CAMARILLO, Calif., Mar. 24, 2022 – Semtech Corporation (Nasdaq: SMTC), a leading global supplier of high performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors and advanced algorithms, announced its collaboration with Vutility, leading provider of real-time, high-resolution, energy monitoring solutions – enabling businesses to optimize their energy consumption and improve operational efficiencies. Vutility’s ‘HotDrop’ features Semtech’s LoRa® devices and the LoRaWAN® standard to provide real-time, circuit-level energy monitoring of a facility which can help save on electricity costs. The ‘HotDrop’ is very easy to onboard via QR code. Market research firm Frost & Sullivan reported the total cost of HotDrop ownership was 90% lower than competing metering monitoring devices on the market.
“A key challenge we faced when developing the ‘HotDrop’ solution was to identify a wireless IoT standard that was able to communicate out from inside an electrical distribution panel, with similar radio-frequency disruptions to a Faraday cage, and through multiple dense walls and floors of buildings,” said Micheal Austin, chief technology officer for Vutility. “The long-range transmission capability of LoRaWAN was able to meet and even exceed expectations for ‘HotDrop’ to maintain wireless, real-time transmission signals to the Cloud. Leveraging LoRaWAN was ideal for us to scale the ‘HotDrop’ solution.”
‘HotDrop’ from Vutility is self-powered, non-intrusive, and completely battery- and maintenance- free. Once installed, there is no need to open-up the panel again for service. In addition, the solution was designed to be “instantaneous” to install, without requiring the facility to de-energize. The installation of a “HotDrop” is a “snap”, with a simple QR code scan for onboarding through an Android or iOS device and wireless clip closure around the monitored circuit. The implementation of LoRa devices (SX1272) and LoRaWAN serve as the “IoT backbone” of the solution, delivering actionable real-time, circuit-level data via application programming interface (API) to any end application. The minute-by-minute relay of data benefits users to monitor their electricity usage in real time, potentially saving on costs.
“The flexibility of LoRaWAN provides a robust connectivity option that complements other technologies, especially in the utilities market,” said Marc Pégulu, vice president of IoT product marketing and strategy for Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group. “Vutility’s ‘HotDrop’ solution smartly employs LoRaWAN to produce efficient energy usage while also meeting sustainability initiatives important to the smart utilities and metering industries today.”
To learn more about Vutility’s ‘HotDrop,’ please visit here.
For more smart utilities use cases leveraging Semtech’s LoRa devices, please visit here.
About Semtech’s LoRa® Platform
Semtech’s LoRa device-to-Cloud platform is a globally adopted long range, low power solution for IoT applications, enabling the rapid development and deployment of ultra-low power, cost efficient and long range IoT networks, gateways, sensors, module products, and IoT services worldwide. Semtech’s LoRa technology provides the communication layer for the LoRaWAN® standard, which is maintained by the LoRa Alliance®, an open IoT alliance for Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) applications that has been used to deploy IoT networks in over 170 countries. With the proliferation of LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN standard, the LoRa Developer Portal is a place to learn, connect, collaborate, and find resources to help accelerate your LoRa development process. Semtech is a founding member of the LoRa Alliance. To learn more about how LoRa enables IoT, visit Semtech’s LoRa site.
About Vutility, Inc.
Vutility was founded in 2016 with a vision to change the way the world works through data that matters. With our proprietary IoT sensors and data services, we provide scalable, cost-effective real-time visibility into energy and utility usage, enabling leading global organizations to deliver innovative and disruptive building and energy management solutions. Our go-to-market strategy is B2B2B through partners who are leading providers of energy and building management services across a wide variety of industries, including energy efficiency, measure and verify (M&V) audits, demand response (DR), sustainability, building automation, critical equipment monitoring and optimization and more. Key commercial partners and investors include Engie, Chevron, Constellation, MachineQ, MyDevices, CalChip Connect, and Logical Buildings. Visit Vutility.com to learn more.
About Semtech
Semtech Corporation is a leading global supplier of high performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors and advanced algorithms for infrastructure, high-end consumer and industrial equipment. Products are designed to benefit the engineering community as well as the global community. The Company is dedicated to reducing the impact it, and its products, have on the environment. Internal green programs seek to reduce waste through material and manufacturing control, use of green technology and designing for resource reduction. Publicly traded since 1967, Semtech is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol SMTC. For more information, visit www.semtech.com.
