Light Node

Implements blockchain functionality at smart meter

Light Node

Enabling technology device aimed at gathering measurements and data from DERs    

The Light Node (LN) is an edge device installed on the customer’s site, which collects metering data coming from the smart meters installed on Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) premises. It receives the flexibility activation commands and makes them available to the customer Energy Management System (EMS). 

Interview with:
Ercole De Luca
Head of Electrical System Development at areti S.p.A

Interviewer: Ercole De Luca, the Light Node is one of the key results of the Platone project whose development was coordinated by areti S.p.A. Let´s assume I live in a residential property in Italy that that is located just next to the one that you have provided with the Light Node for the project experimentation. I heard about the advantages of participating in the flexibility market. We are interested in becoming part of an energy community and we would like to have more information regarding possible assets or tools to help this transition. How can you support this?

Ercole De Luca: We have just the right solution for you! The Light Node is an innovative device installed at the users’ place, which collects metering data coming from the DSO smart meters installed on DERs premises. It receives the flexibility activation commands and makes them available to the customer energy management system (e.g., Storage System, Smart Homes Devices, etc..).

Interviewer: This might be very useful to the user. But how does it actually work? What can an owner of a residential property do?

Ercole De Luca: It is able to take the metering data from electric meters, receive Set-Point that comes from the DSO Technical Platform - as well one of our key results of the Platone project - and make this available to customer’s energy management system and to add timestamping to metering and Set-Point data. It also provides certified measurements thanks to the blockchain technology and detects communication and other anomalies (Light Node Issues, EMS Issues, Blockchain Access Layer Issues) and in this way you can improve your energy awareness.

Interviewer: Is the device easy to install?

Ercole De Luca: It is very easy to install, you just have to plug in the device and wait for it to be remotely enabled.

Interviewer: After looking a bit deeper into this solution: how can the owner of a residential property be part of this?

Ercole De Luca: In the upcoming months, we will launch the local flexibility market in Rome, and users will be able to participate within the RomeFlex project, which is the evolution of the solutions developed in the Platone project implemented in the city of Rome.

Interviewer: Thanks a lot for the interview, Ercole de Luca!