IOT Will Be At The Heart Of Smart City & Smart Grid Transformation

The rapid growth of India’s population has thrown up many challenges for its cities. These are compounded by rising expectations of its citizens as well as budget constraints.

- Prakash Chandrakar

People today expect more efficient, sustainable and liveable environments, despite the challenge of rising numbers. Although city planners are keen to boost their citizens’ quality of life, unless the basic infrastructure is robust – water, gas, electricity, transport, solar power, sewage, rainwater harvesting, recycling, etc. – such plans can remain a nonstarter. The best way to achieve these goals is through the Smart City model.

One may wonder, why Smart Cities? Consider some statistics. Today, cities comprise about 2 percent of the Earth’s surface, are home to around 50 percent of the global population, consume 75 percent of the world’s energy and are responsible for about 80 percent of its CO2 emissions. Conventional cities can no longer handle such numbers, making Smart Cities a critical imperative now.

At the core of a Smart City’s creation is the Internet of Things (IoT), which will enable the integration of various infrastructures. The connected assets and services will generate a critical mass of big data. Constant analysis of this data will help create actionable information that can deliver better & more efficient services. Use of each service will be automated, monitored and controlled via a network of smart systems, ensuring savings in costs as well as resources.