Leveraging Smart Grid Data

The smart grid technology revolution has created some interesting opportunities for energy utilities from delivering customer service excellence to improving energy delivery efficiencies. The core driver for smart grid has always been to optimize the “meter to bill” process and provide more customer choices such as demand-response, time-of-use, pre-pay and conservation programs. Timely and easily accessible information has enabled customers to make better choices with regard to their energy use. Additionally, utilities can benefit through improved worker productivity, lower operations costs and revenue enhancements.

The challenge today that many utilities face as they operate a smart grid infrastructure is what to do with the significant amount of data being collected (from smart meters and sensors) and how can they further leverage this data to produce information that can be acted upon. For example, how can utilities use this data to enhance functions such as engineering analysis, optimize the distribution grid, or asset management? This paper explores opportunities and ideas to leverage smart grid data beyond those normally considered...