WEL Networks selects Silver Spring Networks for next-gen smart grid deployment

Energy Networks 2012, BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA: Silver Spring Networks, a leading provider of the networking platform and solutions for the smart grid, announced it has been selected by WEL Networks for an innovative smart grid deployment in the Waikato region of New Zealand.

Silver Spring will provide its smart grid platform – including advanced metering, distribution automation and deployment – to enable WEL Networks to better deliver reliable, efficient, and affordable power to its residential and commercial customers. The first deployment phase of 10,000 customers has now been extended to 45,000 for the coming year. WEL Networks will benefit from the increased flexibility and performance enabled by Silver Spring’s recently announced Gen4 networking technology.

“Cost, performance, and the ability to build atop a single, standardized platform are critical for WEL Networks’ next-generation utility grid,” said Dr. Julian Elder, CEO of WEL Networks. “Silver Spring gave us the ability to deliver multiple smart grid applications over a single, open platform and utilize its advanced technology to meet the performance needs of our network, all with a cost profile that helps WEL effectively invest in modernization improvements for the benefit of our customers.”

“We’re proud to partner with WEL Networks to lead the way toward a smarter, more energy efficient utility grid of the future,” said John Garner, MD, Australia and New Zealand, Silver Spring Networks. “Silver Spring’s standards-based IPv6 networking platform sets the foundation for a diverse range of smart grid applications and represents a big step forward in the journey to energy efficiency and sustainability.”

Silver Spring’s family of products embedding Gen4 technology, ranging from Communications Modules to Access Points and Relays, is focused on increasing performance and improving the flexibility needed to meet utilities’ demanding requirements across disparate service territories, deployment approaches, and application needs.

With the promise of “Any Transport, Any Territory, Any Endpoint, Any Application,” Gen4 technology provides a platform for additional communications options so utilities can efficiently cover all of their territory, from sparse to dense populations, and support multiple smart grid applications on an integrated, centrally managed IPv6 network.