Exergy-based Life Cycle Assessment of Smart Meters

Smart grids promise large savings in energy and a more efficient control of electricity generation, distribution and consumption. However, to make the vision of smart grids true, additional components and systems have to be integrated into the existing conventional power grid. The first step towards future smart grids is implementation of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). The main component of such an infrastructure is the smart meter. Due to the need for a very large number of smart meters, the influence of these components on environmental sustainability of smart grids is expected to be significant. In this paper, we present a holistic framework for analyzing environmental impacts of smart meters by considering all life cycle stages and using the concept of exergy. Results on lifetime embodied and operational exergy consumptions of smart meters are presented.