In the meantime, most power grids were composed of AC (alternating current) distribution, so there was little demand for DC (direct current) distribution. 

However, in recent years, DC metering has been in the limelight due to the spread of DC circuits with many advantages such as easy grid connection with distributed power systems, low loss, and miniaturization of power equipment.

In particular, the demand for DC distribution facilities such as renewable power generation, electric vehicle chargers, ESS (Energy Storage System), and residential DC distribution systems is increasing, and with the significant increase in microgrid and digital loads, it is expected that DC load will expand to 50% of the total power load. With the opening of the DC power grid era, energy cost reduction through energy efficiency is the most urgent issue in terms of management from the point of view of energy users or managers. This is something that should be pursued first. 

To this end, accurate measurement and analysis of power consumption and efficiency (loss) for DC loads as well as AC, and establishment of management measures are very important in various aspects such as energy efficiency, management improvement, and greenhouse gas reduction.

DC metering is used in specific applications to measure, collect and store real-time data of DC power. 

DC metering allows business owners to monitor generation and reception power usage to reduce energy costs or verify the energy integrity of a facility..etc and they can achieve certain management goals. They are used in a variety of industries such as solar systems, EV charging stations, battery energy storage systems (BESS), cell towers, data centers, and Light Rail Transit.

DC circuits are growing noticeably with the rise of renewable energy applications, and the greatest demand for DC metering is in energy applications such as electric vehicle charging stations, solar panels, DC data centers, and DC microgrids. Monitoring these applications can track energy production before conversion or loss after conversion, measure efficiency, and track performance. J&D Electronics offers an all-in-one DC metering solution including the Sensway-DCS series. Offering features including watt-hour (Wh) monitoring and data logging, the DCS series can track a DC system's performance across multiple parameters.

For more information on J&D Electronics' DC metering solutions, please refer to the following application product information.

• Renewable Energy ​

Renewable energy applications such as electric vehicle charging, solar panels and wind turbines are becoming increasingly widespread. Therefore, the ability to measure energy generation and consumption is critical to understanding the efficiency of renewable energy systems.

• General Industry ​

Electrical energy efficiency in general industry makes a great contribution to improving corporate management by realizing accountability for energy consumption and providing fair and equitable more detailed data such as power quality and demand.

• Data Centers

Data center operators are actively considering a variety of technologies and solutions to improve the power efficiency of their facilities, as power is one of their biggest costs.

• DC Microgrids​

With the proliferation of DC grids, safer, more reliable and more efficient power is required. 
Examples of microgrids can be found in hospitals, military bases and even parts of utility systems where renewable power generation, fuel generators and energy storage units work together to create a reliable energy distribution system.

• DC electric vehicle charging station​

On July 14, 2021, the EU Commission announced a legislative package, 'Fit for 55', to reduce carbon emissions by 55% from 1990 levels by 2030.  It is predicted that the sales rate of electric vehicles will increase rapidly. 

Electric car chargers are the biggest factor in the supply and distribution of electric cars, and companies that develop more reliable and innovative electric car chargers will lead the electric car charger era.

As electric vehicles (EVs) become popular, the number of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations continues to increase, and EVs are increasingly accepted as an important factor in the development of the automotive industry. 

As a result, EV charging stations can be easily found in private homes, public spaces, as well as commercial and residential buildings such as offices and condominiums.

Typically, the amount of wattage for billing of electricity usage in standard EV chargers is measured on the ac side, and does not measure the energy lost in the ac-dc conversion, resulting in inaccurate billing to the end customer. As of 2019, new EU regulations require energy providers to charge customers only for energy transferred to EVs, leaving power conversion and distribution losses to be borne by energy providers.

Therefore, the amount of power must be measured on the dc side to enable accurate billing to the customer.

Public EV charging metering and private and residential peer-to-peer EV charging schemes measure power consumption on the DC side, giving customers much more incentive for more accurate energy billing.

• DC Distribution / Microgrid​

A microgrid refers to a localized power supply system centered on distributed power sources that are independent of the existing wide-area power system. 

It also has the advantage of enabling efficient use of renewable energy.

Recently, microgrids composed of distributed power sources, power storage devices, and loads are being actively spread around island regions, and with the increase in DC-based renewable energy sources, power storage devices, and loads, the introduction of DC distribution systems and DC The need to apply a microgrid is being raised.

About 50% of current building electrical loads run on DC. Each electronic device must convert AC power to DC power, and up to 20% of energy is lost in the process, with DC power distribution cost savings estimated at up to 28% compared to conventional AC power distribution.

DC buildings can reduce energy consumption by converting AC to DC in one step and directly supplying DC to devices that require DC, such as LED lights and computers. Therefore, accurate measurement and analysis of power consumption and efficiency (loss) for DC loads and establishment of management measures are very important in various aspects such as energy efficiency, management improvement, and greenhouse gas reduction.

Components for low-voltage DC (LVDC) distribution infrastructure systems are being developed worldwide to build DC distribution systems, and as part of this effort, new standards for DC metering and monitoring for LVDC distribution systems are currently being created.

IEC 62053-41-ed.1.0:2021 (Static meters for DC energy (classes 0,5 and 1)) specifies the requirements and nominal power meters for accuracy classes 0,5 and 1 for measuring DC electrical energy in DC systems. A standard that represents a level.

• DC Data Center​

In a typical data center, between 5% and 25% of the power supplied to the facility is lost during power conversion and distribution, 

or used to manage heat emitted by the IT equipment itself. As rack power density increases, cooling challenges also increase. For these reasons, enterprises are challenged to reduce the environmental impact of data center operations. 

This naturally leads to business requirements and the industry to research new technologies and solutions.​

The reasons for DC power distribution within a data center are obvious.​

Whenever power is converted from AC to DC and back again (e.g. UPS with battery backup) energy is lost, mostly in the form of heat. 

The fewer conversions the power supply has, the lower the loss and the less heat generated. Increased efficiency reduces capital and O&M costs.​

DC power distribution uses less copper than comparable AC systems and eliminates the need for rectifiers and transformers, reducing installation costs. As mentioned earlier, the operating efficiency is also better than AC due to lower losses and reduced cooling load.​

DC power distribution also occupies less space, 33% less than AC power distribution. 

This means that AC power distribution must free up more floor space for server racks and cooling equipment, as traditional data centers are limited in their ability to cool the equipment they already have.​

Finally, DC systems allow easy integration of on-site energy sources such as solar or fuel cells or energy storage devices that generate DC power.​

In addition to the efficiency and cost arguments, DC also offers advantages in terms of power quality and system reliability, which can be achieved through the design of a suitable DC system and reduce risks to personnel and equipment.​

DC Power Meter​​

Connect Product Page
LINK: DC Billing Meter

J&D Electronics offers an all-in-one DC metering solution including the Sensway-DCS series. Offering features including watt-hour (Wh) monitoring and data logging, the DCS series can track a DC system's performance across multiple parameters.

For more information on J&D Electronics' DC metering solutions, please refer to the following application product information.

The Sensway-DCS series is a DC energy meter designed to monitor and control DC power systems with a wide range of measurement parameters such as voltage, current, power and energy. The DCS-I series is an IoT-enabled DC charging meter designed with a security-optimized Azure RTOS-based operating system to provide an innovative DC charging meter device for the DC microgrid future market, while the DCS-E series is designed for the DC microgrid future market.

It is a commercially available DC billing meter in a compact design.

• Main Specifications​

0.2% accuracy for voltage and current Power and Energy 0.5%​Log Scalable Optional 4 MB Data Logging Optional RS485 Modbus-RTU​Communications Compatible with DC Current Sensors, DC Voltage Sensors,​Hall Effect Sensors, and Shunts Analog Outputs, Including Analog Inputs,​Relay Outputs, or Digital Outputs Standard 72mm x 72mm DIN size​for drawer panel installation with multiple I/O options 5-year warranty​.

• Supporting Documents​

- Product Data
- sheet​Installation User's Manual​
- Modbus Map
- ​PC Software​

LINK
: DC Billing Meter