Smart Grid: Advantages and Disadvantages of Smart Metering Systems

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of smart meters and their integration into smart grids. It begins by defining smart meters and outlining their advantages, including automatic meter readings, energy usage tracking, accurate billing, and the ability to highlight faulty appliances, ultimately contributing to environmental benefits. The report also critically examines the disadvantages, such as potential inaccuracies in in-home displays, poor signal strength, additional fees, and privacy concerns. The analysis emphasizes the impact of smart meters on society, the economy, and the environment, concluding with recommendations for addressing the challenges and maximizing the benefits of smart meter implementation, such as the need for secure communication networks and addressing privacy issues. The report uses multiple sources to support its findings.

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The benefit and challenges of
integrating smart meters

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Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................2
Smart meters...............................................................................................................................................2
Advantages of smart meters.......................................................................................................................3
No need to submit meter readings..........................................................................................................4
Track usage of energy..............................................................................................................................4
Provide accurate bills...............................................................................................................................4
Highlights faulty appliances.....................................................................................................................5
Saving the planet.....................................................................................................................................5
Disadvantages of smart meters...................................................................................................................6
IHD may be inaccurate............................................................................................................................6
Poor signal...............................................................................................................................................6
Require additional fees............................................................................................................................7
Privacy concerns......................................................................................................................................7
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................7
References...................................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction
The term smart meter refers to the electronic device that is used to stores consumption of
electric vigor and connects the info to the power supplier for checking electrical systems. It
is a kind of electricity meter that is capable to measure natural gas and water consumption
(Alimardani, et al., 2014). The objective of the research is to determine the advantages and
challenges of integrating smart meters. It is determined that smart meters are self-reading
and electricity meters that help to manage consumed energy. This report will include
various sections for example; smart meters, advantages of smart meters and issues of
integrating smart meters.
Smart meters
It is an advanced electrical system that is capable to measure the energy used by the
consumers similar to the traditional electricity and gas meters. The major difference
between traditional and smart meters is that smart meter automatically transfers
information about energy consumption to the supplier using wireless networks. In this
modern era, the uses of smart meters ate growing rapidly and many consumers and
suppliers are using such meters for saving energy and reducing complexity from the
systems. Pepermans, (2014) reported that smart meters use an in-home display that
indicates how much energy consumers utilize in daily life and provide detail of money.
Figure: Smart meter

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(Source: Pepermans, 2014)
By providing such information, smart meters help individuals to better control the energy
uses in real-time. The major feature of the smart meter is that it helps consumers to save
energy and times by performing automatic tasks rather than traditional meters. From a
recent study, it is determined that smart meters transfers reading automatically by which
consumers can obtain details about energy consumption easily and effectively (Cominola,
et al., 2015). It also helps to track how much energy consumers are using in actual that
support to save currency. In terms of reliability, smart meters are more effective and
appropriate that provide a way to automatically manage energy consumed by the
consumers.
Figure: Smart meter functions

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(Source: Cominola, et al., 2015)
Advantages of smart meters
There are numerous advantages of smart meters which are described below:
No need to submit meter readings
The major advantage of the smart meter is that it is completely based on the wireless
networks that help to automatically perform operations and manage energy consumed by
the individuals that positively impact on the society. Chen, et al., (2015) reported that
smart meters automatically transfer reading to the supplier that means suppliers do not
require to submit meter readings manually which helps to lead the economy and save
energy from the society.
Track usage of energy
It is determined that smart meters are capable to provide reliable services to the
consumers by which they can track the usage of energy and save money effectively that can
help to enhance the economy and reduce wastage of energy in the society (Albu, Sănduleac,
and Stănescu, 2016). The in-home exhibition can indicate how much power consumers use

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in real-time that encourage good energy habits which significantly impact on the society
and economy.
Provide accurate bills
Schenato, et al., (2014) highlighted that the smart meter transfer readings automatically
through wireless networks so that consumers will be capable to receive accurate bills and
resolve the additional charges. In terms of operations, smart meters have larger
effectiveness by which suppliers can manage multiple tasks at a time and resolve the
complexity of the operations. Using smart meters, individuals can avoid inaccurate shock
bills and evade developing a large final bit at the end of the individual tariff.
Figure: Advantages of Smart Meters
(Source: Schenato, et al., 2014)
Highlights faulty appliances
The IHD indicates how much power, individuals are adopting at any provided time that
enables consumers to sign any unexpected points that may be linked with a defective
application. By highlighting these promptly, individuals can safeguard it is distributed with
safely and effectively (Hess, 2014).

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Saving the planet
D’Oca, Corgnati, and Buso, (2014) identified that smart meters enhance awareness of
energy consumption by providing complete detail of energy in the society which directly
increases the rate of an economy and improves the environmental condition by saving the
planet. By altering behavioral ways and providing choices to purchase more energy
applications can help to manage the availability of energy. It is determined that smart vigor
estimate a 24% decrease in releases from home and business communities by the year
2030. All these are major advantages of integrating smart meters that significantly impact
on environment, society, and economy.
Disadvantages of smart meters
IHD may be inaccurate
It is found that the IHD display used in the smart meter is not capable to provide accurate
signals to consumers which can lead problems and challenges for the suppliers. When
consumers switch to the smart meters, the IHD must endure to show power utilization and
allows the consumer to retrieve readings without requiring accessing the meter (Horne, et
al., 2015). However, the capability of smart meters to interact with the smart meter can be
inconsistent that can negatively impact on the power systems and produce problems for
the society to obtain effective outcomes.
Figure: Disadvantages of Smart Meters

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(Source: Horne, et al., 2015)
Poor signal
Yang, et al., (2014) highlighted that first-generation smart meters interact through mobile
and wireless networks. In which, the mobile signal can be patchy due to which suppliers
are not able to obtain effective information in regards to energy consumption. Such kinds
of challenges can produce problems for the society where individuals can provide
additional costs to the suppliers due to a lack of proper communication.
Require additional fees
It is reported that smart meters require additional fees for installing and performing
operations that can produce problems for the individuals in the society. Using smart meters
suppliers can save money but it is very complex to manage the installation and
maintenance costs of smart meters.
Privacy concerns
Smart meters are based on the wireless and mobile networks where the data breach or
privacy issues can occur as the criminals transfer traffic signals that can help to gather
accessibility of the networks and reduce the security of data. Therefore, it is reported that
the utilization of smart meters can produce privacy concerns by which individuals can lose
the privacy of sensitive data that leads to ethical issues in the society and negatively impact
on the economic growth and power system operations. Barai, Krishnan, and Venkatesh,

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(2015) supported this argument and stated that smart meters uses less secured networks
and communication systems can be breached and affected by using malicious codes for
which it is significant to include secured networks while implementing smart meters in the
society.
Conclusion
From the above evaluation, it may be concluded that smart meters are appropriate and
effective that can be used in society for saving money and energy. This paper provided
information in regards to the smart meter and identified the advantages and challenges of
integrating smart meters. It is found that smart is an effective system that is based on
wireless networks that help to provide energy-related information automatically. This
paper identified that smart meters significantly impact on the society, economy, and
environment due to which the uses of smart meters are growing quickly. It is determined
that the key problem with a smart meter is that it provides inaccurate information on the
in-house display by which individuals can pay additional charges. Moreover, privacy is a
serious concern while integrating smart meters due to which personal information of the
consumers in society can be a breach. Therefore, it is reported that developers should
include secured communication networks and address challenges linked with the smart
meters.

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References
Albu, M.M., Sănduleac, M., and Stănescu, C., (2016) Syncretic use of smart meters for power
quality monitoring in emerging networks. IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid, 8(1), pp.485-
492. [Accessed 16/3/2020].
Alimardani, A., Therrien, F., Atanackovic, D., Jatskevich, J. and Vaahedi, E., (2015)
Distribution system state estimation based on unsynchronized smart meters. IEEE
Transactions on Smart Grid, 6(6), pp.2919-2928. [Accessed 16/3/2020].
Barai, G.R., Krishnan, S. and Venkatesh, B., (2015) Smart metering and functionalities of
smart meters in the smart grid-a review. In 2015 IEEE Electrical Power and Energy
Conference (EPEC), 12(6), pp. 138-145. [Accessed 16/3/2020].
Chen, D., Kalra, S., Irwin, D., Shenoy, P. and Albrecht, J., (2015) Preventing occupancy
detection from smart meters. IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid, 6(5), pp.2426-2434.
[Accessed 16/3/2020].
Cominola, A., Giuliani, M., Piga, D., Castelletti, A. and Rizzoli, A.E., (2015) Benefits and
challenges of using smart meters for advancing residential water demand modeling and
management: A review. Environmental Modelling & Software, 72(6), pp.198-214. [Accessed
16/3/2020].
D’Oca, S., Corgnati, S.P. and Buso, T., (2014) Smart meters and energy savings in Italy:
Determining the effectiveness of persuasive communication in dwellings. Energy Research
& Social Science, 3(2), pp.131-142. [Accessed 16/3/2020].
Hess, D.J., (2014) Smart meters and public acceptance: comparative analysis and
governance implications. Health, Risk & Society, 16(3), pp.243-258. [Accessed 16/3/2020].
Horne, C., Darras, B., Bean, E., Srivastava, A. and Frickel, S., (2015) Privacy, technology, and
norms: The case of smart meters. Social science research, 51(5), pp.64-76. [Accessed
16/3/2020].

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Pepermans, G., (2014) Valuing smart meters. Energy Economics, 45(6), pp.280-294.
[Accessed 16/3/2020].
Schenato, L., Barchi, G., Macii, D., Arghandeh, R., Poolla, K. and Von Meier, A., (2014)
Bayesian linear state estimation using smart meters and pmus measurements in
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(SmartGridComm), 12(6), pp. 572-577. [Accessed 16/3/2020].
Yang, L., Chen, X., Zhang, J. and Poor, H.V., (2014) Optimal privacy-preserving energy
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