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