Dutch firm SHV Energy, a distributor of off-grid energy such as LPG, LNG, biofuels and renewables, is working with Sigfox to roll out global LPG tank level monitoring.

The implementation has started in France, Belgium and Germany and is already generating lower carbon emissions and improved user satisfaction. Over the next three years, 50,000 units will be rolled out worldwide.

Sigfox’s IoT asset monitoring capability enables SHV Energy to reduce the cost of tank level monitoring, while increasing efficiency and productivity. SHV Energy has 30 million customers in 25 countries and 16,700 employees.

The energy company set up a telemetry centre of excellence and used Sigfox’ products and partner Aton SB to deliver a homogeneous, global system for tank level monitoring that provides data analytics and connected smart devices for daily tank level readings. It can now optimise delivery routes and schedules, and has improved sustainability by reducing the firm’s carbon footprint.

Additionally, the Sigfox-based system is said to be more cost-effective than cellular alternatives. Savings stem from low-cost components, no SIM cards and modest connectivity costs.

“Data collection is critical to the success of our business,” said Simon Gilchrist, global programme lead at SHV Energy. “Our efforts to streamline this process have been boosted tremendously through Sigfox. We are now able to gather information at an extremely low-cost point, and this enables the wider scale rollout of homogeneous tank monitoring across the globe. Sigfox has exceeded our expectations. Its network and technology partners will help to meet our strategic objectives of harnessing the power of telemetry to the fullest.”

Ian Terblanche, senior vice president at Sigfox, added: “The global Sigfox 0G network has delivered once again when it comes to providing connectivity that offers a direct environmental benefit. Across multiple territories, and with the support of our Sigfox operators, our solution for SHV Energy is helping to lower CO₂ emissions as remote tank level monitoring ultimately reduces the number of overall site visits and eliminates unnecessary visits.”

SHV Energy is a global distributor of off-grid energy such as LPG and LNG and is active in the area of sustainable fuels and renewable energy. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of SHV, a family-owned multinational, and consists of a group of specialised energy companies. Brands include Calor, Ipragaz, Liquigas, Primagaz and Supergasbras.

Sigfox is an IoT communication service provider and 0G network pioneer. The technology is enabled by a single global network, owned and operated by 75 Sigfox operators worldwide. It covers more than 19 million connected devices with 75 million messages sent each day.

ISO 9001 certified, Sigfox was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Labège, France, with offices in Boston, Dallas, Dubai, Madrid, Paris, Sao Paulo, Singapore and Tokyo.