PRESS RELEASE

Elster to Offer Advanced Smart Grid Solutions Using Cisco Technology

Cisco's Connected Grid Endpoint reference design SDK to be used with Elster's EnergyAxis® System

SAN JOSE, CA and RALEIGH, NC – Sep. 18, 2012 – Cisco and Elster announced today that Elster will offer smart grid solutions for field area networks using Cisco's technology. The solutions will integrate the Cisco Connected Grid Endpoint reference design with Elster's EnergyAxis System, and will showcase the power and flexibility of Elster's Universal technology while demonstrating support for Cisco's expertise in standards-based and interoperable communication solutions.

Through this integration of communication functions into advanced meters, utility customers will be provided with an even more flexible, secure, and economical Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) communications infrastructure. The combined solution will integrate the Elster EnergyAxis architecture within the Cisco IPv6 RF Mesh reference design.

Cisco has developed a complete suite of communications solutions for the smart grid. These include the Connected Grid Endpoint reference design as well as a full suite of switching, routing, network management and security products for the Field Area Network, Transmission & Substations, and Grid Operations. Plus Connected Grid Services to architect and optimize Smart Grid communications systems.

In addition to providing a comprehensive suite of AMI capabilities, Elster's EnergyAxis architecture enables smart meters to act as sensors for Distribution Automation and Asset Management applications such as Outage Notification, Voltage Monitoring, Asset Monitoring, and Loss Detection.  These advanced solutions enable utilities to extract even more value from their AMI investments. Elster is licensing the Cisco Connected Grid Endpoint reference design and software development kit (SDK).The addition of the Connected Grid Endpoint reference design further expands the EnergyAxis System interoperability and standards-based optimization.

With its innovative Software-Defined Radio and advanced software based metrology, Elster's REXUniversal meter platform offers utilities the flexibility to deploy this device with the Cisco GridBlocks^TM Solution Architecture, the Landis+Gyr GridStream^TM architecture (previously announced), as well as the Elster EnergyAxis Architecture.

Elster intends to develop EnergyAxis communications firmware that will operate within Cisco's 1000 Series Connected Grid Routers, and leverage application programming interfaces from the Cisco Connected Grid Network Management System.

"Cisco is committed to supporting our customers' need for interoperable vendor solutions," said Lionel Chocron, Vice President, Connected Energy Networks at Cisco. "By licensing the reference design to industry leaders such as Elster, we are enabling utilities to combine AMI communications over a common, reliable and secure communications infrastructure."

"As a Smart Grid solutions industry leader, Elster is committed to true interoperability and innovation," said Ed Myszka, President of Elster Solutions. "This announcement builds on Elster's track record of collaboration and integration to deliver the next generation of interoperability needed by utilities as they deploy Smart Grid solutions."

About Cisco

Cisco, the worldwide leader in networking, is helping the energy industry modernize the electrical grid from generation to distribution to consumption - with highly secure, reliable and scalable communications solutions. The Cisco Connected Grid solutions include: Transmission and Substation, Field Area Network, Grid Security, Data Center and Grid Operations. To learn more, please visit www.cisco.com/go/utilities.

About Elster

Elster is one of the world's largest electricity, gas and water measurement and control providers. Its offerings include distribution monitoring and control, advanced smart metering, demand response, networking and software solutions, and numerous related communications and services – key components for enabling consumer choice, operational efficiency and conservation. Its products and solutions are widely used by utilities in the traditional and emerging Smart Grid markets. 

Elster has one of the most extensive installed revenue measurement bases in the world, with more than 200 million metering devices deployed over the course of the last 10 years. It sells its products and services in more than 130 countries across electricity, gas, water and multi-utility applications for residential, commercial and industrial, and transmission and distribution applications.

For more information about Elster, please visit www.elster.com.

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Cisco Reinforces Commitment to Russian Sustainable Development and Innovation

Cisco Reinforces Commitment to Russian Sustainable Development and Innovation

Cities of the Future: Songdo, South Korea – Energy

Songdo International Business District's information technology network manages energy use in every building, making the city very "green." Episode 7 in the series.

March 28 , 2012

Transcript:

As populations expand and economies grow, people are consuming more non-renewable energy sources than ever. The race is on to make cities radically more energy efficient.

Songdo, South Korea, a new city built entirely from scratch, is on the forefront.

In Songdo, a revolutionary information technology network manages energy use in every building.

Jean-Louis Massaut, Director, Cisco Services Korea: The network that we deploy here is actually connecting all of the components in the city, all of the building subsystems together, so that we can bring energy savings.

Scott Summers, Vice President, Gale International:We're improving the efficiencies of each of the buildings. Our windows have low U value that reduces the amount of sunlight coming in and keeps the energy of the heat or cooling inside the building. Another component to reduce energy consumption (is) we light up the buildings with LED lights.

Peter Lee,Sustainable Design Specialist, Cosentini Korea: On the system level, we introduced water-cooled air conditioning system; it has never been applied to any Korean project before. We also have central home network system through which you can control your electricity use to reduce the dependence on the energy.

These innovations are helping reduce energy consumption in each building by 30 percent.  The city is also tapping into renewable natural resources.

Lee Jong-Cheol, Commissioner, Incheon Free Economic Zone: Sunlight, solar energy, windforce energy are being currently used to operate the city. Even human waste isn't simply disposed of. It is processed through a recycling system and a co-generation plant producing necessary energy.

Scott Summers: We have a co-generation facility that uses natural gas to power electricity. And the waste heat is in the form of hot water, and so we use that waste heat to run up our buildings and provide heating for our residential units.

By 2040, worldwide electricity demand is projected to be 80 percent higher than it is today. Songdo is a model for cities trying to keep pace.

Learn more at thenetwork.cisco.com/songdo

PRESS RELEASE

Mike Holmes breaks ground in Edmonton

Cisco Smart+Connected Communities Solutions Foster Environmentally, Socially and Economically Sustainable Project in Alberta

EDMONTON, AB, March 27, 2012—Phase II of the Boyle Renaissance development officially began construction today in a groundbreaking ceremony hosted by The Métis Capital Housing Corporation (MCHC) in Edmonton's Boyle neighbourhood. 

Attending the event were Mayor of Edmonton Stephen Mandel, Mike Holmes, Darlene Lennie, executive director of the MCHC, ENMAX Energy CEO, Charles Ruigrokand, and representatives of various project participants, including Cisco Canada and the MCHC.

"This development is about building quality, energy efficient homes and making them affordable for the people who need them most," stated Holmes.

The Holmes Group will spearhead the construction of 90 residential units, which will provide senior-friendly, barrier-free housing for Métis seniors and the disabled. Select suites will benefit from Cisco's "Cisco Smart Home System", allowing a person to control advanced home applications from a single touch pad interface.

"This collaboration is helping us improve the standard of living for individuals and communitiesthrough ambitious projects, such as The Boyle Renaissance," stated Rick Huijbregts, vice president of Cisco® Smart+Connected Communities for Cisco Canada. "This development is a fine blueprint for how future communities will be designed, built and managed to achieve social, economic, and environmental sustainability."

ENMAX Energy will provide the necessary infrastructure for district energy and combined heat and power (CHP), allowing the facility to benefit from advanced heating and power systems that use cleaner burning natural gas.

"ENMAX's vision for corporate responsibility includes cleaner energy choices for consumers and investing in the communities we serve," said Charles Ruigrok, interim president and CEO, ENMAX Corporation. "The Boyle Renaissance project allows us to focus on both of these mandates."

Ensuring the development meets efficiency performance levels has been a top priority. "Working together as a team towards this one goal makes all the difference," added Holmes. "When we all step in the right direction, moving forward is easy."

About The Holmes Group

The Holmes Group is an international brand with operations in independent media production, new home building and inspection divisions with expansion into product development. It is entirely owned by Mike Holmes and it is responsible for developing and managing HOLMES branded entities, including HOLMES Homes, HOLMES Inspections, HOLMES Workwear, Make It Right Releasing Inc. and The Holmes Foundation.

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go tohttp://newsroom.cisco.com.

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