Powerline Technology Demonstrator

ea491aa6-62c2-42e9-987c-c4cbac379897

Closed

NERC
NERC
NERC
Innovate UK
Innovate UK

£405,220

March 1, 2012

Dec. 31, 2012

Our business is to design and produce application specific silicon chips that together form a
home energy management network, thereby enabling consumers to understand and reduce
their electrical energy consumption.
Xsilon is developing an energy sensor network using a new communications technology that
will allow domestic appliances (washing machines, fridges, etc.) to send information about
their real-time energy usage to a smart meter or pc within the house, where the data can be
collated and analysed. This information will be made available to householders through a
display or a monthly itemised bill, allowing them to understand where they are using
electricity, and thereby to make savings.
The communications technology itself is new and is being developed in several stages. The
current stage will take the results of earlier research work in the form of simulation models
and algorithms and turn these into a proof of concept demonstrator. The aim of this project is
to perform a first implementation of the communications principles into electronics hardware,
and to build several units so that the capabilities of the technology can be verified in real
homes, shown to potential customers and used to attract further investment.
This is very much a technology evaluation step to prove the underlying concepts. Once
proven successful the next stage will be to develop a prototype silicon chip energy sensor
embodying the communications technology.