Smart grid ready chip under development for smart meters
Energy software company Utilidata is developing a chip with its grid operations software embedded onto NVIDIA’s AI powered processors.
The chip, which is intended for incorporation in smart meters, is designed to provide a new level of situational awareness and real time control at the grid edge to enhance resiliency and support the further integration of distributed energy resources.
Utilidata’s machine learning software leverages real-time data from smart meters and other distribution grid devices to detect anomalies. This is being combined with NVIDIA’s Jetson edge AI computing platform and AI Enterprise software to deliver an enhanced computational and analytical capabilities.
Jess Melanson, President and COO of Utilidata, likens the development to providing the industry with its version of Waze or Google Maps, but instead of coffee shops and traffic, it will understand power flow, electric vehicle charging demand, solar production and customer usage profiles.
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“The processing power will allow each node to monitor for anomalies and compare them in real-time against a growing library that will learn the difference between a tree branch, cyber attack or impending equipment failure,” he says.
Melanson further promises: “A grid with this type of computing power could provide instantaneous solar interconnection, seamlessly integrate millions of EVs without expensive grid upgrades, engage continuous demand management, predict and prevent outages and offer grid operators the ability to execute surgical, targeted demand shedding during an emergency.”
Among the early testers will be the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as a way to scale and commercialise its Real-Time Optimal Power Flow (RT-OPF) technology.
The technology enables highly localised load control to seamlessly integrate an increasing number of distributed resources while ensuring stable and efficient grid operations.
“To date, the scalability and commercial potential of technologies like RT-OPF have been limited by single-use hardware solutions,” says Santosh Veda, Group Manager for Grid Automation and Controls at NREL.
“By developing a smart grid chip that can be embedded in one of the most ubiquitous utility assets – the smart meter – this approach will potentially enable wider adoption and commercialisation of the technology and redefine the role of edge computing for distributed resource integration and resiliency.”
The collaboration also is expected to enable new opportunities for clean energy companies and third party market participants, including incumbent meter manufacturers, who are able to build and deploy new software defined features on NVIDIA’s Jetson.
Cloud-native support for Jetson also will help Utilidata implement frequent improvements in accuracy and quickly deploy new algorithms throughout an application’s lifecycle, at scale, while minimising downtime.
