Itron has unveiled its new Solar Battery Access Point (Solar Battery AP), a solar-powered, battery-operated device to provide reliable network connectivity in areas where traditional mesh networks are not available.
The Solar Battery AP brings together Itron’s decades of experience building battery-powered devices and field-proven intelligent connectivity into a form-factor that will transform networking for the gas and water industry. Available in North America in the second half of 2025, the Itron Solar Battery AP will be showcased in Itron booth 1202 during the American Gas Association Operations Conference from 4-8 May in Colorado, US.
When deploying an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) network, water and gas utilities can face challenges related to the lack of overhead infrastructure to mount and power network devices. The operational costs to rent or lease pole space, install devices and maintain a network can often be too high to justify the benefits. The Itron Solar Battery AP addresses this challenge by allowing utilities to utilise their own assets to mount the devices. This approach simplifies the deployment and maintenance of an AMI network and lowers its total cost of ownership. Key benefits of the Solar Battery AP include:
- Rechargeable power management system: an integrated solar panel generates the power required to operate the Solar Battery AP, providing mounting flexibility and eliminating the costs for a power drop and monthly power bill
- Cost-effective deployment: by mounting directly to utility-owned assets, utilities can reduce costs by avoiding infrastructure agreements
- Long-lasting performance: designed to last up to 20 years in the field
- Enhanced connectivity: the Solar Battery AP delivers a low-latency, battery-powered mesh network, expanding connectivity for gas and water utilities
“When designing the Solar Battery AP, we aimed to create a solution that would overcome the hurdles many water and gas utilities face when transitioning from an AMR to an AMI network, while also optimising the total cost of ownership. The Solar Battery AP achieves that,” said John Marcolini, Senior Vice President of Network Solutions, Itron. “We look forward to helping utilities and municipalities leverage this technology to improve the safety and reliability of the critical services that they deliver and to create new ways for them to engage with their customers.”
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