Business Process Framework and IT Architecture for Smart Meter Reading

The implementation of smart metering has an impact on the energy business processes and the corresponding enterprise IT architecture. The utilization level of the new meter assets and system support sets the amount of new services and internal efficiency that can be provide by the investment. Optimizations in terms of streamlined business processes, reduced costs, increased profit, lower end-user prices and by considering environmental aspects, less energy losses and optimal energy production can be reached by the entire energy process starting with generation, grid and transmission processes, distribution and energy consumption. Business drivers for the implementation are beside law, government, regulator and sometimes the energy companies themselves in particular business informatics and the IT services. 1. Smart Meter Reading, State-of –the-Art 1.1. Objectives The deregulation process is engaged in different phases throughout Europe. Some of the countries (like UK and the Nordic countries) are the trendsetters, in other countries deregulation is in the fledging stages (like some countries in East Europe and France). In the meanwhile energy and energy supply is perceived not only as a topic of market economy, but also as a climate and social problem. This seems to be a contradiction, but with new approaches this knot can be loosed as a win for business as well as for society and the environment. Beside the logical objectives in getting more accuracy and transparency in meter data collection, like • Predicting and balancing the generation • Predicting and balancing the grid usage • Increasing the customer satisfaction due to consumption-based meter to cash processes there are potential advantages in the conceptual design of new processes, like • New pricing models allowing short term tariffs 1 Fachhochschule Kaiserslautern, Germany 2 Nuon Deutschland GmbH, Germany 3 TietoEnator TOPAS GmbH, Germany 4 TietoEnator Corp., Sweden