by Shane Henson — August 19, 2011—Alcatel-Lucent, a provider of telecommunications technology to the utility market, and China’s State Grid Information and Telecommunication Company Ltd (SGIT) one of the largest utility companies in the world, are teaming up to help utilities more effectively manage peak electricity demand, identify opportunities for power savings, and cut down on energy usage. The two companies will do this by increasing the intelligence in utilities’ power distribution systems, or “smart grids,” which allow the continuous measurement, monitoring, control and adjustment of power distribution.
According to the companies, they will focus on accessing data used to track energy usage from the plethora of devices, including smart meters, and analyzing that data and delivering that information to the utility. This information can then be used by utility companies to monitor and control peak and off-peak demand and more effectively manage delivery during those times, which can help cut costs and reduce outages and waste.
These solutions will also provide the customers of utility companies with access to reliable power distribution as well as information on their own power usage, allowing them to make educated decisions about their power consumption, Alcatel-Lucent officials say.
This information could be key in helping facilities managers at both large and small companies around the world reduce their energy usage and costs through strategic energy management.
