Open Metering Infrastructure · SparkMeter stack notes
ISV Technology Committee · 11 August 2026 · A2EI Open Metering Infrastructure · EarthSpark / SteamaCo · OpenAMI Alliance · priorities
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Call capture
Working notes on how SparkMeter / GroundBolt / ThunderCloud pieces fit, SteamaCo Nimbus as peer under A2EI Open Metering Infrastructure, OpenAMI Alliance scope, and near-term standards focus (Open Metering Infrastructure progress over OBIS deep-dive).
Status
Field / meeting understanding — not yet cross-checked against every EarthSpark ICD. Diagrams on TC2.0 review may still show older Firefly-as-radio framing; see correction below.
SparkMeter / EarthSpark stack (as heard)
SM meters (2.4 GHz, encrypted / hidden SSID)
↔ USB Gateway (runs on laptop)
↔ GroundBolt (site) ·via Gateway·
↔ ThunderCloud (= GroundBolt in the cloud)
- Meters — SparkMeter field meters on 2.4 GHz; SSID encrypted or hidden.
- Gateway — USB device; works attached to a laptop. Physical bridge to the meter RF.
- GroundBolt — on-site app; talks to meters via the Gateway (not a separate radio hop labeled Firefly).
- ThunderCloud — same app family as GroundBolt, deployed in the cloud.
- SparkNet-HTTP and Firefly — described as software plugins (not standalone RF radios). Aligns with public
sparknet-http repo being software; Firefly naming on older wiki diagrams likely overstated as hardware mesh gateways.
Wiki correction · RF vs software
Verified public: meters advertise built-in RF mesh; sparknet-http is open software; ThunderCloud / GroundBolt are the same web app, different deploy target.
Meeting correction: the USB Gateway is the hardware RF interface (laptop/site). Firefly + SparkNet-HTTP = plugins into that stack. Older village diagrams that draw multiple “Firefly radios” with coverage discs should be treated as provisional until redrawn against this model.
Open Code · STS vending
- Open Code path today: basic meter reading · toggle relays.
- Tokens / prepaid: STS. Do not redo vending — use existing STS token path.
A2EI Open Metering Infrastructure · Nimbus peer
- Open Metering Infrastructure (A2EI) — CRM / operator platform layer. Use the full name only.
- ThunderCloud (EarthSpark / SparkMeter) and Nimbus (SteamaCo) both sit under Open Metering Infrastructure — Nimbus ≈ SteamaCo’s ThunderCloud-class HES.
- Nimbus uses a universal SGC (Security Group Code) key for token generation.
Roles
| Actor | Role (as stated) |
|---|
| REI (e.g. REIc) | Customer of Open Metering Infrastructure |
| Beneficiary | Customer of REI (end household / site user) |
| Jude | Uses Volta as server |
OpenAMI Alliance (scope heard)
Premium / value-add layer on top of core metering — not year-one prepaid plumbing:
- Premium services
- Carbon credit tracing
- Theft detection
- VPP (virtual power plant)
Priorities · OBIS vs Open Metering Infrastructure standards
Focus shift
OBIS / VMRS deep register work takes a back burner relative to standards and interfaces that drive progress on Open Metering Infrastructure (read · relay · STS tokens already in path · GroundBolt/Nimbus under A2EI). Keep VMRS as the short northbound checklist when needed; do not block Open Metering Infrastructure on a full OBIS campaign.
Follow-ups for wiki
- Redraw TC2.0 village / stack diagrams: USB Gateway as RF bridge; Firefly / SparkNet-HTTP as software plugins.
- Vendor study: note Nimbus ↔ ThunderCloud peer under A2EI Open Metering Infrastructure; SGC token note.
- Roadmap / OpenAMI: Alliance premium tracks (carbon, theft analytics, VPP) vs core OpenAMI MQTT.
- Confirm Volta server role with Jude before publishing as architecture fact.