Back in the 90s when Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) created a wave of revolution in the energy sector, no one could fathom the possibility of that technology creating a domino effect in utilities. AMI came into the picture after an impending need for better grid management and protection against demand surges, and even today, are sending minute details of power consumption to utilities in a process now known as ‘power line communication’. The concept of having a smart grid came about after these early technology innovations and the rest is history.
The communication has become two-way of course, with consumer engagement entering the scene and utilities delivering personalized content to their customers on a regular basis. The content ranges from actionable information to alerts and high bill warnings, visualizations of their usage patterns, and so on.
Smart grid solutions today generally specialize towards enhancing veracity of data supplied to utilities from various points on the grid, incorporating energy efficiency players like the solar industry and electric vehicles. Smart grid platforms offer an unprecedented level of visibility into operations and complete control over various aspects of grid performance, driven by consumer behavior and usage patterns powered by artificial intelligence.
In the past few months, a distinguished panel comprising of CEOs, CIOs and analysts, along with Energy CIO Insight’s editorial board reviewed and shortlisted the top companies who are leading the smart grid initiative market. In this edition of Energy CIO Insights, we present to you “10 Best Smart Grid Solution Providers 2017”, featuring the companies that deliver cutting edge technology to redefine grid operations and management.