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Preparing for the Future with Trilliant Technology

Customer-centric, comprehensive, connected: How we help utilities and communities

Preparing for the future when you can’t predict what that future might look like is always a planning challenge. In fact, one of the biggest concerns we’ve been hearing from our utility customers is futureproofing, as well as the fear of product obsolescence. How can you ensure a platform or solution you put in place now, will support your needs 10 or even 20 years down the road?

These are certainly not new issues for the industry, or frankly when it comes to the purchase of anything you hope to have for a long time. Whether it’s buying a laptop, a server or even security devices, buyers want to ensure their investments will serve them well now and down the road. They want this assurance even though it’s virtually impossible to predict the landscape a decade from now, especially given the rate at which technology changes. And it will change. 

As we look ahead to the new energy economy, utility organizations need a platform that empowers them to take charge and adapt as needed, providing not only superior connectivity, but also flexibility and choice. They want cost-effective, reliable, secure solutions that will contribute to growth, no matter where the future takes them. For example, with 5G and augmented reality becoming…well, a reality, the expectations and demands of utility customers are growing along with them, and providers will need to meet those expectations.

Trilliant is addressing the needs and expectations of customers.

Planning With Purpose

We have always been focused on listening to our customers so we can address their specific requirements and solve their problems with our technology. We understand utilities don’t want to waste time on solutions that will be quickly outdated, and they expect the most value for their budgets. 

Our technology and solutions are designed with flexibility to work with virtually any system, providing an open, secure, powerful source of data now and for generations to come. Trilliant’s secure platform enables utilities to optimize assets and offer new value-added services to customers with the most field-proven, globally compliant solution in the market today. And we’re always evolving and updating our solutions. 

Innovation at Work

Trilliant continues to be an innovation leader, truly passionate about empowering connectivity for utilities, municipalities and more. There is much that sets us apart: 

  • We offer the industry’s only enterprise-wide smart communications platform for connecting energy and smart cities devices through secure, standards-based, multi-technology, and open spectrum solutions.
  • Our platform enables customers to securely and reliably deploy any smart grid — Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI), Distribution Automation, Demand-Side Management, and Smart City application — on one powerful network.
  • Our advanced technologies are designed to integrate with any system to gather data, which customers can turn into actionable intelligence.
  • We offer exceptional coverage, capacity, network longevity, and performance in the most demanding environments. We do this through our globally unlicensed, open spectrum solutions utilizing our 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Mesh, proprietary and patent protected Random Phase Multiple Access network technologies.

The Future of Metering

While your network and platform are important, so too are the devices you connect to them ­­­­— and we continue to evolve those offerings as well. Most recently, we announced the launch of a revolutionary electric meter that enables utility providers to upgrade their current systems seamlessly, significantly reducing both risk and cost. And we’re excited to share that since then, we’re continuing improve the Libra Series Edge-Ready Smart Electric Meter so you have a tool to prepare for the future…no matter what that future looks like. 

One of the most reliable meters on the market, the Trilliant Libra Series Edge-Ready Smart Electric Meter is for residential, commercial and industrial use. It’s a game changer in many ways: 

It’s the only meter on the market that offers a modular design and field upgradeability. If you need the flexibility to make a modification or upgrade, the Libra meter delivers with the ability to make changes while it’s in place in the field – no ripping and replacing needed. Plus, it eliminates the need to send workers out into the field by enabling remote performance of common tasks from customers’ command centres. Processes that can be performed remotely include:

  • Meter calibration
  • Creation of custom meter programs
  • Loading programs into the meter
  • Setting site-specific meter parameters
  • Viewing real time data; reading meter data
  • Loading profile data analysis and reporting
  • Meter program and meter data reporting
  • Batched meter communications
  • Meter mode conversion and soft switch upgrading

Another key highlight is its computability. Beyond its flexibility, the power of the Libra meter means it will also be able to support future functions. Augmented or virtual reality — while leading edge for utilities ­­— are being discussed more often. Edge computing is already here, with apps that are supporting connectivity into the home such as Google devices and others connecting to meters and appliances.

As these capabilities progress, the expectation five years from now could be, for example, that if your fridge or furnace is suffering a catastrophic problem, you might be alerted immediately. People have grown to expect immediacy – but very fast usually means more processing power, more memory and more capability to communicate. We’re ensuring the Libra has enough computational power and memory to fully support you and your customers. No matter what the future might hold. 

We’re working hard to maintain our track record of supporting local jobs and the local supply chain as much as possible. While we are strong proponents of “near-sourcing,” we are even bigger proponents of having our products developed, built and tested here in Canada. We recently made this a reality after our acquisition of the rights to Quadlogic’s multi-tenant panel and ANSI-based metering, moving the manufacturing of that meter from New Jersey to our facilities in Québec. We intend to have the full assembly and testing of the Libra Smart Meter done in Ontario, and to source as many parts from Canada as possible.

While many of us could benefit from a crystal ball, there really is no way to predict the future. But what we can do is prepare for the future in a way that allows us to adapt. By staying flexible and powerful, Trilliant’s platform and technology will allow you to seamlessly make updates as needed, while supporting critical infrastructure now and into the future. 

Visit us at DISTRIBUTECH 2022 in Dallas, TX, on May 23-25, 2022. You’ll find us in MR3505 on the show floor, where we can discuss your plans and how our innovative, agile technology can support you, no matter where you are in your journey. Contact us and we can arrange a time to meet!

 

Author: Steven Lupo
Managing Director, Trilliant Canada