LoRaWAN Energy Meters for Industrial Energy Monitoring: A Practical Guide

1. Why Industrial Energy Monitoring Matters

Electricity is a major operating cost for many manufacturing facilities. Production lines, motors, air compressors, pumps, and ventilation systems all contribute to a factory’s total energy consumption.

However, monitoring electricity consumption at the main incoming supply alone may not provide enough information for effective energy management. Factory managers often need to understand how much electricity is consumed by individual production areas, equipment groups, or workshops.

Without detailed energy data, it can be difficult to identify high-consumption processes, compare energy usage between production areas, or evaluate the impact of energy-saving measures.

Industrial energy monitoring addresses this challenge by collecting electricity consumption data from multiple metering points throughout a facility. With suitable energy meters and a centralized monitoring system, businesses can gain a clearer understanding of their electricity usage and make more informed operational decisions.

2. Challenges of Traditional Industrial Metering

Traditional industrial energy monitoring systems often rely on wired communication, such as RS485. This approach is widely used because it provides reliable communication and supports local data collection from multiple energy meters.

However, installing communication cables can become complicated when metering points are distributed across a large factory.

Meters may be located in different workshops, electrical cabinets, production areas, or separate buildings. Extending communication cables to every location may increase installation work and make future system expansion more difficult.

Industrial facilities may also contain existing electrical infrastructure that was not originally designed for centralized energy monitoring. Retrofitting communication networks can therefore require additional planning and installation costs.

For projects involving numerous distributed metering points, wireless communication provides another option for collecting energy data.

3. How LoRaWAN Supports Industrial Energy Monitoring

LoRaWAN is a low-power, long-range wireless communication technology designed for connected devices. It allows compatible energy meters to transmit measurement data to a LoRaWAN gateway without requiring a dedicated communication cable between every meter and the gateway.

In an industrial energy monitoring application, a typical system consists of three main components.

Energy meters measure electricity consumption at selected distribution points or equipment groups. Three-phase meters are suitable for monitoring corresponding three-phase AC circuits.

LoRaWAN gateways receive wireless data from compatible meters and forward it to the network server through an available backhaul connection, such as Ethernet or cellular communication.

Monitoring software receives and processes the collected data, allowing authorized users to view electricity consumption, compare metering points, and analyze energy usage over time.

This architecture can simplify communication deployment when meters are spread across a factory or industrial facility.

However, LoRaWAN does not eliminate every wiring requirement. Energy meters still need suitable electrical connections, and gateways require power and an appropriate network connection. The wireless network must also provide sufficient coverage for the installed devices.

*Click to view the detailed parameters of the LoRaWAN electricity meter

4. Typical Applications in Industrial Facilities

Three-phase LoRaWAN energy meters can be used in different areas of a factory, depending on the electrical system and metering requirements.

Production Lines and Workshop Distribution

Manufacturing facilities may have several production lines operating simultaneously, with each line supplied through a separate distribution circuit.

Installing energy meters at these points allows operators to collect electricity consumption data for individual production areas. This information can support production energy analysis and help identify differences in electricity usage between processes.

Motors, Pumps, and Auxiliary Equipment

Industrial motors, pumps, compressors, and ventilation systems can account for a significant portion of a facility’s electricity consumption.

Where the electrical circuit and meter specifications are compatible, separate metering points can be established to monitor the energy usage of these equipment groups.

For larger loads, current transformers or meters with higher current ratings may be required.

Industrial Parks and Multiple Buildings

Some industrial facilities operate across several buildings or workshops. In these cases, centralized wireless metering can help collect electricity data from geographically distributed locations.

A suitable gateway deployment allows multiple compatible meters to communicate with a shared monitoring system, subject to network coverage and system capacity.

This approach can be particularly useful when extending communication cables between buildings would be difficult.

5. Choosing the Right Three-Phase LoRaWAN Energy Meter

Selecting an energy meter for industrial monitoring requires more than checking whether it supports wireless communication.

The meter must match the electrical installation and the information required by the monitoring system.

Electrical Specifications

The first step is to confirm the voltage, phase configuration, current range, and installation method.

For example, a three-phase four-wire meter is suitable for compatible 3P4W electrical systems. Direct-connected meters can be used within their specified current range, while higher-current applications may require external current transformers.

The selected meter must also be suitable for the intended electrical environment and installation requirements.

Communication Frequency

LoRaWAN operates in different regional frequency bands, including EU868, US915, and AU915.

The meter, gateway, and network configuration must use compatible frequency settings and comply with the applicable regional requirements.

For international industrial projects, confirming the required LoRaWAN frequency before selecting the meter can help avoid compatibility issues.

Measurement and Control Functions

Different projects require different levels of measurement.

Some applications only need cumulative active energy readings. Others may require voltage, current, active power, power factor, or bidirectional energy measurement.

If remote switching or prepaid electricity management is required, the project must also verify whether the selected meter supports these functions and whether the monitoring system can operate them.

Not every LoRaWAN energy meter provides the same measurement or control capabilities.

6. LoRaWAN and RS485: Choosing the Right Communication Method

LoRaWAN and RS485 can both support industrial energy monitoring, but they serve different communication requirements.

RS485 is commonly used for wired communication between energy meters and a local data collection device. It is suitable for installations where communication cables are already available or can be installed conveniently.

LoRaWAN provides wireless communication between compatible meters and gateways. It can be useful when metering points are distributed across different areas and additional communication wiring is undesirable.

In some projects, both technologies can be used together. For example, an energy meter may provide RS485 Modbus communication for local integration while using LoRaWAN for remote data transmission.

The appropriate solution depends on the installation environment, communication distance, network coverage, data collection requirements, and overall system architecture.

7. Practical Considerations Before Deployment

Before installing a LoRaWAN energy monitoring system, project engineers should evaluate several factors.

Wireless coverage: Metal electrical cabinets, machinery, walls, and building structures may affect radio communication. A site survey or practical coverage test can help determine suitable gateway locations.

Data collection frequency: Industrial energy monitoring does not always require continuous high-frequency data transmission. The reporting interval should match the monitoring objectives and the network’s operating requirements.

System compatibility: Confirm that the energy meter, gateway, network server, and monitoring software support the required communication settings and data format.

Metering accuracy and installation: Select a meter with suitable electrical ratings and accuracy for the intended application. Correct installation and appropriate current measurement methods are essential for reliable energy data.

Scalability: Consider the number of meters, gateway capacity, network coverage, and future expansion requirements when designing the system.

These factors help ensure that the wireless communication solution meets the actual needs of the industrial facility.

8. Supporting Industrial Energy Monitoring with IVY Metering

IVY Metering provides energy metering products for industrial, commercial, and distributed energy monitoring applications.

Our three-phase LoRaWAN energy meters are designed for compatible three-phase AC metering systems that require wireless data collection. Depending on the selected model, available functions may include local RS485 Modbus communication, remote energy data transmission, and additional metering or control features.

For industrial projects, the appropriate meter should be selected according to the electrical specifications, current range, LoRaWAN frequency, and required measurement functions.

For example, our EM514012 three-phase LoRaWAN energy meter supports 3P4W measurement, EU868 wireless communication, local RS485 Modbus communication, and a maximum current rating of 100A. It is intended for compatible applications within its specified electrical ratings, rather than unrestricted high-current industrial feeders.

For larger industrial loads or projects with specific measurement requirements, other suitable metering configurations may be necessary.

By matching the energy meter to the electrical installation and communication architecture, industrial operators can establish a practical foundation for remote energy monitoring and more detailed electricity consumption analysis.

Conclusion

Industrial energy monitoring requires reliable electricity measurement and an effective way to collect data from distributed metering points.

Three-phase LoRaWAN energy meters provide a wireless communication option for factories, workshops, and industrial facilities where traditional communication wiring may be difficult or costly to extend.

By combining suitable energy meters, LoRaWAN gateways, and compatible monitoring software, businesses can collect electricity data from multiple locations and improve visibility into their energy consumption.

The key to a successful deployment is choosing the right meter for the electrical system, confirming wireless coverage, and ensuring compatibility across the entire monitoring network.

For industrial energy monitoring projects, IVY Metering offers three-phase LoRaWAN energy metering solutions that can be selected according to specific project requirements.