Itron Expands Distributed Intelligence Platform with Versatile Edge Gateway to Accelerate Utility Digitalization

New Itron Edge Gateway Enables Intelligent Connectivity and Edge Computing for Any Application

Itron, which is innovating the way utilities and cities manage energy and water, is expanding its distributed intelligence (DI) platform with the introduction of its new Itron Edge Gateway product line. Among other benefits, the Edge Gateway will expand the capabilities of utilities to achieve decarbonization and sustainability goals and manage critical infrastructure as the broad-based adoption of distributed energy resources (DERs) continues. The Itron Edge Gateway also accelerates utility and city digitalization by rapidly adding DI capability to any device or sensor without hardware integration. The secure and robust platform enables a multitude of use cases across distribution automation, distributed energy resource management and smart cities.

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“We are excited to see our partners take advantage of the Itron partner enablement program to design applications for the Itron Edge Gateway to help utilities and cities achieve their business goals”

The Itron Edge Gateway is a versatile, highly secure, edge-computing platform that enables intelligent Industrial IoT (IIoT) connectivity leveraging LTE, Private LTE (pLTE), 5G cellular and Itron’s Gen™5 Mesh communication technology between fielded devices (e.g., distribution automation and distributed energy resource devices) and back-office systems or cloud services. The product will leverage a common back-office application infrastructure with Itron’s award-winning Riva™ Meter and previously announced DI NIC to actively manage deployed applications.

The gateway features computing infrastructure that can host third-party applications and connect, monitor and manage new and existing devices or sensors using a variety of interfaces including Ethernet, Serial, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Lower Energy (BLE) and USB. The Itron Edge Gateway platform allows utilities to unlock the power of real-time data processing and analytics, enabling faster, automated decision-making through machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI).

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Key features of the Itron Edge Gateway include:

1. Distributed Intelligence: Customers can strategically focus on business needs and rapidly deploy new use cases without requalifying a new end-to-end network platform. It adds DI to any device or sensor without hardware integration.
2. Intelligent Connectivity: With the flexibility of both public and private network connectivity, and flexible device interfaces like Ethernet, Wi-Fi, BLE and serial, the platform makes it easy to integrate and manage new and existing devices, maximizing flexibility and scalability.
3. Robust Security: Built with advanced security features, including full disk encryption, secure boot and key storage, encrypted communications and secure containers, the platform safeguards from potential cyber threats, ensuring data integrity.
4. Enhanced Management and Monitoring: Local or back-office device management and monitoring enables full life-cycle management and real-time status visibility.

Use Cases

With Itron’s Edge Gateway product portfolio, Itron and our partner ecosystem will enable a broad range of use cases, such as:

Distribution Automation

• Intelligent connectivity for Distribution Automation devices (capacitor bank, recloser, switches, etc.) supporting advanced grid automation capabilities
• Remote substation monitoring connecting multiple devices via a range of legacy protocols and providing DNP3 concentration of assets
• Active transformer load management to help preserve transformers’ lifetime and reduce unplanned outages
• Augmented voltage monitoring capabilities to monitor, manage and optimize grid operations at the edge

Distributed Energy Resources

• Renewables monitoring and control, which helps manage their potential impacts to grid operations
• Active shedding load to disconnect non-critical customers while keeping the power on for those who need it the most (emergency responders, hospitals, etc.)

Smart City

• Acoustic Gunshot Detection helps police triangulate where gunshots come from and how many shooters there are
• Traffic and noise monitoring capabilities help cities better understand livability conditions and improve planning
• Digital signage solutions that enable monitoring and management of a network of digital signs and advertising space across the city

Cyber Security

• Enhanced network security for new and legacy devices, including edge monitoring, automation, and infiltration detection.

“Building upon Itron’s advancements in DI and intelligent connectivity, utilities and cities now can utilize the Itron Edge Gateway to bring even more intelligence to the network’s edge. This empowers them to collect and manage data more efficiently while harnessing cutting-edge machine learning and AI technologies to make real-time decisions,” said John Marcolini, senior vice president of Networked Solutions at Itron. “From a utility IT perspective, these devices offer value with the opportunity for utilities and partners to test and incorporate them into a specific use case. Once deployed, this platform can be easily repurposed for numerous other applications, saving time and cost.”

“We are excited to see our partners take advantage of the Itron partner enablement program to design applications for the Itron Edge Gateway to help utilities and cities achieve their business goals,” added Marcolini.

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