smart grid

GE’s latest Smart Metering Operations Suite (SMOS) has achieved the Oracle Exadata Optimized status through the Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) programme. The application was tested on Oracle’s high performance Exadata Database Machines, which offer the latest in data processing and server technology. The OPN has proven that SMOS has been tested and tuned to deliver speed, scalability and reliability in some of the most demanding environment.

Paradox and NEC Europe further tighten their partnership by signing a reseller agreement for Paradox Engineering’s PE.AMI Smart City solution.  To support utilities upgrading their grid infrastructure NEC will offer the PE.AMI along with NEC’s Information and Communication technologies and energy solutions.  As part of the agreement both companies will work together on joint promotion activities, trade shows, end user and customers’ seminars.

Danish energy management company NorthQ today launches the world’s first battery-powered Wi-Fi Power & Gas Reader.  According to NorthQ, Wi-Fi Power & Gas Reader is easily installed on existing home’s mechanical and electronic power or gas meters. It allows you to get some of the benefits of having a smart meter, such as allowing data collected to be transferred and viewed on the NorthQ Portal every 15 minutes.

Utilities in the Orange and Rockland (O&R) are are to invest $7.3 US million over the next three years in a smart grid pilot.  This encompasses about 14 circuit areas within Rockland communities which stretch from Suffern to Nyack.  The circuits within these areas are to receive new smart grid communication switches and other “intelligent” devices that will improve the overall reliability of Rockland electric grid.

In a new report examining the global deployment of smart grid technologies and services from the perspective of growth and market share, GTM Research is expecting Smart Grid Market to Surpass $400 Billion Worldwide by 2020. The report looks at the trend of the smart grid market for the next seven years (2013-2020). GTM are predicting an average compound annual growth rate of over 8%, with China being the largest smart grid market in the world, accounting for over 24% of the global market.

The smart grid market is expected to be a major growth area over this decade to 2020, based on research done by Navigant Research.  In their report titled “Smart Grid Technologies”, they expect the smart grid market to worth $73 Billion in annual revenue by the year 2020 from today’s $13 Billion. Another interesting prediction is that Mexico smart grid market alone will worth about 10 per cent of world the world’s annual revenue.

Masers Energy Malaysia has announced plans to develop Malaysia’s first Smart Grid City and Green Special Economic Zone at cost of US$72 billion (RM228.6 billion).  The project is base in the "The Historic State" of Malacca, to make it the country’s only carbon free zone. Masers hope to offer a total of 100MW renewable solar energy at the end of the project.

Illinois base ComEd is to invest US$2.6 Billion over the next 10 years upgrading its electrical grid infrastructure across the Chicago area.  Part of the project is to install 4 million smart meters into homes and business, for this they have selected GE on a $200 million contract.  The whole project is scheduled to start this year and run until 2021 and will modernise ComEd grid facilities and while creating jobs for locals.

Through the Energy Highway Blueprint initiative, New York’s power grid is to go through a major infrastructure upgrade to allow the system to use mix power source.  Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that an estimated $10 million is available to fund projects that will help the city’s grid infrastructure to be cleaner, more efficient and cost less to operate.

According to a report entitled “South America Smart Grid: Market Forecast (2013-2023) Volume II “ from Northeast Group, the cumulatively spend on smart grid in South America is expected to reach $49.8 billion by 2023.  This spending will be allocated across the five segments of advanced metering infrastructure (or "smart meters"), distribution automation, wide area measurement, home energy management and information technology.