Targeted at the intersection of the oil & gas, renewable energy and utilities industries, Ventyx has announced plans for new software that it says will “help utilities to effectively integrate the fast-growing number of renewable and distributed energy resources around the world into their grids to sustainably balance supply and demand.”
Setting this software release apart from most others is its development path. The Ventyx Distribution System Operations Solution is being developed with strategic input and testing by E.ON, a power and gas company that supports more than 26 million customers in 30 countries.
The Distribution System Operations software features SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition), DMS (distribution management system), voltage optimization and demand response management capabilities. This combination of functionality reportedly integrates and optimizes the value of distributed generation and demand response assets in a smart grid. Ventyx claims the software can “help utilities move from a grid that requires reactive processes and disjointed manual interventions to a holistic and self-healing interconnected grid.”
With global energy demand expected to increased by as much as 35 percent by 2035, according to the International Energy Agency, and that some 60 to 70 percent of energy loss occurs in the distribution system, global utilities are being forced to improve the efficiency of distribution networks and integrate more renewable energy sources into the grid.
“We have already begun implementing Ventyx’s software to support our next-generation smart grid initiative at E.ON, and anticipate we’ll be operational by early 2014 for initial testing and development,” says Peter Sigenstam, vice president and head of E.ON Innovation Centre Distribution.
“There is tremendous pressure on distribution utilities to maintain system reliability and security, while at the same time meeting sustainability goals and providing customers with greater choice,” said Rick Nicholson, vice president, transmission and distribution solutions, Ventyx. Nicholson, who describes himself as a “recovering industry analyst”, worked as group vice president at IDC Energy Insights before joining Ventyx in April 2013. He adds that the new software will also allow utilities to more easily integrate energy storage and plug-in electric vehicles, while creating greater control over capacity, efficiency, sustainability and customer engagement.
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