Investigation of Bandwidth Requirement of Smart Meter Network Using OPNET Modeler

Smart meter networks are the backbone for smart electrical distribution grid. Smart meter network requires the bidirectional communications medium and interoperability capability. As thousands of meters are interconnected in the smart meter network, it is vital to select an appropriate communication bandwidth to facilitate real-time two-way information flows and this will also allow further uptake of greenhouse-friendly technology options and enhance energy security. Optimized Network Engineering Tools (OPNET) Modeler is one of the most powerful simulation tools for the analysis of communication networks. In this paper, several models of different structured smart meter networks were developed with network parameters which were connected with different communication links such as 10 BaseT and 100 BaseT in order to measure propagation delay, throughput, and utilization of the network. It was found that the propagation delay decreases with higher bandwidth. The other network parameters, namely network utilization and network throughput were also analysed. Based on the investigation, it is recommended that the 100 BaseT communication link is suitable for the smart meter network. The outcome of this paper provided a guideline to the future smart meter network developer so as to avoid catastrophic challenges faced by some of the distribution companies.