NEWS

Engineering students at the Government College University (GCU) at Lahore, Pakistan, have built a smart meter that sends text messages via GSM to consumers about electricity bills. The meters were part of the annual project exhibition organized by the GCU Electrical Engineering Department with the support of Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), Google Pakistan, Institution of Engineering and Technology, and British Science Association.

Other mobile-based smart devices displayed included a robotic surgical arm, a smart energy saving system for houses, and anti-collision device for trains.

Vice chancellor Prof Dr Khaleeq-ur-Rahman said the GCU was providing extensive research grants, equipment facilities, and training to its students so that they could translate their knowledge into technology.

For example, the smart energy saving system for houses is a completely automatic system that is installed at the entrance point of a house or a room. The system switches off the lights and other electronics items when a person goes out of the room or house.

The SCADA- and GSM-based automatic power distribution system  is a mobile-controlled system that can be used to control the electric system of a town or city just through mobile devices.

In Norwich, England, the University of East Anglia’s Low Carbon Innovation fund has provided a solar farm developer, a smart meter technology firm, and an energy monitoring company £1.7 million in backing. The funding included £750,000 to Push Energy as part of an initiative to develop large-scale ground mounted solar farms.

The Low Carbon Innovation fund invests in small and medium sized businesses. Desmond Astley-Cooper, director at Turquoise International, notes, “Turquoise and the Low Carbon Innovation Fund are committed to supporting innovative clean technologies and business models which will deliver genuine commercial value. Push Energy, AMiHo and GEO have all produced strong business plans which offer real benefits to UK and global customers. We are delighted to be able to assist such companies in achieving further commercial success.”