[The essay of GELEX in the International Conference “New technologies for power supplies – power grids, renewable energy and energy storage systems” – March 2017]

Smart energy electronic meters registered trade mark GELEX-EMIC and amorphous metal for energy saving at the distribution transformers branded THIBIDI, developed & made by Vietnam Electrical Equipment Corporation (GELEX) – the high-tech electrical equipments “made in Vietnam” have been actively integral part of the natinal smart power grid of Vietnam.

Vietnam Electrical Equipment Joint Stock Corporation (GELEX) was established on July 10, 1995 with the mission to mobilize the power of manufacturing and trading enterprises of electrical engineering industry. Upon the successful equitization in 2010, GELEX is currently operating as a public holding company with ticker GEX registered for transaction at UPCOM under Hanoi Stock Exchange. Charter capital of GELEX is 2,320 billion VND; market capitalization is about 4,600 billion VND; total revenue of GELEX & subsidiaries in 2016 reached 11,000 billion VND.

On December 2016, GELEX owns 07 subsidiaries, 06 affiliates, operating in the key sectors: manufacturing and trading of electrical equipment, energy investment, water supply, real estates, logistics and finance investment. GELEX’s primary objective is to become a leading multi-sector conglomerate in Vietnam and builds our national brands of international level.

Foreseeing the development trend of smart power grid system specified in the smart power grid project approved by the Prime Minister in 2012, GELEX and its affiliates have concentrated on manufacturing and supplying products of high-tech electrical equipment using green and environmental friendly energy. Particularly, we are proud to own two new products developed & made by GELEX’s member companies as smart energy electronic meters registered trade mark GELEX-EMIC & amorphous alloys for energy efficient distribution transformers THIBIDI.

Automatic remote reading

Foreseeing the unavoidable tendency of replacement the mechanical kwh meters by multi-functional electronic ones, GELEX-EMIC – our member- company who is well –known as preferrable & reputable national & regional mechanical kwh meters have been succefully developed and fabricated a various types of electronic meters from simple type to full-functioning such as multi-tarriff billing; active & reactive measuring, power factor, load profile, data remote reading, … These electronic meters made by GELEX-EMIC with technical support with the leading world players in the metering field such as Texas Instrument Co. Ltd ( USA) for providing total solution & complete kit of BOM and technical cooperation for smart grid sollution with Landis & Gyr (Stwitzerland). The products therefore have been qualified to meet various diversified requirements of customers and utilities under EVN for smart grid management.

Since 2016, EVN has started to invite the bids for procurement of electronic meters with remote communication function and AMR automatic meter reading system for the purpose to improve the power Distribution Efficiency network management. While electronic meter has opened up the prospect of optimizing the electricity market operation (multi- tariffs by time of day, season of the year, remote reading, load profile surveying, etc.), the “automatic meter reading AMR” technology will help the Utilities to reduce business operation costs by reducing numbers of employee to read & record the data of kWh meters, thereby improve the management of power grid and efficiency of energy consumption.

Metering Data reading & collection system AMR developed & fabricated by GELEX-EMIC is the system that works automatically in data transfer based on Radio Frequency RF-Mesh technology communication AMR system developed by GELEX-EMIC is highly reliable but common system that allows data transfer executed consistently to and from MDM system. Head End System (HES) software can communicate with various kinds of electronic meters: single phase /three-phase meters, single/ multi- tariff multi- functional electronic meters as well as works in combination with other systems such as CMIS, utility applications such as GIS, OMS, CRM, SCADA/DMS, information related to tariffs and price structures. in addition to measuring function, each electronic meter in the RF- MESH network shall act as a repeater to communicate with neighboring energy meters in spider’s net. Electronic meters RF Mesh automatically create the optimal connection to the Data Concentrator Unit (DCU) and HES software that help shortening the time of data collection, as well as optimize the system operation.

The architecture of Automatic metering data reading system AMR by GELEX_EMIC consist the following components: single phase and three phase electronic meters with build in and/or attachable communication module based on communication technologies such as MESH-RF , or PLC or cellular network GPRS; Data Concentrator Unit ( DCU) for collect metering data , Head End System (HES) software, Database Server.

Single phase Electronic smart meters model CE-14, CE-18 and Three phase smart electronic meters model ME-40. ME-41 ME-42 using RF-Mesh communication technology are the products developed & fabricated at GELEX-EMIC using high class IC chipsets, components from foreign suplliers according to international standard IEC 62052-11, IEC 62053-21; 22; 23, IEC 62056-2161, IEC 60529. Electronic meters GELEX-EMIC are assembled & calibrated on advanced modern production lines, quality assurance according to ISO 9001-2008. These types of electronic meters have integrated RF-Mesh communication module to execute data transfer to DCU as well as being as Mesh nod on spider system to repeat the data transferred from neighboring electronic meters in the system

On the basis of the results already achieved, the production line of electronic smart meters and intelligent automatic metering data reading system AMR developed GELEX-EMIC have brought about realistic scientific, technological and socioeconomic benefits. Our products are made in compliance with international standards and quality comparable with imported products from EU countries, reasonable prices and great potential to replace imported products.

Energy Efficient Distribution Transfomer

In a continual effort to meet the market demand, the Electrical Equipment Joint Stock Company (THIBIDI)- a member company of GELEX has introduced a brand-new product line of Energy high-efficient distribution transformer using amorphous metal alloys. These products are made in technical association with Hitachi Metals Group from Japan. It helps to reduce no-load losses (NLL: standby power) up to 70%, reduce emission of CO2 and thereby contributing to environmental protection.

THIBIDI is a subsidiary of the Vietnam Electrical Equipment Joint Stock Corporation GELEX having its headquarter and factories at Bien Hoa 1 – Industrial Zone, Dong Nai Province, specialized in manufacturing distribution transformers. With the guiding principle of leading the quality of products and services, a team of skilled labor, synchronized equipment and modern machines, quality management system according to international standard ISO-9001, the laboratory VILAS.054 established in compliance with national standards, THIBIDI always strives to improve our products and services, prove our own capacity of design and manufacturing with regards to various 1-phase and 3-phase distribution transformers.

A typical famous THIBIDI transformers are Pad-Mounted Transformer with the capacity up to 2000KVA (PAD in association with Cooper (USA); Cast resin transformer up to 4000kVA in association with General Electric GE (USA), etc. With continual efforts, THIBIDI was awarded first-class Labor Medal; Asia – Pacific International Quality Award and National Brand Award for its products.

Energy high-efficient Distribution Transformers (AMDT) using amorphous metal alloys has been manufactured and supplied by THIBIDI to the market with more than 26,000 units, which help to increase power efficiency by reducing no- load losses. For comparison while a three-phase traditional cold rolled Grain Oriented Electrical Steel transformer CRGO-T) 1000kVA has an average power consumption of 15,330 kWh per year, the amorphous alloys transformer (AMDT) consumes only 9,610 kWh (30% load factor). With referring to the current power tariff billed by the Utilities about 10 million VND will be saved for each transformer by replacement of AMDT by CRGO-T. In particular, amorphous alloys transformers AMDT can reduce no-load loss down to 70% compared to traditional CRGO distribution transformer.

Amorphous alloys transformers AMDT significantly reduce power losses, emissions of CO2 to the environment, contribute to electrical energy savings, environmental protection and meet the market demand. AMDT registered trade mark THIBIDI has been evaluated by the Energy Saving Center of HCM City and concluded to comply with environmental protection requirements and actual environmental conditions in Vietnam. It will be extremely efficient and environmentally friendly power-saving solution. Currently, THIBIDI and JCM (the verification company in Japan) have started to expand replication of this project model in other regional countries such as Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar.

The leading trend is to invest into energy-saving products to help improve the efficiency of products, while improving brand reputation of GELEX and its subsidiaries. It also encompasses national targets on energy savings and efficiency in conformation to the requirements of the State on the high-performance energy.

Vietnam Electrical Equipment Joint Stock Corporation GELEX and its subsidiaries are the domestic manufacturers who operate and manage the in-depth researches, investment, development and production in the country. Therefore, we can guarantee reasonable price of the products, thereby creating more jobs and increasing GDP to the national economy.

Smart electronic meters produced by GELEX-EMIC and energy high-efficient amorphous alloys distribution transformers produced by THIBIDI are high-tech electrical equipment “made in Vietnam” and will play an important part in the national power smart grid, aiming at stable and long-lasting development. Hopefully these high-tech electrical equipment and grid power management optimization solutions by GELEX shall be preferable by end users (including individual clients and Utilities) to gradually replace imported products every year. Which partly saves the budget of electricity sector and reduces the proportion of national trade deficit.

– Communication Dept. –