Weekly Brief

How Automation Increases Smart Grid Efficiencies?

Olivia Smith, Utilities Tech Outlook | Friday, December 13, 2019

Automated smart grid systems help utility providers to enhance their transmission and distribution operations.

FREMONT, CA: Modern grid solutions for utility distribution systems streamline distributors’ connectivity with customers, optimize energy usage by customers, and eliminate the chances of energy theft. The evolution of an automated smart grid system helps utility providers set the foundation of an intelligent, integrated, democratized, and decentralized energy market. Automation technology increases the efficiency and reliability of the smart grid and offers seamless communication and customer-data management platforms to the utility providers. Some of the top benefits that automation technology brings to smart grid systems are below.

• Energy Integrations: The integration of automation technology with the smart grid systems helps the utility providers to control the energy generation based on immediate weather forecast data. The automated and accurate weather data and market data collection from multiple sources allows utility providers to meet energy demands and set future targets for clean energy generations.

• Cost Efficiency

Automating the smart grid systems helps utility providers manage their energy assets like smart meters in ways that are more efficient and reduces the cost of regular investment in utility asset management. Automation eliminates the need for manually generating utility bills, as it allows the providers to set bills precisely according to used energy only. The efficiency to track energy usage reduces the chances of energy thievery and support fair bill payment system.

• Power Distribution

Automated controls over the voltage monitoring across the smart grid system help operators manage peak demand in better ways. The automated smart grid system also provides the ability to reroute power distribution to minimize outage and prevent rolling blackouts situations.

Modernizing smart grid systems with the help of automation technology can solve longstanding utility energy distribution and efficiency issues. As automation helps to predict and manage the situations of asset failure, automated smart grid systems prove to bring long-term business benefits to utilities.