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Edge computing is the solution to the current and future data challenges associated with the electric energy industry.
FREMONT, CA: A more distributed energy grid of today requires a more distributed IT and computing infrastructure. With data processing capabilities and applications platforms extending all the way to the grid's edge are demanding computing and data processing power to be located in multiple levels of the network. According to a survey, 75 percent of enterprise-generated data will be processed at the edge by 2021.
The electric utility sector involves several distributed energy sources. These various sources can create over one Terabyte (TB) of data each day. The usual practice is to push back the data to a centralized cloud server for computing. However, with the unprecedented growth of data, there is increased pressure on the electric utility infrastructure, thereby positively affecting operational efficiencies. Alternatively, edge computing is performed on distributed asset nodes. Thus, the deployment of edge computing will allow electric energy firms to improve processing speeds and reduce security concerns and thereby enhance operational efficiencies.
Research and advancements in the field of edge computing is adding value to the electric energy firms on various levels. For example, edge virtualization platforms provide the firms with a standardized way to interact with applications for the edge. Similarly, some edge computing solutions support multiple applications, thereby avoiding the need to buy dedicated hardware for running such applications. This reduces costs for energy firms. However, the value of edge computing in the electric energy sector is created due to the potential to run asset optimization. Such a capability is currently being harnessed in other industries with around 34 million connected assets.
In short, edge computing is allowing electric energy firms to address data challenges and increase processing speed.
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