How IoT Transforms Utility Grid Operations

Olivia Smith, Utilities Tech Outlook | Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Utility firms that are implementing IoT capabilities in their smart grid setups are offered with improved monitoring and management functionality.    

FREMONT, CA: The utility sector is undergoing a sea change. Along with other technologies, the Internet of Things (IoT) is helping to drive this transformation. It is revolutionizing nearly every part of the industry from generation to transmission to distribution of energy. As part of innovations happening in the industry, a move toward grid modernization has been taking hold, with smart grid technologies and the IoT movement coming together to fuel this change. Here is more about what happens when IoT is put in the energy grid context.

The smart grid leverages IoT technology to identify changes in the electricity supply and demand. It can react to these changes and provide operators with the information they need to manage energy demand more precisely. IoT can also help in the integration of more distributed resources in the grid, as well as improve grid management at the same time.

Placing IoT sensors in substations can offer real-time energy consumption data that utility firms can use to make decisions about voltage control and load switching. IoT sensors located on the grid can also alert operators about outages, allowing them to turn off power to damaged lines and prevent electrocution and other hazards. Power usage data gathered from IoT devices can serve as the basis of load forecasting, which can help in handling power congestion along transmission and distribution lines. The power consumption data can also help firms decide between building new infrastructure and upgrading it.

The IoT is transforming nearly every industry of the economy. Over the years ahead, the utility industry is going to get smarter, more efficient, distributed, and reliable with the help of IoT.

IoT