IBM Smartens Grid Down Under
Startups like GridPoint, eMeter and Silver Spring Networks are all pulling in funding to make the power grid smarter. But tech institutions, like computer giant IBM, think there’s money to be made in improving our power infrastructure, too. IBM Global Energy and Utilities Industry is heading Down Under in a partnership with Country Energy, an Australian utility, to deploy IBM’s Intelligent Utility Network.
IBM describes an Intelligent Utility Network as:
“a digital, open standards-based network of sensors, metering, communications, computer processors, and analytics which connects an entire utility company — from power plant to plug.”
The network transformation is the result of two powerful trends, IBM’s general manager of Global Energy & Utilities Industry Guido Bartels explained to us. The grid, like everything else, is switching from analog to digital while power generation is transitioning from a centralized system to a distributed model, he said. And Big Blue thinks it can build the network for big green power.
The General Manager for IBM’s Global Energy & Utilities Industry is just one hat Guido Bartels wears. He is also chair of the GridWise Alliance, a collaborative venture from the Department of Energy which includes reps from Sempra Energy, GridPoint, CenterPoint Energy and EnergySolve.
Karen Caldwell, the Global Director for the Intelligent Utility Network Coalition, explained the benefits of a smart grid in basic terms:
What happens when you digitize the grid is you’re able to handle minute data from a time and quantity perspective. Changes on the demand side allow you to bring on or off different generation methods quickly and do it all without human intervention because this needs to be done quickly. We need machines talking to machines.
Indeed, the “smart grid”, perhaps more so than any other cleantech vertical, is purely a technology arena. Scott Lang, the chief executive of Silver Spring Networks, recently described the business to The Economist as “classic IT.”
While the startups will take risks on innovative technologies, it will be huge technology and infrastructure companies like IBM, Honeywell and GE that will end up investing in the smart grid, smart metering and power infrastructure intelligence upgrades.
Retro-50s style graphic courtesy of IBM.
[...] Startups Cleantech startups have been liberally taking cues from the Internet world, like using IP tech for a smarter power grid or leveraging Web 2.0 tools to sell solar. Here’s another one for ya: The creators of the [...]
[...] integrated solution providers like Accenture and IBM can offer utilities a top-to-bottom solution. IBM Global Energy recently partnered with Australian utility Country Energy to deploy Big Blue’s Intelligent Utility Network, a [...]
[...] is not the only tech giant dabbling in smart grid plays. IBM recently formed a partnership with Australian utility Country Energy to deploy its Intelligent Utility Network Down Under. [...]
Hi, there may be more to the power grid then just a system to provide electric power. It takes electricity to test vehicles past and possible future operations when electric on board computer is connected in a garage. The power grid will operate in the same fashion where not just electricity but also telecommunication is transfered. Communication from sources like SETI and CERN operate on a global grid that is sending indirect grobal communication to individuals.So lets say a person receves a phone call at a different frequency at lets say 20,000khzs, at the same time the person sees a plane fly over.Then lets say 2 years later the person is on the same plane that flew over. His cell phone rings telling him the plane is unsafe at the past same 20,000khz frequency,the person has been in a time travel pardox.Created by the electric and telecommunication world grid.What is a person to do if they knew the future.Bye.Terry.