Why is Big Data such a Big Deal for electric utilities? Because many are starting to use advanced analytics software to turn the volumes of data streaming in from smart grid technologies into actionable business intelligence. In part one of our new buying guide, you'll discover some of the benefits they're seeing - including just-released results from Oncor's ambitious analytics initiative with IBM.

Utilities are now getting much more data about their equipment via meters, sensors and other intelligent devices and seeing the benefits of software that can pull together all that information and make sense of it. As a result, strategic asset management is entering its next phase, which is the focus of our latest eBook developed with the experts at UTILICASE. Download the free eBook to learn how your utility can glean the benefits of advanced analytics to develop a more strategic asset care program.

Data analytics powerhouse SAS may have made its entry into the smart grid sector late. But its versatile new energy forecasting product's capabilities, from helping utilities with energy trading to optimizing power plant management, are definitely worth exploring.

The announcement by AES Energy Storage of its new "operating system" for energy storage pledges that it gives utilities the ability to wring maximum performance and efficiency out of their installations without being tied to one type of technology. The AES system also allows utilities to customize their storage systems for different uses – and that means multiple value streams.

When utility crews team up to restore power after major disasters like Hurricane Sandy, keeping track of their own vehicles can be tricky, let alone monitoring where other crews are. Clevest Solutions has launched a new version of its locator software to make that chore easier and more efficient.

A story worth following out of Indiana: A bill approved by the state Senate would give utilities the authority to raise rates without following the usual regulatory procedure. But it faces some tough sledding in the House.

EPRI says its research on using drones for faster and more accurate power line damage evaluation after major storms has taken a big step forward with the successful test flights of two prototypes earlier this month. EPRI is also working on integrating data and information gathered by the flying monitors with utility operations.

Smart Grid News regularly publishes strategic overviews of key vendors to help utilities decide which companies will make good partners. Does the vendor see things as you do? Does its roadmap for the future match up with where you want to go? Today we take a close look at ABB - its worldview, key themes, strengths and challenges.

GE will incorporate Google Maps data into its Smallworld applications to give utilities a better view of their networks. The ability to visualize and analyze data on a map means utilities can more accurately monitor the efficiency and productivity of field operations and give customers up-to-date information on things like outage restoration times.

When we see useful and interesting reports we like to pass them along. Today we're highlighting grid policy recommendations from a bipartisan group, a deep-dive on grid stability and transformer technologies by GTM Research, and an EPRI update on dealing with AMI-related security events.

American Electric Power will implement ABB's new Asset Health Center solution to boost reliability and performance of its transmission networks. It is, ABB says, a significant step toward increasingly smart transmission grids.

A LumaSense survey of electric power industry professionals found that dissolved-gas analysis (DGA) is becoming a preferred and vital part of utilities' asset management strategies as they try to extend the life of their aging transformer fleets. But there's an impediment to wide-scale deployment - the cost.

A growing chorus of East Coasters is crying for the distribution grid to be buried underground to forestall outages from giant storms like Hurricane Sandy. We think there's a way utilities could make it work - and are curious if you agree.

Before you can start kicking tires and looking under the hood at analytics toolsets, you need to assess how ready your organization is to embrace an analytics-driven culture – and what it's going to take in terms of people, processes and equipment to be ready.

Not every utility arrives at the analytics doorstep with the same intentions. Some may be looking for customer analytics, others want to start with grid analytics and still others may be interested in meter data analytics. This article will help you plot out your analytics roadmap.