E.ON has selected a comprehensive set of Ventyx software solutions to underpin its new smart grid control center in Sweden. E.ON is one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies, serving more than 26 million customers in over 30 countries.
Representing the next step in a strategic research and development initiative between E.ON and ABB to define next-generation smart grid solutions, the new control center will provide a best-practices model for global utilities to ensure greater operational efficiency in the face of increasingly complex power networks worldwide.
Building upon its existing deployment of Ventyx's SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system, the following IT solutions from the Ventyx portfolio will be implemented, developed and tested: business analytics, network optimization, load forecasting, demand response and distributed resource management. Combining information (IT) and operational technologies (OT) in E.ON's smart grid control center will deliver a higher degree of grid automation, sensing and visibility; achieve greater control of distributed generation; and further support regulatory compliance.
E.ON is developing its new smart grid control center for a variety of advanced use cases, including:
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Greater awareness of the state of the network through improved forecasting using real-time and near-real time operational data, weather data and neural network algorithms;
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Optimized reactive power flow and voltages helped by more accurate forecasts of load, and distributed resources, combined with network switching analytics;
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More accurate monitoring and control of power flows between the transmission and distribution systems through load control/demand response; and
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Greater prediction of congestion caused by production from renewable generation, mainly wind farms, based on weather forecasts.
The new smart grid control center will be installed in Malmo, Sweden, and is anticipated to be operational in early 2014 for test and development purposes.
