What is an Advanced Meter?

ECM

The technology behind demand-side response.

Across the country, policy-makers are working with both federal and state legislators and regulators to define policies and laws that will impact how utilities do business in the coming years. One policy receiving much attention right now may require electric utilities to offer voluntary demand-response programs to their customers. Demand-response programs allow customers to voluntarily adjust their daily energy usage in a manner that is acceptable with their needs. Many utilities have already implemented demand-response programs and it is the success of these programs that is driving regulators and policy makers to make it standard practice on a national basis.

Before demand-response policies become laws and regulations, it might be wise to stop and take a look at what the policy makers and their lobbyists consider to be advanced or smart metering technology. If the national energy policy requires all utilities to offer demand-response programs to their customers in the future, then utilities do not want to be tied down to a particular metering technology to accomplish that goal.

Some of the ongoing discussion today in regards to defining demand-response program policy is centered on the technology that will enable utilities to create and implement demand-response programs. As expected, metering technology is at the center of these discussions and hence the terms "advanced meter" and "smart meter" were born to name the technology.