Weekly Intelligence Brief 26 Apr – 2 May 2012

By ksdicks on May 2, 2012

Munich’s SWM and Siemens to create virtual power plant Companies mentioned: Siemens, Stadtwerke München, Pike Research, Penelec Pennsylvania Electric, Itron, WEL Networks, Silver Spring Networks, Aclara, Nebraska's Twin Valleys Public Power District, and DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability

 

Weekly Intelligence Brief 26 Apr – 2 May 2012
 
Munich’s SWM and Siemens to create virtual power plant
 
Stadtwerke München, Munich’s utility company, has joined forces with Siemens to operate 12 small power stations, including 6 renewables installations, as one “virtual power plant” from which SWM balances loads and sells excess generation to outside its grid area. Their plan is to improve the reliability of planning and forecasting for decentralized power generation sources.
 
The companies have integrated 20 megawatts of capacity from the 12 plants including 5 hydro stations, 1 wind farm, and 6 “unit-type cogenerating stations”. The technology from Siemens helps the utility make use of increases in renewable power generation that could otherwise go to waste or overload the grid.
 
SWM is using a Siemens “distributed energy management” system (DEMS), which is used to note weather forecasts, current electricity prices, and demand, and then plans production accordingly. 
The technology comes largely from the Smart Grid division of Siemens’ Infrastructure and Cities group.
Smart grid IT market worth $1.3bn
 
Billions of dollars are being invested in smart grid infrastructure, including smart meters and distribution automation systems across various continents. This level of investment is having an impact on the global smart grid software market, which is growing steadily with an estimated compound annual growth rate of 15.2 per cent, according to new Pike Research.
 
According to a new report the global smart grid software market is estimated to be worth $1.3 billion by the end of 2012 and will reach $2.9 billion by 2017. 
 
Penelec begins DR business customer programme 
 
Penelec Pennsylvania Electric (Penelec) has started a DR programme for some of its business customers, which it hopes will change energy habits by cutting peak demand by 4.5% during the top 100 hours of demand June 1- Sept 31.
 
Pennsylvania state law is requiring utilities and their respective customers to cut their demand power use as per state law, Act 129. 
 
Those that help cut average peak demand by 350 KW for 12-15 days could earn up to $10,000, the utility said. 
 
Penelec, a FirstEnergy unit, serves about 590,000 customers in 31 Pennsylvania counties.
 
Itron makes $572m 
 
Metering company Itron has reported revenue of $572m for its first fiscal quarter ended March 31. The figures are slightly up from the same period last year, which came in at $564m. 
 
The company experienced growth in its power and metering businesses, however its quarterly net income was down to $25m from $27m, it was reported.
 
Operating expenses had a bit to do with net income coming down, but according to a report this was offset by a drop in net interest expense. 
 
WEL Networks selects Silver Spring 
 
Smart grid solutions company, Silver Spring Networks has been selected by WEL Networks for to deploy a smart grid platform in the Waikato region of New Zealand. 
 
Silver Spring will provide advanced metering, distribution automation and deployment. 
 
The first deployment phase of 10,000 customers has now been extended to 45,000 for the coming year. 
 
Aclara bags DR Nebraska deal 
 
Aclara, which specialises in Intelligent Infrastructure technologies for utilities and part of the Utility Solutions Group of ESCO Technologies, has landed a contract with Nebraska's Twin Valleys Public Power District (TVPPD).
 
As part of the deal, Aclara will to deploy its TWACS and Demand Response Management System (DRMS) technologies. 
 
"Aclara’s DRMS will help us to meet a number of critical goals, including expanding our load control capabilities, managing customer costs, and executing demand response requests from wholesale power suppliers far more rapidly,” said James Dietz, general manager, TVPPD. 
 
He also said that Aclara will provide an advanced AMI network that will dramatically improve meter interface ability and customer engagement.
 
In recent weeks Aclara was chosen by Nebraska’s Cuming County Public Power District (CCPPD), to roll out the Aclara DRMS. 
 
DNV KEMA opens Beijing HQ
 
Consultancy DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability, which is behind some of the world’s most exciting smart grid and renewable energy projects, is spreading its net by opening an Asia Pacific headquarters in Beijing, China.
 
The office will be headed up by COO Bjorn Tore Markussen, who will oversee operations in Australia, China, Korea, India, Malaysia and Singapore.