| Former European cable execs see BPL parallels | | | | "Smart grid efficiency and control are |
| | | | finally being seen as the way to integrate |
| Tom Walsh and Patricia McGrath were | | | | and manage the various networks" -- and cut |
| executives at UPC Broadband -- now owned by | | | | reliance on generators outside the Union, |
| Liberty Global. The Netherlands-based firm | | | | said Walsh. |
| grew from a 200-user cable modem trial | | | | |
| network in Amsterdam in the mid 90s to a | | | | Meanwhile less developed nations in the EU |
| customer base of over 1.5 million cable | | | | are trying to build their economies and |
| broadband subscribers in 14 countries in | | | | getting access to broadband is a key |
| 2002. Walsh was vice president of engineering | | | | ingredient. "Pilot projects are being planned |
| and then operations and McGrath was vice | | | | to take the best existing solutions and test |
| president of network planning and | | | | them for commercial roll-outs throughout |
| implementation. | | | | Europe." |
| | | | |
| The two left UPC and in 2005 they started | | | | Walsh expects BPL's role to expand as green |
| Glasnua Ltd. in Ireland. They looked at | | | | power generation projects such as home-based |
| various alternative technologies and soon | | | | generation, solar panels, wind farms, tidal |
| found BPL. Glasnua, are convinced BPL is the | | | | power and more start populating the grid. |
| technology it had been looking for and set | | | | Interconnection with those projects will make |
| its sights on deploying BPL for utility | | | | managing the reliability of the grid ever |
| services and retail triple play throughout | | | | more complicated -- and some look to BPL as |
| Europe. | | | | an obvious answer to managing that |
| | | | complexity. |
| Walsh and McGrath spoke to us Thursday from | | | | |
| their headquarters in County Kerry in | | | | They saw cable get smart |
| Southwest Ireland. Walsh is CTO and McGrath | | | | |
| is director. "Europe will offer incredible | | | | BPL reminds Walsh of the early days of cable. |
| opportunity for 'smart grid' technology | | | | People in 1997 told him cable modem networks |
| players for the next 10 years," said Walsh. | | | | "couldn't happen, it wouldn't work -- we were |
| He believes the key for BPL technology firms | | | | dreaming." BPL is in roughly the same |
| to succeed in Europe will be to maintain a | | | | position as cable was then -- with a lack of |
| presence without draining resources and | | | | standards, some engineering challenges in |
| funds.glasnua is set up to help. The firm's | | | | creating networks plus it's got its nay |
| been trying to land BPL projects with | | | | sayers. |
| utilities but like everywhere, European | | | | |
| utilities have resisted. | | | | The broadband boom in Europe was similar to |
| | | | "the wave that's building for smart grids." |
| EU's pushing BPL | | | | Cable traditionally was a one-way, wire-based |
| | | | distribution network. Sounds familiar. |
| "Utilities have been slow to come to the | | | | |
| table so far -- but here in Europe the EU is | | | | Cable modem technology introduced tremendous |
| actively pushing the technology," said Walsh. | | | | advantages by adding IP to those networks. |
| Why is the government of Europe pushing BPL? | | | | |
| | | | Suddenly the operator could see the condition |
| A BPL initiative is underway to "overcome the | | | | of every piece of gear on the network all the |
| energy challenges presented by a rapidly | | | | way to the customer's modem. |
| expanding [EU] membership where demand is | | | | |
| outstripping supply," Walsh reported. He and | | | | That gave Walsh a brand new kind of power in |
| McGrath are involved in that government | | | | making financial decisions. He could make |
| effort and they're confident "it will | | | | choices on where to spend money on the |
| happen," she added. The firm wants to | | | | network -- based not on which technology |
| introduce to Europe some of the main players | | | | officer in field wrote the most compelling |
| in the BPL world "that have existing and | | | | request, "but on actual live statistics," he |
| proven technologies and proven business cases | | | | stressed. |
| so that we can jump start some technology | | | | |
| trials. | | | | His operational crews -- that had only ever |
| | | | been reactive -- could now act proactively |
| "We believe that some of the strongest | | | | based on real-time data and "before stuff |
| players have a great opportunity to be in at | | | | breaks." Walsh would set targets and key |
| the beginning" -- with a real possibility to | | | | performance indicators for his managers and |
| turn those trials into commercial | | | | then "see how they were doing -- not based on |
| deployments. | | | | a score card but actual real statistics, real |
| | | | facts." glasnua |
| Glasnua hopes to avoid "open-ended science | | | | |
| experiments -- that I think have been some | | | | QUOTE OF THE WEEK: All of a sudden you had |
| people's experience in the past," said | | | | huge efficiencies coming into the operation |
| McGrath. Some of the utilities in the EU are | | | | which means you gave better end-service to |
| trying to "reinvent the wheel," she added -- | | | | the customer. At the same time you were able |
| and Glasnua wants to show them wheels are | | | | to reduce costs of providing the service. |
| "already out there," she added. | | | | This was all happening in the cable sector |
| | | | probably in the years of 2002, 2003. Take |
| The challenge for Glasnua is to make deals | | | | that benefit and combine it with BPL and you |
| with international BPL technology firms | | | | are making that business case look much |
| including US firms and represent them in | | | | rosier. |
| Europe. | | | | |
| | | | Tom Walsh, CTO, Glasnua |
| The name says it all | | | | |
| | | | These folks have scaled |
| Glasnua learned early that utilities aren't | | | | |
| usually interested in hype about the | | | | Another similarity with cable is the problem |
| broadband business. True to its name, the | | | | utilities face in scaling data networks to |
| firm is focused on utility applications and | | | | cover entire utility footprints. Those are |
| sees that market offering huge potential. | | | | the same problems Walsh tackled with |
| Commercial broadband is a side benefit that | | | | cable-based broadband, he reminded. |
| can be delivered by firms that lease | | | | |
| bandwidth from the utility, he noted. | | | | It takes "business nerve" to wait for the |
| | | | opportunities to ripen -- and then capital to |
| But the need for the 21st century smart grid | | | | take advantage of the moment when it's right. |
| is urgent. The EU grew from 15 to 27 | | | | |
| countries in the last 3 years, Walsh | | | | Superior technology will win out, he added. |
| reminded. Many have rapidly growing economies | | | | "For us, 'smart grids' is nothing new. |
| that are putting incredible demand on power | | | | |
| grids. | | | | "We deployed similar technology on |
| | | | communications networks and quickly realized |
| These states have limited raw resources for | | | | the operational benefits when scaling is |
| energy production and a lack of organization | | | | handled correctly." |
| in the power interconnection between | | | | |
| countries. The EU doesn't have a system to | | | | "The smart grids principle is not new. "It's |
| manage the grid or know "who's producing | | | | been [used] in the telecom sector for over |
| power" and who's using it. | | | | four years and has revolutionized both |
| | | | technical and operational management. |