India's First Dual-Source Meter - How PES Invented It

The problem was simple to state: Indian buildings run on two electricity sources - grid and diesel generator. Every energy meter available in India measured only one. The DG billing problem was the result - estimated charges, disputed bills, no verifiable data.

The Market Gap

Global meter manufacturers offered no solution because the problem is largely unique to India and similar markets with ubiquitous DG backup. The standard approaches - separate meters per source, or time-of-use estimation - were both unsatisfactory.

The Engineering Solution

The dual-source meter required two separate energy measurement circuits in one enclosure, each with its own accumulator, and firmware applying different tariffs to each independently. PES's founder had spent 17 years in IAF avionics - dual-input measurement and automatic source switching are standard disciplines in aircraft electronics. The dual-source meter drew directly on that background.

The Impact

Since 2008, dual-source metering has been standard in PES installations. The DG billing disputes endemic in earlier societies disappeared where dual-source meters were installed. Today the PES-12 and PES-20 both include dual-source capability as standard. Contact sales@pesonline.co.in for technical specifications.