The Value of The Networked Grid

As we tour Duke Energy’s Envision Center in North Carolina – we are reminded how a carefully thought out smart grid strategy can yield significant benefits from connecting multiple, disparate and legacy communications networks. According to a 2011 MetaVu Staff Audit and Assessment commissioned by the Staff of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio – thirty operating benefits were identified from Duke’s deployment, which were grouped into the following four key categories; avoided operations and maintenance costs, avoided fuel costs, deferred capital expenditures, and increased revenue.

Early on, Duke Energy had the vision and strategic goals to adopt a digital grid comprised of an Internet Protocol (IP) based, open standards communication network that allows for automation and the exchange of near real-time information as well as enabling the adoption of new technologies as they become available. This proactive and holistic approach has provided them with multiple benefits. David Mohler, CTO of Duke Energy, in a recent interview, said, “One of the things that Ambient was a key partner in helping us develop was a way to configure the communications and information network so that those goals could be achieved.”

So, how do we provide value to the Network? We partner with utilities to help them;

• Facilitate vendor independent, 2-way communication
• Leverage multiple communication technologies
• Provide system security and integrity
• Harness open, industry standard- based protocols
• Extend the life of legacy assets and reach of the smart grid

We are looking forward to learning how to make the grid more intelligent, more responsive and more useful. What have you seen and heard at The Networked Grid that was particularly interesting? Let us know here or on Twitter at #TNG12!

The Value of The Networked Grid

As we tour Duke Energy’s Envision Center in North Carolina – we are reminded how a carefully thought out smart grid strategy can yield significant benefits from connecting multiple, disparate and legacy communications networks. According to a 2011 MetaVu Staff Audit and Assessment commissioned by the Staff of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio – thirty operating benefits were identified from Duke’s deployment, which were grouped into the following four key categories; avoided operations and maintenance costs, avoided fuel costs, deferred capital expenditures, and increased revenue.

Early on, Duke Energy had the vision and strategic goals to adopt a digital grid comprised of an Internet Protocol (IP) based, open standards communication network that allows for automation and the exchange of near real-time information as well as enabling the adoption of new technologies as they become available. This proactive and holistic approach has provided them with multiple benefits. David Mohler, CTO of Duke Energy, in a recent interview, said, “One of the things that Ambient was a key partner in helping us develop was a way to configure the communications and information network so that those goals could be achieved.”

So, how do we provide value to the Network? We partner with utilities to help them;

• Facilitate vendor independent, 2-way communication
• Leverage multiple communication technologies
• Provide system security and integrity
• Harness open, industry standard- based protocols
• Extend the life of legacy assets and reach of the smart grid

We are looking forward to learning how to make the grid more intelligent, more responsive and more useful. What have you seen and heard at The Networked Grid that was particularly interesting? Let us know here or on Twitter at #TNG12!

Congratulations to the Winners of Greentech Media’s Top Ten Utility Smart Grid Deployments in North America!

Operating a utility is not a walk in the park, which is why coordinating a successful smart grid deployment that yields operational, financial and customer benefits is especially impressive.  In preparation for The Networked Grid, Greentech Media has announced winners of the Top Ten Utility Smart Grid Deployments in North America.

We were very excited to see our customer, Duke Energy, in the top ten and particular mention made of their communications infrastructure. Here’s an excerpt from the GTM article published yesterday.

“Duke has one of the most robust communication networks in the industry. Its infrastructure supports two-way data transmission via RF, PLC, and Wi-Fi across local area networks (LAN) and neighborhood area networks (NAN).”  

This is a fantastic achievement and we are proud to have had the opportunity to partner with Duke Energy on this important project.

Duke Energy recognized the need to digitize the antiquated grid system and developed a comprehensive strategy to modernize the way they distributed electricity. Key requirements of the grid modernization program were to provide end-users with more choice and control of their energy use, to deliver greater efficiency in the electricity distribution process, to create a foundation to integrate emerging renewable energy and energy efficient technologies, and to provide more timely response to distribution outages.

If you’re in Raleigh next week for the GTM conference, then please check out the Envision Center tour as well as panel discussions to learn more about Duke’s work. We also invite you to come and chat with Jim Fisher and Jason Graves who will be on site on how to maximize the ROI of your next smart grid initiative. We love helping our customers win!

More news from DistribuTECH – Ambient gives Utilities Greater Cellular Network Choice

More news for Ambient coming from the floor of DistribuTECH 2012 in San Antonio (Booth #4220). Yesterday, we announced that our industry-leading  Smart Grid Communications Nodes now include the Qualcomm MDM6600 mobile broadband solution, adding a new level of communications flexibility to the Ambient Smart Grid communications platform. In conjunction with this addition, the Qualcomm enabled nodes have also been certified by Verizon Wireless for use in its highly reliable nationwide wireless network.

For many utilities deploying smart grid networks, wireless backhaul is the most logical and cost effective method of providing connectivity to assets in the field because of its ubiquitous coverage and carrier-supported reliability. The addition of the Qualcomm chipset ensures stable and reliable 3G connectivity, while the node’s certification by Verizon Wireless assures utilities and other users of the Ambient Smart Grid communications platform that the architecture will seamlessly deploy anywhere with Verizon’s extensive wireless communications network for both application communications and system backhaul.

For more information, Ambient (Booth #4220) and Qualcomm (Booth #1941) will be demonstrating the new products capabilities at their respective booths at DistribuTECH 2012, being held this week in San Antonio, Texas. Please stop by and take a look.

Come See the Widely-Deployed X-Series Smart Grid Comms Node at DistribuTECH 2012, Booth #4220

Today we announced an Ambient Corp. milestone we think is pretty significant – the 75,000^th Ambient X-Series node deployed in the field. We are very excited about this for a variety of reasons, but most significantly because this milestone underlines the maturity and stability of the X-Series node, and explains why it has become the unit of choice for one of our biggest partners – Duke Energy. Our product is the pioneer for open, standards-based smart grid communications nodes.

We also reach this milestone at a great time in the industry, where opportunity continues to grow as the modernization of the gird infrastructure gains momentum both in the U.S. and abroad.

So if you would like to get more detail and see the node that is leading the way in open, standards-based smart grid infrastructure for all kinds of applications, visit us at Booth #4220 at this Week’s DistribuTECH conference in San Antonio. We’d be happy to give you all the details.

Snippets from the Platt’s Global Energy Forum Panel

As you may remember from our last post, Ambient CEO John Joyce moderated a great panel, entitled “The Green Economy”, at last week’s Platt’s Global Energy Outlook Forum: The World’s Quest for Clean Energy. The panel features some well-known and knowledgeable speakers, including Lauren Azar, Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of Energy; Roger Ballentine, President and CEO, Green Strategies; Britta Gross, Director, Global Energy Systems and Infrastructure Commercialization, General Motors; and Peter Huber, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute, and turned out to be a very spirited affair.

While the panel covered many topics, we wanted to highlight a few topics and provide some additional insight.

The role of the government in the building of a green economy, on a worldwide scale, was one of the most extensively discussed topics, and discussed extensively by both private-sector panelists and government-side speakers. The consensus was, for a green economy to flourish, there needs to be some governmental intervention. However, the extent and nature of that intervention is debatable.

Roger Ballentine of Green Strategies suggested he was “optimistic with touches of doom” related to the spawning of a green economy, but said that the government’s role is significant in what it does and doesn’t do. “The government needs to fix market failure and then get out of the way.” Yet at the same time expressed pessimism with regards to what Congress might do over the course of the next year.

On the other side, Lauren Azar of the Department of Energy expressed optimism in eventually getting to a green economy, but pointed out there is a significant fight going on in the US to make it happen, between “clean energy and dirty energy” and that is a battle that will surely continue for some time.

Technology was brought up frequently, and it seemed unanimous that technology and innovation will take a front row seat in the move to a green economy, as well as the move to greener industries. Exactly which technologies is anyone’s guess, but Britta Gross of General Motors echoed what most feel – it will not be any single technology that will save the economy or environment, but a mix of different technologies. We will add that those different technologies will span the entire spectrum of technology sectors – all areas must be focused on how to improve energy production, distribution, creation and efficiencies, from software to IT to advanced materials and communications. It is going to take them all to make it happen.

We expect a recording of the panel to be posted soon, and we will include it here when it is ready, but some parting thoughts:

-        As politically divisive as some of the ideas surrounding a green economy can be, most expect, at the very least it will happen, – eventually. Exactly how it will be implemented is up for debate, but – at least the folks on the panel and at the forum – are passionate about making our world a better place. It is at least a starting point.

-        Several panelists brought up the issue closest to Ambient’s heart, and that is the modernization of the electric grid and utility infrastructure in this country. We have reached the point where this should come as a surprise to no one, and something that MUST be addressed. The call to action for the panel was presented by Peter Huber of the Manhattan Institute, who said the power and utility infrastructure needs to be fixed, and as an infrastructure project, needs to have at least some government support.

Thanks to all who participated, and we look forward to continuing this industry dialog on an ongoing basis.

Platt’s Global Energy Forum, Closing Bell Ceremony at NASDAQ in NYC

Ambient will continue to lead the smart grid industry with two important events this week in New York City. On Thursday, December 1, Ambient will participant in the 5^th Annual Platt’s Global Energy Outlook Forum: The World’s Quest for Clean Energy, an annual bellwether event for the world’s energy and utility community.

On Friday, keep your eyes on NASDAQ, where Ambient executives will ring the closing bell to celebrate our migration to the NASDAQ exchange.

In the past, Ambient has been a participant in the Platt’s Global Energy Forum, and we are very excited to have CEO John Joyce moderating a panel, dubbed “The Green Economy” during the event. John will be joined by an esteemed panel, including Lauren Azar, Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of Energy; Roger Ballentine, President and CEO, Green Strategies; Britta Gross, Director, Global Energy Systems and Infrastructure Commercialization, General Motors; and Peter Huber, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute.

The panel will discuss an array of topics, including the economic fundamentals of a green economy, the role of politics and government regulation in the deployment of new technologies, and how the end customers – rate payers – fit into the equation. As we expect a very informative discussion, we will post some selected questions and answers in this space next week, so be sure to check back if you are not able to make the event.

If you will be in attendance, please feel free to search us out – several Ambient executives will be on hand during the forum. We will also have a strong contingent at the Platt’s Global Energy Awards Ceremony later in the evening, as Ambient partner Duke Energy has been nominated to win an award in the Commercial Technology of the Year category.

Hope to see you in New York.

Why a smarter grid matters

As you may have heard, an early season snowstorm hit the Northeast this past week, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom have been without power for days. This, of course, is not the first power outage in the region, nor will it be the last, but like every such event, there are lessons to be learned. But first let’s look how the typical utility deals with a power outage:

At the moment a typical utility looses power, the utility doesn’t know. It takes customers, searching for flashlights and candles to eventually call the utility and report their outage. As more and more customers report a loss of electricity, the utility takes that data and tries to triangulate and compare customers without power to key distribution assets that could have caused an outage for all customers without power. As utility distribution systems are hierarchical, the utility will send a line crew to inspect the largest/most critical infrastructure first to identify the cause of an outage, and then will check increasingly smaller and smaller lines to identify the cause of an outage. Once the cause of an outage is identified, the utility rectifies the problem, and then visually inspects the immediate area to make sure that power was restored, and that the issue they fixed was the cause of the reported outages. Once the line crew fixes the upstream problem, they tag the outage as restored and the line crew returns to the utility. If a few customers farther downstream from the fixed segment are still without power, the utility will wait for these customers to call back in and the utility will then repeat the process.

For us, this last snowstorm was another reminder of just how important an open, intelligent grid infrastructure can be for both citizens and utilities. No, a two-way communications network across the grid infrastructure cannot stop Mother Nature nor will it prevent outages from happening. However, an infrastructure with the kind of visibility available through a two way communications network such as the Ambient Smart Grid platform’s, would allow utilities to gather more accurate and actionable data on network outages.

For a real world example, when a heavy storm resulted in multiple outages across one utility’s distribution system, the Ambient system helped to create a different utility response. When power went out in a residential section, our nodes connected with battery backups remained active and relayed information to the utility about exactly when the power went out, and where the outage started allowing crews to mobilize before customers called. Crews were dispatched to the location and eventually restored power – at which point our nodes sent a signal to the utility that power had been restored to all customers on this particular circuit, except for five located on a small dead end road. The crews were able to go directly to that next location (indicated by the GPS coordinates of our node) and make the necessary repairs.

The smart grid holds great promise and we are very excited about helping to bring it to fruition, and it is times like these that make us all the more appreciative of that fact.

Open Standards: Ambient CTO Ramdas Rao to Speak at the Smart Grid Virtual Summit

A guiding principle here at Ambient is the support of open standards in development of smart grid communications – the fact of the matter is a truly integrated smart grid with multiple applications can’t exist through closed, proprietary protocols. To get a better sense of exactly what the means, please take some time this Thursday (October 27th) to see Ambient CTO Ram Rao present his thoughts at this week’s Smart Grid Virtual Summit. Ram’s presentation, entitled “Standards-based Open Communications in the Smart Grid” will start at 11:15 am EDT.

Go to the Summit’s site to register for the 100% online, one-day event.

This is a topic that is applicable to all smart grid players, from investor-owned utilities to municipal and coop organizations. For a bit more on how open standards can help drive smart grid adoption in the municipal and coop space, you can also see an article from our CEO John Joyce in this month’s Electric Light and Power.

Ambient Ranked 140th in Deloitte Fast 500

We are proud to announce that Ambient Corporation has been recognized for its substantial growth over the past five years through the 2011 Deloitte Technology Fast 500^TM. The Deloitte Technology Fast 500 is an annual ranking of fast growing technology companies in the U.S. and has featured some of the most successful technology companies in the country over the past 17 years.

This is an especially significant award for us because it provides some tangible recognition to all the folks that have helped us grow over the past five years. While we have been in business since 2001, the past five or six years have been especially busy. We have grown in terms of revenue, to be sure, but we have also matured as a company.

So thank you to Deloitte for their recognition; but the real thanks goes to everyone who has been part of the Ambient community over the years. It is greatly appreciated.