Predicting smart meter battery life with AI: the innovation from Terranova Software

Why is it important to predict the battery life of smart meters?

Smart meters are essential devices for reading and managing energy consumption, but they are powered by batteries that have a limited lifespan (often between 10 and 15 years). When a battery runs out, replacement can be complicated and uneconomical. In many cases, in fact, a replacement of the entire meter is opted for, with high logistical and operational costs.

Predicting the remaining battery life in advance allows utilities to:

• Better plan the installation of new meters, focusing on those at risk of battery depletion at the same time and avoid moving teams of operators for too few meters;
• Avoid service interruptions due to sudden failures;
• Optimise replacement logistics, reducing costs and intervention time;
• Improve sustainability by avoiding premature replacements.
  

An intelligent and sustainable rollout

One of the most significant advantages of the predictive model developed is the ability to efficiently coordinate meter replacement, turning a traditionally reactive and fragmented operation into a planned and optimised process.

Thanks to the accurate prediction of the remaining battery life, it is possible to group meters that will go out of service within a short time frame, planning interventions well in advance and in an optimised manner. This approach makes it possible to intervene on entire geographical areas or clusters of devices in a single operation, drastically reducing logistical costs, intervention times and the environmental impact associated with individual, unplanned replacement.

Furthermore, an intelligent rollout avoids disruptions to end customers by ensuring continuity in consumption monitoring and data transmission, increasingly central elements in a digitised and efficiency-oriented energy system. The predictive approach also promotes a more sustainable management of resources, minimising waste due to premature replacements and optimising the use of manpower and technical means.

This new mode of operation represents a quantum leap in smart meter maintenance, bringing tangible benefits to both utilities and end users, and helping to create a more resilient, intelligent and sustainable energy infrastructure.

Predictive maintenance of smart meters is no longer a futuristic vision: thanks to artificial intelligence, it is now possible to drastically improve the operational efficiency of utilities. With its innovative algorithm, our artificial intelligence is leading the way in the industry, offering a concrete solution to a widespread and costly problem.

Predicting the end of a battery's life is not just a technical issue: it is a fundamental step towards a more reliable, sustainable and intelligent energy system.