Trilliant Networks, a global provider of Internet of Things (IoT) and smart energy solutions, together with the Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation (EVNHCMC), has successfully completed the pilot of Vietnam’s first smart city communications platform.

The platform serves as a foundational step in Electricity of Vietnam (EVN)’s commitment to advancing efficiency, reliability, and affordability of energy for their customers.

“In a region where significant populations and GDP growth are creating unique and pressing challenges, Vietnam is among the first to take a tangible step towards addressing those challenges,” said Mr. Bryan Spear, Managing Director, Trilliant, Asia Pacific. 

“Vietnam is not only planning to address critical challenges for the future, this project shows they are taking action, with one of the first true smart city demonstration projects in the region now a reality.”

First developed in May 2016, the platform completed its year-long pilot project at Saigon Hi-Tech Park (SHTP), the centerpiece of Vietnam’s bid to make Ho Chi Minh City the “Silicon Valley of the Pacific”. 

Extending from customer meters at SHTP to EVNHCMC’s operations center, the platform demonstrates that solutions can be tested in a micro-city like an industrial park, then scaled up to be deployed citywide and nationwide. 

The communications network incorporates a variety of technologies that are suited to the needs of the varied terrain, customers, and system characteristics across EVNHCMC’s distribution network.

Vietnam is experiencing over 8 per cent annual energy demand growth and southern Vietnam is expected to have energy shortages within two years. As a result, the country has embarked on aggressive energy efficiency and smart city initiatives. Trilliant’s platform will help proactively solve these energy dilemmas. 

The solution cost-effectively improves utility performance across key organizational goals including revenue generation, network performance and large-scale integration of renewable resources, improving workforce management, engaging customers, advancing operational excellence and improving energy efficiency.

Using an advanced RF network for AMI, the potential benefits of a digitalized approach are clear, positioning EVNHCMC to leapfrog ahead technologically. 

Today, the utility is in discussions to leverage the same network to provide smart street lighting solutions as part of Ho Chi Minh City’s smart city initiatives.

“EVNHCMC plans to continue to build infrastructure and intelligence to meet Vietnam’s growing energy needs and to help meet the tremendous energy demand of the region’s growing economy with smarter, clean, reliable, and affordable power,” said Mr. Tran Khiem Tuan, EVNHCMC Deputy General Director.

Trilliant® offers the energy industry’s only enterprise-wide Smart Communications Platform for connecting IoT through a secure, standards-based, multi-technology, open spectrum solution. 

With three decades’ experience and the most field-proven and globally compliant solution, Trilliant maximizes smart grid and smart city investments and makes operations future-ready.

EVNHCMC is one of five electricity distribution utilities under EVN. Its main task is to distribute electricity in Ho Chi Minh City.

VN Economic Times