Itron Announces Western Power as 2020 Innovator Award Winner

LIBERTY LAKE, Wash. — Oct. 29, 2020 — Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), which is innovating the way utilities and cities manage energy and water, awarded the second annual Itron Innovator Award to Australian energy utility Western Power for its Smart Lab in Perth, Western Australia, which was developed through Itron’s partner enablement program. The award, which was presented virtually at Itron Utility Week 2020, recognizes a customer that leverages Itron’s partner enablement programs and ecosystem to create a breakthrough solution for smart utilities and smart cities.       

Western Power Smart Solutions Manager Chris Meneghello said that the collaboration with Itron to build a Smart City Lab inside its head office opens up a multitude of smart opportunities for its customers and communities. Utilizing a variety of Itron’s mains-powered and battery-powered wireless communications modules on the open, standards-based network, Western Power deployed sensors from multiple partners, showcasing the potential of smart city applications, with the objective to clarify the value of smart city solutions for Western Australians. 

The applications included TCAM’s data logger for water sensing and environmental monitoring, New Cosmos’ award-winning natural gas detectors, Rongwen’s ambient noise sensor connecting via their 7-pin Networked Lighting Controller and water meter, and Houston Radar’s dynamic lighting solution with peer-to-peer communications. Western Power also connected two smart-enabled streetlights to Itron’s Streetlight Vision (SLV) as part of the Smart Lab.

The interoperable solution pioneered a new approach where the communication modules bridged data from partner sensors to Itron’s SLV Smart City Central Management solution and Itron’s cloud-based mobile data collection solution, Temetra. The solution enables Western Power to manage and collect data and realize numerous smart city use cases.  

“We’re honored to be selected as the winner of the Itron Innovator Award – it highlights our vision and drive in leveraging new technologies to provide smarter energy solutions now and in the future,” Meneghello said. “Our multi-partner Smart Lab demonstrates our commitment to building strong relationships with communities and using and exploring exciting solutions to achieve greater efficiency, safety and energy quality for all Western Australians connected to our network.”

“At Itron, we empower our customers organically and through ecosystem partners to improve resourcefulness, enhance safety and connect communities,” said John Marcolini, senior vice president of Networked Solutions at Itron. “We are pleased to present this award to Western Power for their innovative approach to harmonizing solutions from our partner ecosystem to realize multiple smart city use cases.”