HD-PLC: the Key in Creating New Services

• Mr. Nobuo Okuda, General manager for Panasonic says: “Models with power meters plus HD-PLC modules are spreading globally”

“Collaboration with an European manufacturer that boasts the top share in the power meter market internationally have started” says Mr. Nobuo Okuda, General manager for Panasonic Corporation’s Corporate Industrial Marketing & Sales Division Techno Strategy & Marketing Group. “There are other countries, not just Brazil, that have areas that are battling economical disparities with power lines are their only infrastructure. Those countries realized that HD-PLC is effective in resolving the issues when they looked to Brazil as an example” (Mr. Okuda).

Mr. Okuda, the electronic devices group manager for Panasonic. which sells HD-PLC modules, frequently goes to Brazil and other countries. Other European power meter manufacturers have also started expanding their businesses globally. By cooperating with the HD-PLC group, they aim to turn their own power meters with built in HD-PLC module from just a ‘Brazilian model’ into a ‘Global model’.

Dissolving economical and regional disparities was not the only reason that the power meter manufacturer decided to produce models with built in HD-PLC. There is expectation for new services that go beyond the sales of power meters. “Power meters are gateways, with a 10-year cycle that connect the homes and the power grids. Globally, power companies will shift from a one-way connection by supplying power to homes, but will have a two-way connection with homes. New services will be introduced, increasing competition among companies. Energy management is essential. There will be added expectation towards HD-PLC as the new technology for electric networks”(Mr. Okuda).

The power meter industry, including Panasonic, utilizes power line communications to allow remote meter access. However, since power line communication with low transmission speed can only be used for remote access, more high speed power line communication is necessary to make more room for new services. One of those services is to support the smart grid to collect real-time electric usage data; the other is to spread the internet service which uses the power grid as a network. It is HD-PLC the high speed power line communication technology that allows for such new services.

‘We have also been approached by Brazilian manufacturers to create a business model for set top boxes for homes with built in HD-PLC to be used as return channels to watch digital broadcasting on existing TV sets” says Mr. Okuda. Countries in Latin America other than Brazil are also adopting the same digital broadcasting system, the same system as Japan. This issue is drawing attention from countries near Brazil which are facing the same issues of economical disparities; the Brazilian project will not only dissolve domestic issues, but is about to make an international impact.

• HD-PLC going beyond power meters in Brazil.
Shown: Panasonic’s Mr. Okuda shake hands with the President of APTEL, member of the Brazilian power supply alliance