SES
ASTRA
Supplies
ASTRA2Connect
for
Energy
Monitoring
in
Italy
10
February
2010
SES
ASTRA,
has
signed
a
cooperation
agreement
with
the
Italian
corporation
Gestore
dei
Servizi
Energetici
(GSE)
for
the
deployment
of
5,000
ASTRA2Connect
terminals
in
Italy.
GSE
will
use
a
dedicated
ASTRA2Connect-based
satellite
service
for
telemetry
and
video
surveillance
applications
in
order
to
optimize
the
predictions
of
its
renewable
energy
sources.
GSE
is a
government-owned
company
promoting
and
supporting
renewable
energy
sources
and
is
controlled
by
the
Italian
Ministry
of
Economics
and
Finance.
SES
ASTRA
will
provide
its
successful
satellite-based
broadband
technology
to
improve
the
data
flow
from
renewable
energy
sources.
Through
the
contract,
ASTRA2Connect
will
become
one
of
the
largest
satellite-based
broadband
networks
for
the
energy
market
in
Europe
as
well
as a
leading
satellite
broadband
service
in
Italy.
In
addition,
SES
ASTRA
is
contributing
to
the
development
of a
sustainable
European
energy
policy
from
renewable
sources
of
electricity
and
will
play
a
vital
role
in
the
creation
of a
competitive
electricity
market.
The
distribution
of
the
terminals
will
be
managed
by a
consortium
consisting
of
SES
ASTRA,
Digitaria,
SES
ASTRA’s
distribution
partner
for
ASTRA2Connect
in
Italy,
and
Calzavara,
a
system
integrator
for
telecommunications
with
a
strong
focus
on
alternative
and
renewable
energies.
The
ASTRA2Connect
satellite
technology
was
launched
in
2007
as a
residential
service
especially
for
households
in
regions
without
terrestrial
broadband
networks.
Marketed
via
wholesalers
and
internet
service
providers,
it
offers
an
always-on
and
interactive
broadband
internet
access
at
low
costs.
The
customer
premises
equipment
– a
modem
and
satellite
dish
–
can
be
easily
self-installed.
With
currently
more
than
50,000
end
users,
ASTRA2Connect
is
highly
successful
in
the
residential
market
and
has
recently
been
further
developed
for
the
industrial
and
maritime
markets.
“Our
agreement
with
GSE
is a
significant
step
for
ASTRA2Connect
in
the
Italian
market,”
said
Alexander
Oudendijk,
Chief
Commercial
Officer
of
SES
ASTRA.
“With
the
European
energy
market
seeking
a
substantially
increased
share
of
renewable
energy
sources,
we
are
very
proud
to
be
able
to
offer
ASTRA2Connect
as a
reliable
and
cost-efficient
solution
to
control
and
monitor
the
data
flow.
We
are
convinced
that
we
are
offering
the
right
product
to
this
highly
competitive
market
and
are
looking
forward
to
sharing
first
results
with
GSE.”
“This
monitoring
project
for
renewable
source
plants
is
unique
in
the
Italian
energy
landscape,”
said
Nando
Pasquali,
CEO
of
GSE.
“Through
our
choice
to
use
a
satellite
platform
for
data
collection
processes,
we
have
introduced
a
system
which
is
innovative,
flexible,
and
scalable
and
covers
the
entire
Italian
territory,
allowing
its
use
wherever
renewable
energy
is
produced.
A
further
advantage
of
the
satellite
platform
is
its
low
costs,
comparable
to
traditional
ADSL
networks.
Gestore
dei
Servizi
Energetici
is
the
first
energy
operator
to
use
the
satellite
for
data
collection
from
renewable
energy
sources
on a
large
scale
to
supply
a
more
efficient
and
effective
service
with
great
benefits
for
consumers”.
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