Integrated Utility of the Future
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Saturday, 24 October 2009 10:46 |
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 The fact that is has developed a reference architecture based on familiar, cost-effective Microsoft platforms that can be used as the basis for development of the “integrated utility of the future” has been revealed by Microsoft.
Microsoft’s first comprehensive reference architecture addressing technology integration throughout the full scope of the smart energy ecosystem is called the Microsoft Smart Energy Reference Architecture (SERA). Having the capability to provide a method of testing the alignment of information technology with their business processes to create an integrated utility, the Microsoft SERA can help utilities. Following the presentation of an online application developed to enhance the experience of utilities’ customers and provide further insight into the supply and demand of residential energy use, called Microsoft Hohm, this is the second utility offering revealed by Microsoft in just four months.
Utilities will need sound, tested technologies to help them proceed because they attempt to develop new projects that are funded by national smart grid stimulus programs. Utilities will be able to implement solutions faster and more reliably than they could with solutions offered by competitors thanks to Microsoft and industry partners’ technologies.
From the power grid to the home, the Microsoft SERA has been adopted by a number of global solutions providers whose energy industry solutions cover the entire energy ecosystem. Accenture, Alstom Power, AREVA, ESRI, Itron Inc. and OSIsoft Inc. are some of the Microsoft Gold Certified Partners who support SERA.
In order to ensure that SERA addresses power utilities’ IT infrastructure needs Microsoft collaborated with key power industry partners. One example is Alstom Power who has demonstrated its commitment to Microsoft along with the fully embrace of SERA and thinks of this move as the first step in providing solutions for the new challenge raised by smart grids.
Senior vice president of Alstom Power’s Energy Management Business, Laurent Demortier, declared: “Alstom has established a long-term relationship with Microsoft in order to provide cost-efficient, scalable architectures for electrical producers like solar, hydro, wind, coal, steam or nuclear power plants.” He continued: “This Microsoft reference architecture accelerates solution development to enable developers to provide enhanced, more cost-effective, secure and scalable solutions.”
Other customers such as Fujairah F2 O&M Company Ltd. are seeing the benefits of solutions built according to an architecture that provides the alignment of IT with their business processes. Production manager, Fujairah F2 O&M Company, Soloman Premline Prince, declared: “Developing a quality ALSPA Series DCS system for such a large and complex plant like ours is not that easy, and the Alstom team has responded to that great challenge in an exceptional manner.”
Worldwide Utilities Industry technology strategist/architect, Microsoft, Larry Cochrane, declared: “Utility industry executives who are concerned about changing their business models to ones that enable a smarter energy ecosystem will view Microsoft as a partner of choice because of its current strengths within their technology regimes as well as our solutions’ adaptability to future, sometimes unknown, conditions and business environment needs.” He further added: “The Microsoft Smart Energy Reference Architecture represents our continuing commitment to our utility industry customers and our holistic vision of how the smart grid fits into the much larger energy ecosystem that’s evolving daily.”
Exactly how the plug-and-play model allows thousands of devices to seamlessly plug into PCs today, the Microsoft SERA for the smart energy ecosystem can create a world in which thousands of smart devices can seamlessly plug into the grid with the help of common standards and interoperability frameworks.
The result of all of this is that the grid and the broader energy ecosystem can achieve the vision of becoming smarter once companies will inject Microsoft and industry partners’ software into the various control points in the power system, which will allow households and businesses to have ready access to timely, user-friendly information that eventually can help them make more rational choices about their energy use.
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