Posts tagged smart grid
Smart Grid Trends to Watch for in 2012
Jan 23rd
Aging grid infrastructure, rising energy costs and demand, and new and pending government legislation are some of the factors motivating consumers and utilities alike to seek more energy efficient, sustainable solutions. Smart grid technologies are the key to addressing these challenges and bringing energy management to the masses.
2012 will prove to be another exciting year to watch the smart grid market evolve. Here are a few top trends to expect next year:
1) Distributed Automation takes center stage
Many utilities are preparing to leverage smart grid technologies to deliver improved reliability through increased automation. Distributed Automation (DA) is a key element to this strategy as it enables two-way communication with substations, power lines, intelligent devices, and other physical facilities. As a result, utilities are able to remotely monitor and control systems, automatically identify and isolate faults and quickly restore service.
DA is set to play a significant role in smart grid infrastructure. Two drivers of this trend are: the expected proliferation of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and distributed energy resources (DER) such as renewables.
IDC predicts that there will be 120,000 PEVs sold in North America in 2012. Consequently, the rate of DA adoption will accelerate as utilities seek to provide power to meet the added load requirements from EVs, while simultaneously maintaining grid reliability and safety. Additionally, DA will be increasingly important as utilities seek to integrate distributed renewable generation resources into the grid.
Over the past 30+ years, DA has helped the utility industry realize cost savings and improve operational efficiency, reliability, and energy conservation, and its impact is projected to continue to grow in coming years (Pike Research forecasts that DA revenues will reach $10.4 billion by 2014, up from $2.7 billion in 2010).
2) Demand response becomes ubiquitous
By enabling energy users to adjust power consumption based on signals from the grid, demand response (DR) provides a more efficient and less expensive way to use energy.
In recent years, DR has evolved from an economic and reliability tool towards being an active energy management solution. Building owner participation in DR stands to result in significant environmental benefits and help utilities improve grid reliability while meeting increasing energy demand.
Legislation is also encouraging commercial buildings to participate in DR programs. For instance, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) recently issued ruling 745, which puts DR resources on par with traditional generation resources, enabling building owners to generate a revenue stream through DR participation. Additionally, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recently announced plans to release an updated LEED DR Pilot Credit which will establish guidelines anticipated to increase participation in automated DR programs.
On the residential front, the proliferation of smart meters and home automation systems in recent years has enabled residential DR participation. As an increasing number of homeowners hear about energy management programs from utilities, DR participation in the residential sector will continue to rise.
3) Cyber Security will continue to be an important focus
Along with the benefits associated with smart grid infrastructure, there are some security challenges that utilities need to consider. Security is clearly a priority – Pike Research estimates that utilities will invest $14 billion, between 2011 and 2018, in cyber security solutions to secure their infrastructure.
Security vendors will increasingly focus on industrial control system (ICS) security to better secure transmission systems, substation automation, and distribution automation. In the past, security vendors have placed a large focus on IT security functions, such as AMI security. In the coming years, we expect to see increased attention paid towards cyber security solutions which focus on securing control system segments.
4) Utilities will invest in analytics to extract value from big data
Sensors and other smart grid technologies are producing a vast amount of data which, if monitored and analyzed properly, can lead to key insights about energy usage patterns and ultimately result in economic and environmental benefits and improved grid stability. However, managing this data can be overwhelming. The ability to process and analyze data in real-time will be essential for the smart grid.
In 2012, utilities will begin to investigate analytics solutions, and we expect to see broad adoption by utilities over the next two to three years.
5) Utilities will reassess smart grid training, education and communication
The root philosophy behind the smart grid is that open communication between utilities and end-users will help change (for the better) the way we manage and consume energy. The bi-directional flow of information remains a new concept to many utilities; as a result, education and training of utility stakeholders and customers on the benefits is important. As illustrated by The Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative’s (SGCC) recent report on consumer engagement, over the next few years there will be an increased focus by organizations and utilities with consumer-facing smart grid programs on educating and communicating with consumers about smart grid strategies.
Although it is still early to focus on consumer adoption and education, we will start to see players in the smart grid industry and regulators aim to turn consumers into smart grid advocates through enhanced communication campaigns.
2012 will be a transitional year for the smart grid market as smart grid technologies and solutions increasingly become seen as a key to addressing our country’s energy challenges. Through the smart grid, utilities and consumers will be able to work together to manage energy more efficiently, resulting in improved energy efficiency and lower costs. Although there is still work to be done, 2012 will be an exciting year to watch as these trends unfold and we work towards making the smart grid a reality.
Written by Donald Rickey, Senior Vice President, Energy Business, Schneider Electric
Addressing Volatile Energy Costs through Supply and Demand
Dec 20th
Energy is playing a larger role in business profitability than ever before – and it’s growing more complex by the day as sourcing options get more difficult, and energy costs continue to be highly volatile. During the past five years alone, natural gas has ranged from $8.12/Mmbtu to $3.31/Mmbtu while crude oil has moved from $58.80/barrel to more than $100/barrel. As conditions change in energy and sustainability markets across the globe, windows of opportunity to tap new energy sources are continually opening and closing, and keeping track of these moving parts can be a time-consuming and data-heavy venture.
Traditionally, energy, efficiency, reliability, procurement and sustainability initiatives have been addressed by installation of more efficient operational assets, such as lighting, HVAC and building control software. However, with today’s perpetually rising energy costs, along with outside influences from consumers to Wall Street, and sustainability reporting requirements, companies are considering additional innovative ways to expand on the capabilities of operational assets by managing costs through smarter energy management on both the supply and demand sides.
How it Works
Supply – Simply put, intel about energy supply costs and regulatory landscape can help companies buy energy in a smarter way. In a deregulated market, purchasing energy at the best price can be a complex endeavor. It’s not enough just to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) and choose what may appear to be the lowest price. To get the highest value for each energy dollar, it pays to take a more strategic approach to energy procurement, taking into consideration market dynamics, rate and data analysis, supplier and utility negotiations, budget concerns, risk strategy, market intelligence, contract terms and more. Focusing on these areas, an organization can take a proactive approach to buying energy, which ultimately will better control costs.
Demand – As discussed in a previous article addressing demand response (DR) programs authored by Schneider Electric’s Donald Rickey, smart grid technologies have evolved to allow a bidirectional flow of information regarding energy use and demand between end users and the electric utility. Over the past several years, demand response, or the ability for energy consumers to manage energy consumption in response to supply conditions, has evolved from a reliability tool used in peak emergencies to a solution for actively managing energy use. For example, energy pricing fluctuates throughout the course of a day, based on the demand the grid is experiencing. As a result, participants in demand response programs can monitor these costs and run energy-intensive business operations during times when costs are the lowest.
Traditionally, the operating model for energy supply and demand activities has always been conducted in a siloed manner, resulting in fragmented decisions regarding energy resources within an enterprise. In connecting the supply and demand pieces of the energy puzzle together, organizations can now be equipped with an end-to-end, holistic approach to overall energy procurement. This method not only allows comprehensive visibility into energy prices (along with the ability to better procure and manage costs associated with water, gas, electricity, steam and power), but also provides cost savings that can be redirected from energy bills to the business – positively impacting the bottom line.
How to Implement an Integrated Energy Model in Your Organization
Creating a model for effective energy management begins and ends with a comprehensive energy management lifecycle strategy that aligns with the goals of the organization and allows users to optimize energy purchase and use over time. When creating an integrated supply and demand energy management model, the following steps should serve as a guide:
1) Measure Current Energy Use: Get access to water, gas, electric, steam and other associated energy invoices to evaluate what is being spent today. In addition, consider an energy audit and use metering technology to gather information about how the organization is using energy. All information gathered through this process will provide valuable data and insight into the areas that need to improve to achieve lower energy costs.
2) Define a Strategy: With better visibility into the organization’s energy spendings, the next step is to create a comprehensive plan to meet and align with the company’s overall energy goals, risk appetite and budget.
3) Evaluate Partners: Seek out an energy management partner to implement a cost-effective solution to achieve the integrated supply and demand energy strategy.
4) Control Energy Use: Monitor operations to ensure reliability, uptime, power quality and billing accuracy.
5) Train Internally and Externally: It is important to make sure the people that are using the energy supply and demand systems – internally and externally – are properly trained on any new software, hardware or management tools. Without proper knowledge of how to utilize these technologies, the system may not operate at its full potential.
6) Continue to Optimize Performance: Utilize support services and reporting software to ensure that the organization is continuously achieving optimum energy cost and consumption now and in the future.
The Future of Integrated Supply and Demand
In the future, we will see integrated supply and demand models continue to evolve as more technology is introduced to the marketplace. In the short term, advances in handheld device applications will allow facility managers, company stakeholders and even CEOs to tap into crucial information regarding energy procurement and the company’s carbon footprint anytime, anywhere. The smart grid will also evolve to better include these devices, including mobile phones, to ensure that customers are making the smartest decisions about their energy use and procurement at any given time.
However, one thing is certain – in the future, energy prices will continue to rise, and organizations that do not choose to implement an energy supply and demand strategy will be making a decision that could potentially cost them valuable budget resources that could be applied to benefit other areas of their business.
Written by James Potach, senior vice president, Energy Solutions, Schneider Electric; Potach is responsible for energy management and procurement, power management and performance contracting.
Market Disruption Driving Creative Strategies in the Demand-Side Management Space
Dec 9th
Wrenching transformation and consolidation is sweeping across the once stable and conservative lighting industry. New technologies such as LEDs, digital networks and wireless communications are displacing legacy products. Component companies such as CREE are acquiring fixture manufacturers and thereby creating new lighting conglomerates. And, lighting is no longer about discrete applications – lighting is now a citizen in a broader energy intelligent enterprise. Similar change is taking place in other energy efficiency product categories – from HVAC to compressed air – with mature and well understood products being replaced by intelligent and complex technologies requiring significantly more solution design, customer support and hand holding. Moreover, these new energy efficient technologies are increasingly factoring into smart grid and demand management strategies deployed by utilities and grid operators, layering-in both additional opportunity and complexity.
New clean, intelligent and energy efficient technologies have re-set market lifecycles in many traditional product categories. Product categories that were in the late maturity phase a few years ago are now categories back in the early adoption phase. This has tremendous impact on go-to-market strategies. The technical and engineering knowledge and processes required to sell, deploy and support these new technologies are dramatically different. Late maturity is typically characterized by high sales velocity, low cost of sales and broad distribution through highly efficient, high-turn channel partners. In contrast, early adoption requires more consultative, hands-on sales processes across an elongated sales cycle – usually executed by well-trained, high cost direct sales forces and specialized channel partners.
This reset is forcing manufacturers to move quickly to find new strategies and paths-to-market. Channel participants are scrambling to remake their business models and to up-level their competencies. This disruption has caused new channel models, innovative go-to-market strategies, and novel industry partnerships to emerge. Here are some examples:
CHANNELS HARNESSING THE POWER OF INFORMATION
The rear-view mirror days of relying on utility bills to understand energy consumption are gone. Real-time information is the new gold standard in the energy management business. The smarter channel players have figured this out and have reworked their business models and solution offerings. Two such companies that are leveraging data and analytics to differentiate are McKinstry, a larger company in the Pacific Northwest, and Groom Energy, a smaller company based in Boston. McKinstry has evolved over time from a traditional mechanical contractor into an integrated Design-Build-Operate-Maintain firm that offers facility and energy management services in addition to engineering and construction services. However, what distinguishes McKinstry is how it leverages information. McKinstry recognized early the power of information and has invested heavily in its state-of-the-art operations center. This operations center enables McKinstry to leverage real-time building energy and operating data to “tune” buildings to operate at peak efficiencies at all times. By acting as its clients’ “eyes and ears,” McKinstry is able to anticipate breakdowns and dispatch service teams before costly disruptions occur. Similarly, Groom Energy, recognizing the power of information, has successfully transformed its business from lighting retrofitter to a full service energy management company that helps its clients capitalize on what they’ve coined the Enterprise Smart Grid. Groom competes against larger, slower moving competitors by helping clients become more energy intelligent. Groom not only helps its customers evaluate the myriad of software and analytical tools available, it goes further to integrate the submeters, sensors and software technologies to make it happen and also acts on the information coming back to design and implement solutions. The good news for McKinstry, Groom and other forward thinking companies is that they are the exception rather than the rule. There are still far too many companies in the energy management space that are living in an analog world and driving blind. These laggards will need to adapt quickly or risk obsolescence.
MANUFACTURERS PIONEERING NEW PATHS TO MARKET
Manufacturers of demand-side management technologies are also rethinking their paths to market. These companies are realizing that sales strategies centered on traditional dealer networks and broad-line distributors may no longer be the most relevant. Let’s take a look at Ice Energy, a newer player in the HVAC space. Ice Energy has developed an innovative thermal energy storage technology – branded the Ice Bear — that enables customers to use low cost off-peak power to meet cooling demand during costly peak hours. The technology is a great compliment to traditional HVAC units manufactured by companies such as Carrier and Trane and Ice Energy has fostered partnerships with these companies. However, Ice Energy is not content to surrender its destiny to these partners and wait for sell-through by channels it doesn’t control or influence. Instead, Ice Energy decided to drive sell-through with its own unique strategy. Ice Energy recognized that aggregating its units and deploying them at scale offers utilities megawatts of clean, peak power capacity at less cost than constructing new peaking plants. Putting rubber to the road, Ice Energy cut an innovative deal with Southern California Public Power Authority deploying Ice Bear units across 1,500 distributed sites in the utility’s service territory to offer 53 megawatts of stored capacity. Many of these units will coincide with rooftop unit replacements, enabling Trane and Carrier to realize sizable sell-through as a result of Ice Energy’s innovative thinking. A win for all involved, including ratepayers!
NOVEL INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS
The shifting industry landscape is also resulting in some interesting partnerships. One such partnership is between Redwood Systems and Anixter. Redwood Systems, an innovative venture funded upstart is looking to shake-up the lighting industry with its DC-based power, networking and controls technology, has aligned with Anixter, an established structured cabling distributor that hasn’t historically played in the lighting space. A few years ago it would have been laughable to think that structured cabling professionals could become significant players in lighting. Now some smart people are betting on it. However, before too much high-fiving takes place it is important to realize that the business world is littered with distribution agreements that never gained traction. What’s tricky about this deal is that Redwood’s new-to-world technology is supposed to be sold by mature structuring cabling professionals. Can these old dogs learn new tricks? Can their profit models, based on minimizing cost of sales, support the requisite high touch approach? For this deal to succeed, Redwood and Anixter will need to collaborate on training programs and tightly script sales playbooks on how to position, sell, deploy and support the new technologies. Redwood will also need to make its “factory direct” sales and technical resources easily accessible to Anixter and its cabling professional customers. And, given the higher cost of sales associated with selling Redwood’s products, Redwood may also need to offer more attractive pricing terms and market development funds to support demand creation. Although they will not want to cross the legal line into the franchise realm, franchise systems with tightly scripted processes and strong factory support may be an antecedent to review as they think about making this relationship a success.
It’s clear that business as usual will no longer suffice for technology and service providers competing in the demand-side management market. Moreover, companies will not prevail solely on having the best mousetrap. The winners will be those companies that complement great technology and great service offerings with innovative go-to-market strategies that are not only creative but also lifecycle appropriate.
Written by Erik G. Birkerts and Thomas G. Knight, founding partners of Evergreen Growth Advisors, a boutique strategy consulting firm serving clients in the Clean Energy industry.
Siemens Agrees to Acquire eMeter to Boost Smart Grid Offering
Dec 6th
Siemens agrees to acquire eMeter to boost smart grid offering
Siemens Industry Inc. has agreed to acquire San Mateo, California-based eMeter Corp. Subject to necessary approvals and customary closing conditions, Siemens will acquire all of the stock of eMeter. The deal is expected to close in December 2011.
eMeter will be part of the Smart Grid Division of the Siemens Infrastructure & Cities Sector, which is housed within Siemens Industry in theUnited States. eMeter will become a global business segment and center of competence for Meter Data Management (MDM), and will continue to operate from itsSan Mateoheadquarters as part of the Smart Grid Division.
J.P. Morgan served as financial advisor to eMeter in connection with the transaction.
Heliatek sets new world record for organic solar cells with 9.8% cell efficiency
Once again, Heliatek GmbH has set a new world record for organic solar cells after Fraunhofer ISE CalLab certified a cell efficiency of 9.8% for a 1.1 cm² tandem cell manufactured with a low temperature deposition process. The new record makes the third time in a row that Heliatek has set a world record for efficiency in the field of organic photovoltaic and demonstrates its continuous technology leadership in organic solar.
Previously, Heliatek GmbH set a world record for efficiency of 8.3% for an active surface of 1.1 cm2. The record-breaking cell construction will gradually be integrated into the company’s manufacturing process after the scheduled start of production in the second half of 2012.
PowerStream selects Carmanah to build 350-kW solar rooftop system in Ontario
Carmanah Technologies Corp. has received a contract from PowerStream Inc. to supply and install a 350-kW rooftop solar photovoltaic system for the Thornhill Community Centre in Markham, Ontario. The solar system, valued at about C$2 million, began construction in October 2011.
Carmanah Technologies will provide engineering, procurement and construction services. The project is scheduled to be operational in early 2012.
Report: U.S. Becomes Net Exporter Of Petroleum Products For First Time In Nearly 20 Years
Dec 1st
Report: U.S. begins exporting petroleum products for first time in nearly 20 years
For the first time in nearly 20 years, the United States has become a net exporter of petroleum products, according to a report by the Huffington Post. The U.S. Energy Department data shows that the U.S. exported 54,000 more barrels of petroleum products each day than it purchased abroad, beginning November 2010.
The increase in fuel exports was attributed to unrest in the Middle East leading to higher oil prices; a weak U.S. dollar; and increased spending power abroad, particularly in Latin America.
Click here to view chart that tracks the rise and fall of monthly U.S. net imports of total petroleum products since 1993.
PHOTON Lab recognizes JinkoSolar’s high performance modules
JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd. said that two types of its monocrystalline modules have been recognized for high yield by PHOTON Lab’s outdoor field test. The field test measures each module’s yield in order to determine the exact amount of kilowatt-hours per kilowatt of installed power that flow from the photovoltaic system to the inverter. JinkoSolar’s first module achieved a chart-topping monthly yield of 126.9 kWh/kW, while the second module yielded 123.8 kWh/kW.
Bolivar Energy Authority chooses Elster for smart grid deployment
Tennessee’s Bolivar Energy Authority has selected Elster EnergyAxis Smart Grid solution to deliver an advanced metering infrastructure system. The EnergyAxis Smart Grid solution will deliver improved operational efficiencies and empower the authority’s electric customers to better manage energy usage and lower energy costs.
BEA services more than 11,000 households and businesses in the utility’s service area. Elster’s Smart Meters will be installed by BEA at residential and commercial locations with a project completion date of September 2012. Elster’s EnergyAxis and Smart Meters will enable BEA to modernize its electric infrastructure and provide customers with clear pricing and usage information, enabling customers to better manage, monitor and control energy consumption and costs.
SolarCity, BofA agree on $1 billion solar projects
SolarCity and Bank of America Merrill Lynch have agreed to terms on financing for SolarStrong, which is the SolarCity’s five-year plan to build more than $1 billion in solar power projects for privatized U.S.military housing communities across the country.
As part of the project, SolarCity plans to partner with the country’s leading privatized military housing developers to install, own and operate rooftop solar installations and provide solar electricity at a lower cost than utility power. SolarStrong is expected to create up to 300 MW of solar generation capacity that could provide power to as many as 120, 0001 military housing units.
The SolarStrong project will allow privatized military housing developers to save money on energy costs that can be reallocated toward quality-of-life improvements and enhanced services for military families. SolarStrong will also help the U.S. Department of Defense secure more of its energy needs from renewable sources operated in parallel with the utility grid.
SunPower, Orchard Supply Hardware Offer High Efficiency Solar Power Systems
Nov 3rd
SunPower, Orchard Supply Hardware offer high efficiency solar power systems
SunPower Corp. has teamed up with Orchard Supply Hardware’s California stores to offer its high efficiency solar power systems. The company offers financing options for the systems, including the SunPower Lease.
The lease program includes low monthly payments with no upfront cost and a direct-from-manufacturer performance guarantee, as well as an early buy-out option that allows homeowners to capitalize on solar home resale values. Homeowners can also obtain SunPower systems through a cash purchase or SunPower’s loan program, which offers a variety of low-interest options.
eMeter, HD Supply Utilities enter agreement to offer smart meter data management solutions to North American utilities
eMeter and HD Supply Utilities have signed an agreement that offers eMeter’s Smart Grid Appliance as a critical component of HD Supply Utilities’ GridAdvance, an integrated, end-to-end smart grid solution. The Smart Grid Appliance brings well-designed and financially practical Smart Meter Data Management solutions to meet business and regulatory demands of utility customers.
HD Supply Utilities will work with eMeter and North American utilities to manage all technical integration aspects of a project. The Smart Grid Appliance consists of server hardware, storage and software from IBM and eMeter that is pre-integrated and readily scalable. It allows utilities to quickly realize all benefits of their Smart Grid assets and build meaningful demand management capabilities while improving operations and customer service.
SunRun selects Mercury Solar Systems for clean energy project in New York
Mercury Solar Systems has been selected by SunRun to bring affordable home solar to New Yorkers. The companies have enabled hundreds of homeowners in Massachusetts, New Jerseyand Pennsylvaniato go solar for a fraction of the normal cost.
SunRun owns and maintains solar systems on homeowners’ roofs and works with Mercury Solar Systems on the installation. Homeowners avoid the high upfront costs and pay a low monthly rate for clean power, fixing their energy costs to save thousands of dollars over time on their energy bills.
Hitachi to lead world-leading smart grid demonstration project in Hawaii
Hitachi Ltd., Cyber Defence Institute Inc. and Mizuho Corporate Bank Ltd. have been selected as contractors for a world-leading smart grid demonstration project on Maui Island in Hawaii.
The project is spearheaded by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization as the result of feasibility study, which was conducted from May to September this year byHitachiand other companies.Hitachiwill lead the project.
The project, a joint undertaking by theU.S.and Japan, is based on the Japan-U.S. Clean Energy Technologies Action Plan, which was agreed to following the Japan-U.S. Heads of State Summit held in November 2009. These contractors will cooperate with the State ofHawaii, Hawaiian Electric Co. Inc., the University of Hawaii and the U.S. National Laboratories in the project.
The project, which will cost about $37 million, is expected to be completed by the end of March 2014.
Addressing today’s energy dilemmas in commercial buildings through demand response
Oct 26th
A growing number of incentives are heating up demand response (DR) adoption in the commercial building sector.
The commercial sector, faced with factors such as rising energy costs as well as new and pending federal building codes and standards, has placed a renewed focus on improving energy efficiency. According to the U.S. Green Buildings Council, buildings are one of the heaviest consumers of natural resources and account for a significant portion of the greenhouse gas emissions that affect climate change. In the U.S., buildings account for 38 percent of all CO2 emissions (1).
To address this escalating challenge, the Obama Administration has set a goal of making commercial buildings 20 percent more efficient within the next 10 years, which could reduce business owners’ energy bills by about $40 billion per year (2).
Demand Response stands to play an important role in meeting these energy efficiency goals.
Due to smart grid technologies which allow a bi-directional flow of information between end users and the electric utility, DR has evolved from a reliability tool used in peak emergencies to a solution for actively managing energy use. The latter is often referred to as DR 2.0 or demand management. Through actively managing energy use and participating in DR programs, commercial buildings can help mitigate the stress of new demands on the grid such as unpredictable renewable energy sources and electric vehicles.
However, until recently, DR has typically seen a higher success rate in the industrial sector, because many factories are already equipped with energy management and power systems that can be tapped to share power. In commercial building settings, there is often a lack of technology readily available to automate the DR process. Additionally, commercial buildings, such as offices or retail stores, have the added responsibility of addressing the needs of multiple tenants or shoppers before making an energy decision. For example, a retail store manager cannot simply turn down air conditioners during the heat of the summer or dim lights during store hours to meet DR requirements.
In order to expand DR participation in the commercial sector and reach DR’s maximum potential, technologies such as smart grid enabled building automation systems (BASs) have been growing in popularity. These systems allow facility managers to measure and control energy use across disparate building systems – from lighting to HVAC systems. BASs can communicate directly with the electric grid to provide facility managers with real-time information about the level of energy demand the utility is experiencing, and thus enables them to make more intelligent energy management decisions based on this insight. For instance, when energy demand and prices are high, facility managers can consult the BAS to determine where load can be shed, whether it should be turning down the air conditioning for a certain period of time or switching off lights in unoccupied rooms.
These practices will simultaneously cut buildings’ energy costs and reduce peak loads for utilities. Ultimately, this will reduce the overall carbon footprint associated with electricity generation by reducing the need to build more fossil-fuel burning power plants to meet the utilities’ peak load demand.
In addition to the environmental benefits and reduced energy bills that a commercial building can recoup by acting as a DR resource, recent legislation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has made large steps towards increasing the monetary value of demand-side resources. FERC ruling 745, which I discussed in more detail in an earlier Daily Energy Report column, requires wholesale market operators to pay the same price for DR resources as they would for traditional generation resources. As a result, it encourages building owners and managers across sectors to participate in DR programs by enabling them to generate a revenue stream through their participation.
Yet another move to encourage DR participation in the commercial sector came earlier this year, from The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which has been studying ways it can count DR as part of its LEED rating system. The USGBC, in conjunction with Schneider Electric, Skipping Stone and Lawrence Berkley National Lab, announced plans to release a comprehensively updated LEED Demand Response Pilot Credit. Originally launched in 2010, the enhanced Demand Response Pilot Credit will establish guidelines anticipated to increase participation in automated DR programs.
As part of the credit, LEED projects that satisfy the requirements by demonstrating their ability to shift energy consumption during peak events by 10 percent of peak load demand will earn a point towards LEED certification when they participate in existing utility-sponsored DR programs that meet guidelines established in the pilot credit. Additional points are also available for projects that implement semi or fully automated DR programs in their buildings.
By tying building energy consumption into DR networks for more efficient power consumption, a number of benefits will be realized for commercial buildings, utilities, and the environment. Through these incentives and technology innovations, commercial building stakeholders should have more motivation (and the necessary tools at their disposal) to drive greater efficiencies in facilities today.
Written by Donald Rickey, Senior Vice President, Energy Business, Schneider Electric
Supporting resources:
- (1) U.S. Green Building Council: Energy Information Administration (2008). Assumptions to the Annual Energy Outlook.
- (2) U.S. Department of Energy. “QTR: Report on the First Quadrennial Review.” Energy.Gov. U.S. Department of Energy, Sept. 2011. Web. 29 Sept. 2011.
UNT Apogee Stadium Earns LEED Platinum Certification
Oct 21st
UNT Apogee Stadium earns LEED Platinum Certification
The United States Green Building Council has awarded a LEED Platinum Certification to the University of North Texas’ Apogee Stadium. The Apogee Stadium became the first newly constructed collegiate football stadium in the nation to achieve the highest level of LEED certification.
The 31,000-seat Apogee Stadium features luxury suites, an amenity-filled club level, a Spirit Store, a corporate deck and a unique end-zone seating area. In addition to hosting UNT events, it will serve the entire North Texas region as a venue for outdoor concerts, community events, high school games and band competitions.
In addition, UNT currently is installing three wind turbines at Apogee Stadium. The wind project is expected to be completed in December 2011 and will feed the electrical grid that powers the stadium.
Envision Solar breaks ground on Solar Grove deployment for major utility in California
Envision Solar International Inc. has broke ground on a Solar Grove deployment for a major California utility. The deployment consists of a grove of Envision’s Solar Tree structures in a showcase and high visibility innovative facility, which will be open to the public.
The Solar Grove deployment includes Solar Tree structures, which incorporate Envision’s CleanCharge CI, “column-integrated” electric vehicle charging stations as well as energy storage elements. Also, the Solar Tree structures incorporate Envision’s EnvisionTrak multi-axis solar tracking technology, which should increase the efficiency of the entire installation by as much as 25%.
The installation is scheduled for completion by the end of 2011.
Siemens to deliver smart grid appliances to Kansas City BPU
Siemens has teamed up with the Kansas City Board of Public Utilities to deliver eMeter Smart Grid Appliances. Each appliance includes a preloaded, rapidly deployable instance of eMeter EnergyIP meter data management system with IBM Tivoli and WebSphere software running on IBM Power Systems.
The partnership will support a network of more than 69,000 electric meters and 55,000 water meters. BPU has also contracted with Siemens for the implementation of eMeter Energy Engage, a customer web portal, to display consumer usage information to enhance the overall smart grid experience. Implementation for both the MDMS and web portal began in September 2011.
PSE&G, Rider University dedicate 74-MW solar system
Public Service Electric and Gas Co. and Rider University today have dedicated a new 74- MW solar farm in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. The solar project is part of PSE&G’s Solar 4 All program, which is designed to help New Jersey reach its solar energy goals while creating jobs and fostering economic development.
PSE&G owns the solar system and provides Rider University with a lease payment for the parcel of land it occupies. The solar system is located on a 3.2-acre field in the northwest corner of the Rider University’s campus.
The system is comprised of 2,640 ground-mounted crystalline solar panels that are connected directly to the electric grid for the benefit of all PSE&G electric customers.
Tigo Energy Partners With 3 PV Module Manufacturers To Deliver Solar Smart Modules
Oct 20th
University of the District of Columbia, DC Sustainable Energy Utility partner to promote demonstration energy efficiency projects
The University of the District of Columbia and the DC Sustainable Energy Utility have formed a partnership to pilot demonstration projects at the university. The partnership entails lighting retrofits, the installation of new energy-efficient light fixtures and the utilization of a lighting management program to reduce energy consumption at the UDC campus.
The DC Sustainable Energy Utility is providing UDC an incentive grant of $65,000 for the projects. Over the course of a few weeks, lighting upgrades to conference rooms, classrooms and student study rooms will be completed. Improvements will result in energy savings of up to 15%.
Solaire Generation becomes preferred solar carport vendor for GE/Inovateus partnership
Inovateus Solar LLC has selected Solaire Generation Inc. as a preferred vendor of solar carports to support their recent partnership with GE Energy Industrial Solutions.
Under the partnership, Inovateus Solar will be the original equipment manufacturer for integrated solar carport charging stations using GE EV chargers, solar balance of system components and electrical distribution equipment. Solaire will offer three of its proprietary carports, all of which easily integrate with EV charging stations.
Earlier this year, Solaire installed its patent pending Premium F2 solar parking structure as part of Inovateus’ 100-kW solar system at GE’s facility in Plainville, Conn. The Plainville carport, with six Level 2 GE DuraStation EV charging stations, is one of the largest of its kind in North America.
Tigo Energy teams up with 3 PV module manufacturers to deliver solar smart modules
Tigo Energy has teamed up with three leading PV module manufacturers to deliver solar smart modules. Under the partnership, Trina Solar, Hanwha Solar and Upsolar offer smart panel technology featuring integrated Tigo Energy Maximizer technology for PV solar installations.
By incorporating the Tigo Energy Maximizer Solution into their respective products, the three solar manufacturers have developed smart panels that increase energy production up to 20% and present new levels of intelligence, active manageability and enhanced safety. The factory integration of the Tigo Energy Module Maximizers brings the established value of the solution to system owners with unprecedented ease in logistics and installation.
Kauai Island Utility selects Landis+Gyr for Smart Grid deployment
Kauai Island Utility Cooperative has selected Landis+Gyr to deploy advanced meters and infrastructure as part of Smart Grid Demonstration Project, which is designed to improve energy efficiency, reduce costs and integrate alternative energy on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai.
KIUC is one of 23 electric cooperatives participating in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Smart Grid Demonstration Project. KIUC will be deploying Landis+Gyr’s Gridstream RF mesh network technology that provides an intelligent communication path with advanced meters, distribution devices and home area networking equipment.
The utility will use the Gridstream platform to improve outage management, manage peak energy use, provide flexible billing options and help integrate emerging uses for electric energy, such as transportation. The five-year demonstration project has two phases. The utility plans to complete installation of new meters and network equipment in two years, beginning in 2012, and then will spend another three years in data gathering and analysis.
Keeping the Lights On: Data Overload and its Impact on the Storage in the Smart Grid
Oct 3rd
Information is the lifeline of a businesses’ sustainability. With a rapidly changing business climate, evolution of technology, new policies and regulation as well as the emergence of new competitors, energy and utility firms are turning to data to create new business models – a model that incorporates past, current and future predictions. Not too long ago, the process of aggregating raw data was fairly logical and straightforward, however today, it is complex, costly and time consuming. As the growth of unstructured data continues to escalate, so too are the pressures for CIOs to gain better insight, confidently predict outcomes and take actions that stand out amongst a crowded marketplace.
The amount of data generated by the Smart Grid is astounding. For example, smart metering inevitably increases the amount of meter data utilities must handle – generating on average 50 bytes of data per hourly read. Additionally a synchrophasor- a phasor measurement unit that tracks electrical waves across the power grid to monitor the health of the system- takes readings sixty times a second. This adds up to four-hundred ninety-four megabytes a day, one-hundred seventy-six gigabytes of data a year per synchrophaser. Today there are a number of devices in addition to smart meters being used in the energy and utilities industry to collect data, including line default detectors, sagometers which generate 12 readings per hour at 50 bytes per read and storage devices such as batteries that produce 100 byte reads per hour. Together, these devices create an astronomical amount of data.
With the abundance of information, utilities have to find new ways to cost-effectively and securely store, archive and retrieve a virtual explosion of new information. Additionally, aging physical infrastructures and IT assets are no longer sufficient to cope with the accelerated exponential growth of data. Smart Grids use sensors, smart meters, digital controls and analytic tools to automatically monitor and control two-way energy flow. This data can be used to shift electric load to avoid power outages and locate troubled components instantly; it also empowers consumers to make better decisions by providing information about their energy consumption. Additionally, smart grid technology allows energy and utility companies to understand power demand in real time so they can improve delivery during peak hours. The data also enables utilities to integrate distributed generation such as renewable energy assets into their power generation portfolio.
As with most technology advancements – the next generation Smart Grid brings with it more data as well as more ability and need to analyze this data. So without the appropriate data storage and management infrastructure, utilities are unable to reap the benefits that Smart Grid offers. Therefore, organizations must implement an infrastructure that provides efficient, automated management and retention of information. This will provide personnel with constant, reliable access to data whereever and whenever it is needed to improve overall business operations and customer relations.
Information availability is instrumental in keeping operations up and running and customer service levels at a premium point. In the energy sector, continuous and reliable access to information ensures that personnel can access data at any given point – whether it’s during an outage, or simply when they receive a consumer inquiry regarding billing and new service setup and relocation disconnect. Many utility companies are investing in technologies that provide automated performance management, application integration, and migration of data in order to meet the ever changing business requirements of managing a Smart Grid. Performance, capacity and reliability are also mandatory for utilities as without a constant stream of energy, countries could be gravely impacted with thousands of businesses and millions of consumers paying the consequences.
As the amount of data grows with the “Smarter” Grid, the need for analytics increases dramatically. Analytics will allow utilities to better predict energy usage, prevent failures, reduce outages, analyze customer response to pricing events, ensure grid reliability and security and efficiently manage generation and grid infrastructure assets.
Utilities are also perplexed by data retention issues, what Smart Grid data to keep, what to archive, how long to archive the data, which data should be used for analytics, and which data needs to be maintained to meet security, data privacy and legal requirements. All of this calls for a rigorous understanding of the importance of each piece of data to Smart Grid business processes. In addition, security, data privacy and legal requirements are constantly increasing. Failure to meet data security, privacy and legal retention requirements can lead to costly fines. That said, keeping massive quantities of data for long periods of time also comes at a cost. With the right data retention policies and technologies that support and enable those policies, utilities can store and manage their data more effectively. Data storage technologies that are key for this type of enablement are virtualization, data de-duplication, multi-tiered archiving, and data encryption.
The Smart Grid cannot function at the highest performance and capacity without a manageable data storage solution. Utilities are sourcing customized, highly available technologies that deliver the scalability and performance to meet today’s and tomorrow’s energy demands. The solution then is to find a host of data storage and management systems that provide automated performance management, virtualization, encryption, analytics, and deduplication that are designed to provide utilities with inexpensive, efficient ways to store and extract intelligence from massive amounts of data.
Written by Mozhi Habibi is a member of the Global Energy & Utilities Strategy & Solutions team, responsible for leading IBM’s energy and utility solutions strategy worldwide. IBM is celebrating its centennial anniversary this year.
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