IBM, Cable&Wireless collaborate on UK Smart Energy Cloud

The programme, which aims to roll out more than 50million smart meters in the UK, aims to help address the demand for electricity which is expected to double by 2050. According to IBM and C&W, the UK Smart Energy Cloud has the potential to provide a complete overview of energy usage across the country and pave the way for easier implementation of a smart grid. It will combine IBM's software and middleware with C&W's secure next generation network and communications integration capability. The UK Smart Energy Cloud will be designed to gather data many times a day, from any smart meter in the country and store it centrally in a secure, purpose built, UK based hosted cloud environment. Data can then be sent to energy retailers for assessment, so consumers receive more accurate bills. Distributor Network Operators will also receive this data which will enable smart grid functionality. The two companies say that energy retailers will not need to make up front investments, while it will be easier and more transparent for consumers to switch retailers. UK Smart Energy Cloud is built on IBM's scalable WebSphere enterprise messaging infrastructure and uses an Informix time series database at its core. Security, monitoring and management is provided by Tivoli products. The solution operates in a sideways scalable, managed infrastructure, using virtualisation. C&W is responsible for the next generation operational communications network that sets a power utility standard designed to solve problems associated with the provision of high performance telecommunication services for high voltage protection, control and other operational applications in a harsh electrical environment. Matt Key, managing director of Enterprise at C&W Worldwide, said: "We believe a collaboration of this kind is the most natural approach to achieving an end to end solution for a complete smart metering roll out and making smart grid a reality. The challenge is for smart meters to reach the entire UK population and this will require a combination of enabling solutions, such as GPRS, radio and Power Line Carrier to make sure it's cost effective. However, it is the network connecting it all and intelligent data management, that is central to the smart agenda's success. "This alliance offers us exciting opportunities to work together on developing innovative solutions to create a smart grid, the next era of energy distribution in the UK, and support the Government's long term environmental strategy to cut emissions by 80% by 2050."