28 July 2015
By Paul
Divall, Managing Director Intelligent Technologies, The Jasco Group
The concept of the ‘smart city’ is growing in
popularity as more and more connected technologies emerge. The term has many
definitions, however, at its most basic level, a smart city is one in which the
municipal authority is able to properly measure and manage the various services
they are delivering within their environment, in real time, and with a high
level of accuracy. Utilising technology such as smart metering for electricity
and water, for example, can help to facilitate this and enable the beginnings
of a smart city. As municipalities all over the world examine how they can
apply such solutions, the question remains, is South Africa ready for smart
cities? While technology forms an integral component of the smart city concept,
it is the integration of the various technology components and solutions that
deliver real value and transforms a city into a smart city. The corporate
sector can play an instrumental role in assisting local Government to fast
track these initiatives with their integration skills and expertise.
Smart cities have the potential to deliver
multiple benefits, not only to municipalities but to citizens as well.
Enhancing the efficiency and management of utilities such as electricity and
water could translate into improved service delivery, which means that more
citizens will be able to access basic services. However, economic challenges such as the
ability of citizens to afford basic services can prove to be a significant
barrier to the implementation of smart cities. Prepaid meters, the precursor to
smart metering solutions, are an essential technology component which is
already available in many areas, but must be implemented and integrated correctly
in order to be effective.
Further to smart meters or other smart devices,
the additional technology components required are a communication system to
connect all of these devices to various applications in the cloud – in other
words broadband connectivity. While this has proven to be a challenge in the
past, the reality is that broadband is more readily available today in many
locations, either through fibre or mobile offerings. The technology and infrastructure
already exist for the implementation of the basics of smart cities in South
Africa. Integrating the technologies is crucial for the success of this. However,
integration requires specialist skills and expertise. Corporates and local Government must
collaborate in order to achieve the integration that unpins smart city
initiatives.
Municipalities must also demonstrate to
citizens the benefits of improved service delivery through smart solutions. For
example, a smart metering solution will allow municipalities to offer basic
services at different rates to different population segments, for example those
subsisting on a government pension can be given electricity at a reduced rate
compares to a citizen living in a large house in a wealthy suburb.
Municipalities will be able to differentiate tariffs across different economic
groups depending on their ability to afford the service. For consumers, this
also provides a greater level of transparency, as they will be able to see
exactly what they are paying for which level of service.
For municipalities, smart solutions offer a
number of benefits. Prepaid meters can vastly improve revenue collection, as
they ensure citizens pay for their services up front rather than in arrears.
This also enables municipalities to detect revenue leakage throughout the
system – local governments can easily see how much electricity they are
purchasing, how much is being used, and how much is being paid for. The same
can be done for water. In addition, smart technology can be extended to include
things like flow meters, which will be able to detect physical leaks on the
pipes.
Armed with the information provided by smart
metering solutions, municipalities will also be able to conduct analytics to
identify trends. Accurate data on service utilisation enables local governments
to better plan for future demand and improve the delivery of basic services.
Demand for electricity can be predicted ahead of time to minimise disruption,
the need for water infrastructure upgrading can be proactively determined,
transport services can be planned better and many more benefits can be accrued.
This benefit is then passed down to the citizen in the form of more effective
service delivery.
Smart cities are the future, and they offer
numerous benefits for all parties concerned. However, ultimately it is a
combination of integrating the many disparate solutions and creating a
communication platform that will determine the success of any initiative. Corporates
that have the necessary integration skills can assist greatly in successful
smart city initiatives. In addition, without buy-in from the citizens, any
venture will inevitably fail. The challenge in South Africa is not the
technology, but finding the right way to implement it and integrate with the
right partner and to ensure citizens realise and understand the benefits it
provides.