GRID2020, Inc. has completed a year long process of strategic acquisition and licensing to provide real-time smart grid solutions and communications with a contract purchase and licensing agreement with IBEC Global.

Alan Snook, president of GRID2020, said, "We look forward to fulfilling many emerging smart grid needs of utilities, metering companies, SCADA providers, consumers, and commercial enterprises given our dynamic array of products and services. We are committed to helping others curb electricity costs and facilitating a segment of the smart grid revolution."

The announcement comes four months after GRID2020 acquired Toronto-based Kinects Solutions, Inc., a provider of transformer monitoring technology. "Our multi-dimensional, installer-friendly Distribution Transformer Monitors will be a key component of our strategy to identify electricity pilferage, assist utilities to understand electric vehicle charging impacts, and enable valuable asset management solutions," Snook noted.

On its energy management side, GRID2020 uses a monitoring hub, wireless thermostats, and load meters to monitor and control energy consumption in real-time. Customers interact via a secure Web browser interface and can use their smart phone or any other Web-enabled device to control their own thermostats and water heaters.

Another suite of offerings enables utilities to actively participate in cost-saving demand response functions. "GRID2020 provides power monitoring and management solutions enabling utilities to lessen electricity costs, improve their information access capabilities, and understand the complex challenges associated with escalating demand," Hermes added. "GRID2020 offers virtual power plant control capabilities to achieve load reduction, monitor assets, and control energy demand."

GRID2020 has secured licensing agreements to use IBEC Global's Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) technology and platform.

Applying virtually any combination of GRID2020's energy management solutions, stand-alone dynamic electricity monitoring devices, and robust communications options—including Wi-Fi, GSM and BPL—utilities around the world can create targeted solutions, or broad-based deployments of effective real-time smart grid communications networks. Where needed, GRID2020 deploys the same FCC-approved BPL technology that has been successfully deployed in rural America to create an open standards communications pipe using existing grid infrastructure.