Product category:
Communications ICs (Wireless)
News Release from: Ember Europe
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 12 December 2003
Alliance to change industrial energy
management
Ember and Honeywell are to collaborate on a $10 million cost-share project cofunded by the US Department of Energy that will pursue development of energy-saving wireless mesh networking applications.
Ember Corp and Honeywell International are to collaborate on a $10 million cost-share project cofunded by the US Department of Energy (DOE) that will pursue development of energy-saving wireless mesh networking applications for federally designated "industries of the future", Ember announced today The project is part of a $61 million national programme, announced in November by Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, to improve energy efficiency in strategic industries such as petrochemicals, electric power and manufacturing
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 22 Oct 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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Ember, a developer of embedded wireless mesh networking technology, and Honeywell's Automation and Control Solutions (ACS) business will create a new wireless system architecture that minimises power consumption in heavy industrial facilities.
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"This highly collaborative project is a bold step toward capturing the potential in emerging wireless and sensing technologies to serve the needs of manufacturers across several industries", said Dan Sheflin, Honeywell ACS Vice President and Chief Technology Officer.
"Honeywell is delighted to work with Ember, whose wireless expertise and communications software will be critical in enabling wireless devices to easily link together in practical, low-cost and highly reliable systems".
Ember and Honeywell plan to develop monitoring applications to stem energy loss from industrial components like steam traps, electric motors etc.
Honeywell estimates the wireless mesh network monitoring applications can save up to 192 trillion BTUs (British thermal units) of energy per year, with corresponding cost reductions and environmental benefits.
That's nearly as much energy as the entire state of Washington generated by burning natural gas in 2003.
"The Honeywell team will change industrial energy management for the better", said Ember CEO Jeff Grammer.
"Energy efficiency measures were plateaued for years because although there was the will and the technology to conserve energy, it was impossible at any given time to know which parts of an operation were working inefficiently".
"The advances we've made in wireless mesh technology over the last few years change all that".
"Now, companies can put energy sensing devices everywhere in their operation and tie them together with networks that get energy consumption information in the hands of people who can put it to good use".
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