Design and implementation of a smart meter for real-time energy management in a solar microgrid: Experimental validation

Abstract

This paper describes the smart energy meter (SM) conceptualization, development, and confirmation through metering tests for advanced smart grid applications. The designed device uses an architectural framework that is in line with the Internet of Things (IoT) concept and utilizes DLMS/COSEM (Device Language Message Specification/Companion Specification for Energy Metering) protocol. The device has an interactive web interface that enables live monitoring and control. The device is capable of measuring three-phase energy with bidirectional flow (import/export) and has a control relay for active load management. The testing outcomes indicate that the device is very precise for all the parameters that have been measured, the errors being 0.27%, 0.37%, 0.23%, 0.19%, and 0.08% for voltage, current, active power, reactive power, and power factor, respectively. The system can provide data almost in real-time and maintain the level of accuracy within a very tight tolerance range of −1% to +1%, with an average delay of around 700 ms. A review of the last 10 most recent designs shows that this work is the only one that has all eight features as a single solution, including power quality monitoring and standards-compliant communication. Besides that, thermographic tests affirm that the device operates well in terms of heat dissipation under normal, alert, and overload situations. The import/export case study (51% solar, 49% grid) shows a smooth transition to renewable energy-based infrastructures. These findings confirm that the system is scalable, interoperable, and conforms to cybersecurity regulations, thus, making it a potential large-scale deployment candidate for the future decentralized and decarbonized energy systems.