Norwegian renewable energy company Agder Energi, Microsoft and Powel AS announced a project to create smart grid solution.
Power grids require massive investments to keep pace with growing energy consumption.
They are now challenged to leverage new resources such as distributed energy systems like rooftop solar panels, batteries, smart homes and facilities.
Agder Energi believes intelligent cloud-based smart grid solutions will unlock a host of energy and sustainability benefits.
The project will leverage Microsoft Azure intelligent cloud, PowerBI and Azure IoT combined with expertise from Powel to provide Agder Energi with device controls and predictive forecasting.
“At Agder Energi we want to use new technology to make the power grid more efficient, more predictable and more flexible. We will go from being energy generators to energy partners, with a more active role for our customers,” said Agder Energi’s CEO Tom Nysted.
The outcome of the project is expected to enable energy savings and easier integration of renewable energy to the grid mix, while also saving consumers money by reducing expensive peak power use and capital investment.
The pilot will be operated at an Agder Energi substation that is currently operating at 120 percent of its capacity a number of times throughout the year.
The technology will enable operators to better predict demand and engage distributed resources, thereby reducing the demand on the substation and saving money that would otherwise be needed to upgrade.
Kevin Dallas, Microsoft Corporate Vice President, IoT Business Development said, “Enabling solutions like Agder’s will accelerate widespread renewable and distributed power generation. It’s a bright future for the utility industry and for a sustainable world.”
