
3.2.4 Progress hampered by lack of smart energy policies
3.2.5 Problems ahead for the smart meter rollout in NSW
3.2.6 Will telcos become the OTT players in smart energy?
3.2.7 Industry Transformation
3.2.8 Community owned energy retailer
3.2.9 Disruptive retail plan for renewable energy
3.2.10 Energy distribution Challenges for the future
3.2.11 Delighting and exciting electricity customers
3.2.12 Electricity ‘death spiral’
3.2.13 Key trends and Developments
3.2.14 Business analyses
3.2.15 Market Analyses Australia
3.2.16 Key developments Australia
3.2.17 Surveys and statistics
3.2.18 Industry reform
Table 1 - Machine-to-machine applications and technologies, by dispersion and mobility
Table 2 – Global M2M module market– 2011; 2012; 2015; 2018
Table 3 – Global RFID market value – 2013-2015
Table 4 – Global RFID tag sales – 2013-2016
Table 5 - Australias IoT home market
Table 6 - Telstra M2M statistics
Table 7 – Telstra M2M connections – 2009 - 2015
Table 8 – Telstra M2M revenue growth – 2011 - 2015
Table 9 - Public Sector Value Gain (A$)
Table 10 – Contribution to economic output (by population)
Table 11 - International electricity price table comparison – 2015
Table 12 – Value of the global smart grid market – 2012 - 2020
Table 13 – Global smart meter shipments – 2013 - 2015
Table 14 – Smart meter installed base – leading countries - 2020
Chart 1 – Global smart grid market at a glance – 2012 - 2020
Exhibit 1 – Harvesting energy from radio frequency
Exhibit 2 – Weightless SIG
Exhibit 3 – The first major M2M alliances
Exhibit 4 – The OneM2M initiative
Exhibit 5 – Amazon Dash Button
Exhibit 6 – RFID spectrum frequencies and application examples
Exhibit 7 – Lifetime customer relationships
Exhibit 8 - Weightless SIG
Exhibit 9 – Design principles of industry 4.0
Exhibit 10 - Australian cities statistics
Exhibit 11 - ITU approves smart grid standards
Exhibit 12 – Smart grid applications
Exhibit 13 – Global Smart Grid Federation (GSGF)
Exhibit 14 - International Smart Grid Action Network
Exhibit 15 – Challenges smart grids can address
Exhibit 16 – Field trials led by FINESCE
Exhibit 17 – Examples of leading smart meter players
Exhibit 18 – Replacing old electricity meters
Exhibit 19 - Smart grid as a cloud service
Exhibit 20 - Example - Solar PV
