Smart Grid

Connecting technologies for an intelligent utility future

Utilities worldwide are embracing a ‘Smart Grid’ vision of transformational change. This vision includes full modernization and automation of electric power networks.

 

This vision also encompasses major elements from advanced metering, power electronics and information management to renewable and distributed energy resources, and home and electric vehicle energy management.

 

The Smart Grid vision seeks to bring together and connect, in an interoperable way, diverse technologies—advanced applications and use of distributed energy resources, communications, information management, automated controls. Doing so, the Smart Grid enables a self-healing, more reliable, less constrained, safer and more efficient grid. Intelligent meters, products and displays also empower customers to use electricity more efficiency.

 

Based on our ongoing industry relationships, KEMA views the utility industry as engaging in the early stages of a transformation that will span the next decade. Utilities today are in various stages of evaluating, specifying and deploying technologies associated with the ‘Utility of the Future,’ modernizing operational and information systems, and deploying AMI and enhanced communications capabilities. At the heart of this utility future is the intelligent network and communications.

 

Strategies and solutions for a smart grid enabled utility future

KEMA offers a comprehensive range of strategies and solutions to help clients plan and evolve into a ‘Utility of the Future.’ We help clients address the challenges of integrating new and emerging advanced metering and communications, distribution automation systems, and information technologies with utility engineering and work management systems.

 

We also assist clients with strategy development, related procurement, deployment and process change projects, to more fully realize automation’s effectiveness and cost reduction benefits enterprise-wide.

 

Our areas of focus include:

• advanced metering infrastructure

• meter data management systems

• distribution automation

• distribution operations systems

• tele- and data communications and associated (IEC) standards and models

• information systems integration

• information security

• Smart Grid and Utility of the Future, strategy, planning and implementation.

Our smart grid solutions include:

• investment analysis - comprehensive financial review of technology deployment options

• procurement support – requirements and specifications development, solution architecture, vendor assessment, and program management

• quality assurance - assistance in identifying, assessing, and mitigating supplier risk factors

• strategy development - road map and requirements specification

• regulatory assistance - planning, developing, and implementing appropriate cost recovery strategies and mechanisms, including expert witness support

• technology assessment - evaluating the suitability of available technology choices towards a sustainable implementation program

• infrastructure design - developing the detailed specifications to support adequate procurement and life cycle cost-effective investments.

Independent perspective, industry insight
KEMA is not aligned with any specific vendor solution, be it hardware, equipment, or supporting software. Our impartiality enables us to provide insightful points of view and objective recommendations, solely directed to the best interests of each client.

 

Our global presence includes a broad and deep technical and business knowledge of utility operations, and a comprehensive understanding of required technologies, methods and tools for utility solutions. This allows KEMA to be very effective in assisting utilities to develop strategies, design solutions and implement technologies that best meet their needs while minimizing technical, operational and business risks.