Itron and Schneider Electric Join Forces to Modernize and Simplify Energy Distribution, Address Energy Transition
Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), which is innovating the way utilities and cities manage energy and water, and Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, are working together to improve energy and grid management for utilities as homeowners and businesses increasingly adopt distributed energy resources (DER) at the grid edge, such as rooftop solar, battery energy storage, electric vehicles, and microgrids.
The companies will gradually integrate their intelligent grid and distributed energy resource (DER) management solutions to digitalize electricity demand and supply.
Electricity demand is rapidly increasing as transportation, heating, and other applications become electrified. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, grid capacity in the United States will have nearly doubled by 2050 compared to 2022, while grid capacity in Canada is projected to reach 226 GW by 2050.
With more DER comes more data generated at the grid’s edge, and an unprecedented opportunity to harness, aggregate and analyze that data to produce actionable insights.
Utilities can leverage this awareness to optimize grid planning and operations by integrating Itron’s Grid Edge Intelligence solutions and Schneider’s Digital Grid solutions to increase grid capacity while deferring infrastructure investments.
Itron and Schneider are working on dozens of integrated use cases that will deliver value across asset management, grid planning and operations, and DER management, and will work with utilities to integrate their solutions.
“We began collaborating with Schneider Electric to simplify grid management and enable a new generation of applications for utilities that recognize the dramatic changes and escalating demand that await all of us,” said Don Reeves, senior vice president of Outcomes at Itron. “This collaboration will help us realize Itron’s vision for the grid edge—one where meters, transformers and feeders negotiate amongst themselves to achieve localized distribution outcomes, dynamically adapting and configuring sections of the distribution grid while enabling consumers to participate and benefit from these transactions.”
“At Schneider Electric, we’re committed to delivering solutions for utilities that connect everything from grid to prosumer, and this collaboration with Itron is the latest expression of that commitment,” said Ruben Llanes, NAM Power & Grid Segment President for Schneider Electric. “Utilities today need an interoperable, fully connected foundation for intelligent grid operations, and it is inspiring to pursue this future with Itron—one of the most innovative forces in the industry.”
Modern utilities are already benefiting from Itron’s industrial IoT (IIoT) network solution, which collects usage and status data at the point of service. Grid operators gain greater situational awareness and real-time insights by combining distributed and centralized intelligence, which includes key measurements, notifications, and events such as downed wires.
With this collaboration, utilities can extend energy orchestration to behind-the-meter assets, allowing for proactive management of grid constraints when and where needed. Itron’s Grid Edge Intelligence solutions combine grid analytics and edge DERMS to improve visibility, including high resolution, real-time transformer level insights and control via Schneider’s Digital Grid solutions.
EcoStruxure ADMS enables grid operators to use enhanced outage management capabilities to efficiently detect and respond to faults, reducing risks from climate-related impacts such as wildfires.
And, with Grid to Prosumer DERMS, utilities can maximize the value of DER by taking a comprehensive approach to grid optimization, flexibility management, and prosumer engagement that supports today’s energy transition.
Sophisticated grid edge intelligence solutions also support behind-the-meter intelligence, which is increasingly important as more homes and commercial properties incorporate DER such as solar and electric vehicles. Bloomberg NEF predicts that 167 million homes and 23 million businesses will use solar power by 2050.
These intelligent assets can then be used in demand response programs, which reward owners for reducing their usage during peak demand. Prosumers can gain control of their electricity supply by using solutions like Schneider Home and Itron’s Distributed Intelligence-enabled Optimizer, while utilities can optimize the grid to meet changing needs.
Itron and Schneider Electric will hold a news conference at DISTRIBUTECH 2024 on February 27th in Orlando, Florida, where they will also demonstrate their integrated grid edge intelligence, distributed intelligence, GIS, DERMS, and ADMS solutions.
These demonstrations, combined with additional customer activities throughout the year, will help to accelerate grid modernization across multiple regions while validating key grid intelligence use cases from which other utilities can learn.
Source Itron and Schneider Electric
