Dynamic Ratings, a leader in power asset monitoring, announced today the release of the ConnectGrid™ Smart Infrastructure Solution to address the industry gap of monitoring for distribution and grid edge assets.
The ConnectGrid™ Smart Infrastructure Solution secures a utility grade platform that can leverage IoT technology to improve connectivity to assets across the power grid in a way that was previously not available. The open architecture and communication options deliver improved reliability, safety, productivity, and connectivity for Utilities, Renewables, Data Centers and Industrial customers. The ConnectGrid™ solution was purposely built to reduce field commissioning time and IT support to maximize scalability across a wide number of assets. This is partly accomplished by leveraging wireless communication systems including cellular, LoRaWAN and AMI mesh radio networks.
Connecting Grid Edge Data
The electric power grid represents the largest interconnected machine in the world. It is ideally suited for the ConnectGrid™ Smart Infrastructure Solution with distributed assets, big data, machine to machine communications and a need for more sophisticated analytics. The IoT platform can bridge operational technology hardware such as transformer monitors and line sensors with energy business systems such as PI. This ensures the data is securely and easily transmitted to all the stake holders within a large organization so planning, construction, maintenance and asset management can all operate seamlessly with cooperation.
Why ConnectGrid™?
- Safety – We must increase the safety of employees and the public who live and work around electrical assets. These hazards may range from downed conductors through to wildfires that threaten property and life. Distributed sensors and monitors can detect broken neutrals, fallen conductors, high impedance faults and manage vegetation to prevent unnecessary fires.
- Reliability – High reliability is demanded from the power network. Asset managers and maintenance teams can use data to improve their methods of keeping the lights on and reducing SAIDI and SAIFI. Communicating fault detectors can improve fault location and restoration and provide critical loading information to improve power quality.
- Productivity – Everyone is driven to reduce cost and increase performance. This paradox demands new tools to help leverage our assets and teams much more efficiently. Using data-driven processes, we can do more with less. Distributed sensors and monitors will improve system planning for asset upgrades and give visibility to network capacity including loading and distributed energy generation.
- Sustainability – Sustainability has never been a more important consideration than today. Electricity networks are expected to be the backbone that makes new low-carbon and distributed resources work seamlessly. This can only be achieved by improving the controlled behavior of electrical system based on grid edge data. Rate limiting of electrical vehicle chargers based on system capacity is now achievable utilizing the same system providing closed loop voltage control of substation OLTC’s based on end point voltage.
To learn more about ConnectGrid™ Smart Infrastructure Solutions, visit https://www.dynamicratings.com/products/connectgrid-smart-solution/