The Ins and Outs of Effective Smart Grid Data Management (Oracle Utilities Blog) Oracle Utilities Blog Praise for Europe’s Smart Metering & Conservation Efforts «  main» Five Point Partners Reviews Oracle Utilities Mobile Workforce Management 2.0

« Praise for Europe’s Smart Metering & Conservation Efforts | Main | Five Point Partners Reviews Oracle Utilities Mobile Workforce Management 2.0 » The Ins and Outs of Effective Smart Grid Data Management By caroline.yu on June 16, 2010 9:27 AM

Oracle Utilities and Accenture recently sponsored a one-hour Web cast entitled, “The Ins and Outs of Effective Smart Grid Data Management.” Oracle and Accenture created this Web cast to help utilities better understand the types of data collected over smart grid networks and the issues associated with mapping out a coherent information management strategy.

The Web cast also addressed important points that utilities must consider with the imminent flood of data that both present and next-generation smart grid components will generate. The three speakers, including Oracle Utilities’ Brad Williams, focused on the key factors associated with taking the millions of data points captured in real time and implementing the strategies, frameworks and technologies that enable utilities to process, store, analyze, visualize, integrate, transport and transform data into the information required to deliver targeted business benefits.

The Web cast replay is available here.

The Web cast slides are available here.

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Find out what is new with the P6 Analytics version of Primavera’s Suite of Project Management Software!

Accenture Launches Smart Grid Data Management Platform (Oracle Utilities Blog) Oracle Utilities Blog Renewable Energy in EMEA: The Critical Role of Smart Grids «  main» Smart Grid Gurus

« Renewable Energy in EMEA: The Critical Role of Smart Grids | Main | Smart Grid Gurus » Accenture Launches Smart Grid Data Management Platform By caroline.yu on March 18, 2010 9:33 AM

Accenture announced today it has launched the Accenture Intelligent Network Data Enterprise (INDE), a data management platform to help utilities design, deploy and manage smart grids.

INDE’s functionality can be enabled by an array of third party technologies. In addition, Accenture plans to offer utilities the option of implementing the INDE solution based on a pre-configured suite of Oracle technologies. The Oracle-based version of INDE will accelerate the design of smart grids and help reduce the costs and risks associated with smart grid implementation.

Stephan Scholl, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Oracle Utilities said, “Oracle and Accenture share a common vision of how the smart grid will enable more efficient energy choices for utilities and their customers. Our combined expertise in delivering mission-critical smart grid applications, security, data management and systems integration can help accelerate utilities toward a more intelligent network now and as future needs arise.”

For the full press release, click here.

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Utilities Worldwide Succeed with Oracle Utilities Applications (Oracle Utilities Blog) Oracle Utilities Blog Shaping the Future of Power «  main» Do we have enough time to build an electric car future?

« Shaping the Future of Power | Main | Do we have enough time to build an electric car future? » Utilities Worldwide Succeed with Oracle Utilities Applications By caroline.yu on April 28, 2010 10:53 AM

More than 50 utilities worldwide have selected or implemented Oracle Utilities applications in the current fiscal year to date to respond to environmental imperatives, adapt to changing business conditions, meet and exceed customer expectations, implement smart grid components and address operational issues.

Customers who have recently selected or implemented Oracle Utilities applications include: Acea Distribuzione, California Water Service Company, City of Winnipeg, Denver Water, Enersource Hydro, GasTerra, Modesto Irrigation District, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and Western Power.

“Around the world, utilities are under pressure to address customer demands, improve environmental quality and comply with regulatory requirements. Oracle Utilities provides a choice of mission-critical applications to deliver tangible business results. Our recent traction in the industry illustrates the solid value we bring to our customers,” said Stephan Scholl, senior vice president and general manager, Oracle Utilities.

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Smart Grid Gurus (Oracle Utilities Blog) Oracle Utilities Blog Accenture Launches Smart Grid Data Management Platform «  main» Shaping the Future of Power

« Accenture Launches Smart Grid Data Management Platform | Main | Shaping the Future of Power » Smart Grid Gurus By caroline.yu on April 22, 2010 12:12 PM

Join Paul Fetherland, AMI director at Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) and Keith Sturkie, vice president of Information Technology, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative (MCEC) on Thursday, April 29 at 12 p.m. EDT for the free “Smart Grid Gurus” Webcast. In this Webcast, underwritten by Oracle Utilities, Intelligent Utility will profile Paul Fetherland and Keith Sturkie to examine how they ended up in their respective positions and how they are making smarter grids a reality at their companies.

By attending, you will:

Gain insight from the paths taken and lessons learned by HECO and MCEC as these two utilities add more grid intelligence to their operations
Identify the keys to driving AMI deployment, increasing operational and productivity gains, and targeting new goals on the technology roadmap
Learn why HECO is taking a careful, measured approach to AMI deployment, and how Hawaii’s established renewable portfolio standard of 40% and an energy efficiency standard of 30%, both by 2030, impact its efforts
Discover how MCEC’s 45,000-meter AMI deployment, completed in 2005, reduced field trips for high-usage complaints by 90% in the first year, and MCEC’s immediate goals for future technology implementation

To register, please follow this link.

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Shaping the Future of Power (Oracle Utilities Blog) Oracle Utilities Blog Smart Grid Gurus «  main» Utilities Worldwide Succeed with Oracle Utilities Applications

« Smart Grid Gurus | Main | Utilities Worldwide Succeed with Oracle Utilities Applications » Shaping the Future of Power By caroline.yu on April 23, 2010 12:29 PM

In an energy marketplace that continues to evolve, gain insight into how utility executives increasingly confront the challenges of preparing their workers, regulators and customers for a period of volatility and promise.

This free on-demand Web cast, sponsored and underwritten by Oracle Utilities, will provide you with an executive-level view of what it means and takes to be a utility leader. By viewing this Web cast, you will hear:

NRG’s CEO David Crane weighing in on next-gen nuclear, generation portfolio diversity, and what it’s like to live through (and thrive in) a hostile takeover attemptEPRI’s Clark Gellings, the father of demand side management, outlining the coming trends marrying technology with customer energy consumption patternsCEO Ralph Izzo discussing PSEG’s low-carbon emissions strategy, commitment to solar power development, and pursuit of reliability through infrastructure investment.

To view this Web cast, please follow this link.

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Praise for Europe’s Smart Metering & Conservation Efforts (Oracle Utilities Blog) Oracle Utilities Blog Oracle to Join OECD Urban Roundtable for Mayors and Ministers «  main» The Ins and Outs of Effective Smart Grid Data Management

« Oracle to Join OECD Urban Roundtable for Mayors and Ministers | Main | The Ins and Outs of Effective Smart Grid Data Management » Praise for Europe’s Smart Metering & Conservation Efforts By caroline.yu on June 3, 2010 9:45 AMRecently, a writer at the Home Energy Team praised the UK for its efforts towards smart metering and energy conservation, with an article entitled UK Blazing A Trail With Smart Metering At Home? The article highlighted that the Department of Energy and Climate Change has announced that smart metering will be introduced in the next decade and that all UK households will have smart meters by the year 2020.

In fact, the UK is not the only country striving to achieve carbon reduction targets, as many of its European counterparts have begun to take positive steps towards tackling the issue of energy conservation by implementing innovative new metering and billing technologies as well as promoting alternative energy solutions, such as wind and solar power.

Since 1997, the states of the European Union, including France, Germany and Spain, have been working towards achieving a target of 12 percent renewable energy electricity by 2010. Germany in particular has made a significant achievement so far, having surpassed the target early in 2007. This success is largely due to the German Renewable Energy Act (EEG), which promoted the use of renewable energy.

Recently, analysis from the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) found that 21 of the EU Member States are meeting or exceeding their national target to achieve 20 percent renewable energy by 2020. However, six states – Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Bulgaria and Denmark – say they will not manage to reach their target through domestic action alone. Bulgaria and Denmark believe that with fresh national initiatives they could meet or exceed their targets, but others, including Italy, may need to import renewable energy from neighboring non-EU countries.

Top achievers, according to the EWEA report, are Spain, which believes its renewable energy will reach 22.7 percent by 2020, as well as Germany, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden, who will all exceed their targets.

“Importantly, the way that this renewable energy is controlled and distributed must be addressed in order to ensure its success,” said Bastian Fischer, vice president and general manager EMEA, Oracle Utilities. “A smart gird infrastructure can enable utilities to deal with load distribution in times of increased need and ensure power is always available from these means. A smart grid also underpins the success of metering and billing technologies, such as smart metering, and allows utilities to deal with increased usage data and provide accurate billing.”

Outside of Europe, Australia has made significant steps towards improving water conservation. The Australian Department of Sustainability and Environment took some of the recent advancements made in the energy sector, including new metering and billing solutions, and applied them to the water industry, enhancing customer service and reducing consumption as a result.

The adoption of smart metering in Europe is mainly driven by regulation, but significant technological improvements are being made the world over to change the way we use all kinds of energy. However, the developing markets are lagging behind. One of the primary reasons for this is the lack of infrastructure in place to use as a foundation for setting up energy-saving solutions, which is slowing the adoption of technologies such as smart meters. However, these countries do benefit from fewer outdated infrastructure and legacy systems, which is often cited by others as a difficult barrier to deploying new solutions. As a result, some countries should find new technologies easier to implement and adapt to in the immediate future, without this roadblock.

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Mid-State Solutions, Inc. specializes in DOE SGIG project management, Earned Value Management (EVMS) compliancy for Department of Energy Smart Grid Initiative, Department of Defense, Engineering Procurement Construct (EPC), Federal Government Contractors and their Portfolio, Project Management Systems.

Department of Energy (DOE) Smart Grid Investment Grant (SGIG)

Primavera Enterprise Project and Portfolio Management (PPM) Solutions for Utilities

The challenges faced by utilities managing DOE SGIG a project are numerous: from rising regulatory pressures and consumer demand for lower prices, to a shortage in skilled workers and the need for cleaner forms of energy. To succeed in this marketplace, utilities—including power generation, transmission and distribution, gas and water—must carefully manage their projects and resources, while controlling costs and mitigating project risks.

With Oracle’s Primavera solutions, utilities can successfully select, plan, and execute DOE SGG projects across the enterprise, including outages, maintenance, and capital expansion projects.

Primavera enterprise project and portfolio management solutions allow utilities to do the following:

• Manage financial performance by investing in and delivering capital and maintenance projects with less risk and superior returns
• Optimize operational metrics such as craft productivity, by ensuring that the right people are on the right project at the right time
• Enhance contractor collaboration through schedule integration analysis
• Create “what-if” scenarios, allowing all levels of project stakeholders to see how even a slight contingency will affect the project and how different responses will have an impact on the budget and schedule
• Capture key industry knowledge and establish best practices across the enterprise to reduce the impact of resource shortages due to attrition

BENEFITS

• Plan, schedule, and control large-scale programs and individual projects
• Select the right strategic mix of projects
• Balance resource capacity
• Allocate best resources and track progress
• Monitor and visualize project performance versus the plan
• Foster team collaboration
• Integrate with financial management and human capital management systems

Why Oracle’s Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management for DOE SGIG Project?

Oracle’s Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management is the most powerful, robust, and easy-to-use solution for globally prioritizing, planning, managing, and executing projects, programs, and portfolios. Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management is an integrated project portfolio management (PPM) solution comprising role-specific functionality to satisfy each team member’s needs, responsibilities, and skills. It provides a single solution for managing DOE SGIG projects of any size, adapts to various levels of complexities within a project, and intelligently scales to meet the needs of various roles, functions, or skill levels in your organization and on your project team.

Mid-State Solutions, Inc. specializes in DOE SGIG project management, Earned Value Management (EVMS) compliancy for Department of Energy Smart Grid Initiative, Department of Defense, Engineering Procurement Construct (EPC), Federal Government Contractors and their Portfolio, Project Management Systems.