By Stefan Zschiegner, Vice President of Product Management, Outcomes, Itron
As the climate crisis escalates by the day, so does the urgency for a swift and robust shift towards clean, sustainable energy sources.
This transition requires utilities to have agile and resilient infrastructure, and one way to deliver this is through grid edge intelligence, including the deployment of distributed intelligence (DI). DI combines granular, real-time data from the grid’s edge with a secure, open-enterprise application platform. Let's explore how DI can enhance grid resilience and reliability, while also enabling utilities to better manage and respond to the challenges posed by climate change.
Low-Latency Decision-Making
Traditional grid management systems often rely on centralized data processing, which can lead to significant delays in responding to rapidly changing grid conditions. DI eliminates this delay by processing data locally at the edge, which in turn, leads to faster response times. This low latency decision-making is crucial for maintaining grid stability and ensuring a reliable energy supply.
Enhanced Situational Awareness
DI also provides utilities with greater visibility into their grid conditions. By tapping into real-time data from sensors and devices strategically placed throughout the grid, utilities gain unprecedented insight into the grid's health and performance. This enhanced awareness enables utilities to make more informed decisions regarding grid management, resource allocation and maintenance. With a clearer understanding of grid conditions, utilities can optimize energy distribution and respond proactively to potential issues, ultimately leading to a more stable and efficient grid.
Precise Analysis for Advanced Event Detection
DI's ability to collect and process data at the grid's edge also leads to more accurate analysis and advanced event detection. With data coming in from multiple sources in real-time, utilities can employ sophisticated algorithms and machine learning techniques to detect anomalies and potential issues before they escalate. This proactive approach not only minimizes downtime but also helps utilities optimize their grid operations for efficiency and sustainability.
By deploying DI and moving grid analysis, decision-making and control to the grid’s edge, utilities can experience a significant reduction in latency of action, greatly improved situational awareness, more accurate analysis and advanced event detection – ultimately helping to improve grid resiliency and ensure a reliable energy infrastructure for the future.