Grid optimization is the process of making the power grid as good as possible. But even though the grid optimization concept is simple, the practice is complex because it involves multiple variables and tradeoffs. In power grid optimization, we must find just the right balance between reliability, availability, efficiency and cost. Fortunately, the smart grid offers a number of grid optimization solutions. First, smart devices gather information, providing a more accurate and detailed understanding. Second, smart software analyzes that data and suggests grid optimization adjustments to wring maximum value from grid assets. Scroll down for grid optimization, Volt/VAR optimization and related resources.
Results: 136 results found. You are on page 1 of 6 pages.
Smart meters may get most of the attention, but many would argue that grid optimization is how utilities and their customers are going to get the most bang for their buck. So what is grid optimization, and how do we bring it out of the smart grid closet? You'll find answers in our one-stop grid optimization toolkit, which is packed with the analysis, trends and resources you need to get up to speed.
Siemens snaps up RuggedCom, a maker of hardened routers for substations. ABB snags Thomas & Betts, a maker of old-school low voltage gear. Valuations on these two recent deals may signal a new strategic phase of particular interest to smaller suppliers. Click for more on that, plus concerns about the Siemens deal from long-time industry analyst Chuck Newton.
Utilities facing the challenges of an aging/retiring workforce and an aging infrastructure can find themselves dealing with problematic feeders that require too much time and attention. With launch of its Intelligent Distribution Sensor product line, CURRENT is offering a solution - and Pepco is taking them up on it with a rollout planned for its Washington, D.C. service area.
A tool from GE that spots grid stress sooner and two new security solutions from Tropos Networks are featured in today's installment of our Discovery Showcase series. Click for a look at seven new product releases from some leading smart grid vendors (and a couple you may not have heard of - yet anyway). And a special bonus: A free tool from EPRI that helps you evaluate electricity generation technologies.
What's the application that will take smart grid over the top? That will make it seem as obvious, inevitable and valuable as the Internet seems to us today? Some say it's demand response, some say voltage optimization, some say customer empowerment. What do YOU say? That's this week's Tuesday Topic in our discussion forum.
A comprehensive grid optimization study being undertaken by the German government is urgently needed since the country has opted to abandon nuclear, says SGN Chief Analyst Jesse Berst. Learn how the study's results could influence Europe's future role in smart grid.
Over the years, we've spent a lot of time at Smart Grid News talking about how best to communicate with meters and home area networks. But what about the growing need to communicate with substations, circuit breakers and transformers? As you will see in today's guest column by Andrejs Rozitis of FreeWave Technologies, new communications technologies are transforming that part of the grid as well.
A new year is on the way, and so are new smart grid technologies from leading vendors. In this latest installment of our Discovery Showcase series, you'll learn about special-duty surge arresters, software that turns PMU data into valuable insights, and three more just-released innovations. Click to read the details.
There's a lot of smart grid happening this week – from power plant automation and wireless sensor projects to a California initiative to give customers access to their energy use information with the click of a button. Learn more about five very different smart grid projects that caught our attention.
We've been talking for years about moving computing into the cloud. What about moving electric power generation into a cloud configuration? We might be able to get there partway, suggests Telvent's Jeffrey Meyers, a concept he dubs "the Partly Cloudy Grid." Click inside to read his forecast.
Pacific Gas & Electric this week asked the California PUC for the green light on six new smart grid pilot projects. The utility's plans range from enhancing distribution system reliability and flexibility to implementing voltage and grid control systems to cut customer costs, as well developing customer outreach programs.
After the historic storm that clobbered Northeastern states last month, utilities got a lot of criticism for being too slow in their response to restore service. Jonas Olsen of On-Ramp Wireless has some thoughts on how utilities can be better prepared for the next natural disaster. Click inside for his insights.
The expansion of distribution management systems (DMS) in the utility sector is forcing utilities to integrate data and operations between departments, a move that SGN Chief Analyst Jesse Berst suggests is long overdue. Click inside to learn why DMS is becoming such a linchpin for utilities and get advice from an expert on how to head down the DMS path cautiously.
Today’s electric power grid is primarily composed of central generating stations and electromechanical power delivery systems operated from control centers. However, the system is transforming itself into a smart grid that integrates a multitude of distributed energy resources, uses solid state electronics to manage and deliver power and employs automated control systems, notes this report from Research and Markets. It addresses several smart grid benefits, including those for transmission, distribution and local load servicing, power flow optimization and waste reduction.
Mitsubishi Electric has begun full-scale testing with a variety of smart grid and smart community technologies in Japan, from demand and supply balancing to microgrids and energy saving programs for consumers. There's more on this decidedly renewable energy-centric project inside.
GTM Research senior analyst Chet Geschickter winds up his three-part smart enterprise series by tackling a complex question: What would it take to bring smart grid information technology and operations technology together? Click inside for the details on Chet's approach.
Intergraph has packed more punch into its InService 8.3.1 product which improves real-time data integration in a consolidated command-and-control environment for better management of field crews, outages and operations of utilities' dispersed electrical distribution infrastructure. Read more about the development and additional features inside.
Integrated applications are pretty handy, in fact essential to an electric utility's critical daily operations. But what happens when you've got so many you can't keep track of them, let alone upgrade or replace them? Accidental architecture. GTM Research senior analyst Chet Geschickter explains the consequences, and introduces a possible solution.
SGN contributor and smart grid security pro Andy Bochman says the massive outage that cut power to millions in San Diego and parts of Arizona and Mexico earlier this month should teach us a very valuable lesson about our smart grid priorities. Click inside to read what he has to say.
In this latest installment of our Discovery Showcase series, Jesse Berst has unearthed two killer simulation tools from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Both are available today, and one is a free download. Click inside to learn if they could be useful to your utility.
A new report forecasts astounding growth in the grid optimization market in the next couple of years. We’ve been saying for a while now that grid op would be the Next Big Thing; click inside to see just how big.
Who doesn't like to take a peek at what someone else is doing to make their piece of the grid smarter? Click inside to learn about six smart grid projects that are tackling some tough issues – from outage management to EV range anxiety to storing renewable energy.
Utilities are increasingly overwhelmed by data pouring in from smart meters and sensors. SGN Analyst Jesse Berst says some are turning to complex event processing techniques perfected in sectors where data volumes are even higher. One example: The EventManager just launched by Florida-based Infrax System. Details inside.
This Global Data report available from Research and Markets provides an analysis of the global market for outage management systems with insights on key countries such as the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Australia and India. Outage management systems (OMS) help utilities by handling trouble calls, detecting power failure, estimating restoration time, crew management and providing status reports to customers. The global market for OMS is expected to grow at a moderate rate of 3.8% during the period 2011-2020 – and the sluggish growth can be attributed to the decreasing demand for stand-alone OMS in favor of OMS integrated with enterprise systems.
Oracle is offering an advanced network management system that provides new modeling and analysis features to help utilities get a handle on aligning electricity generation with demand, keep the lights on in situations that would have caused outages in the past – and more. The details are just a click away.
We're getting mixed signals about the vitality of the smart grid market. On the one hand, the recent DistribuTECH conference was one of the most successful ever. On the other, a well-known Wall Street analyst recently told his clients that the smart metering sector is "facing several headwinds," including weak regulatory support in the U.S. and delays in European adoption. Taking the pulse of the smart grid industry is this week's Tuesday Topic.
Twitter
Facebook
Linkedin
RSS
