Thursday, June 17, 2010

Telvent partners with L &T for Smart Grid Project in Maharashtra, India

Telvent (NASDAQ: TLVT), the IT company for a sustainable and secure world, announced today its agreement with Larsen and Toubro Ltd. to partner on a turnkey contract for Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd. to implement baseline data and information technology (IT) applications for energy accounting, auditing and IT-based consumer service centers for 95 towns in India.
With Telvent Smart Grid Solution, Maharashtra is able to effectively measure the aggregate technical and commercial losses and increase reliability and quality of electric supply to its customers, as well as enhance the operation of the distribution network.
For Telvent and Larsen and Toubro, this project is a new opportunity to deploy state-of-the-art technology using the Telvent Smart Grid Solution which provides the necessary toolset for utilities to take an active role in the rapidly emerging smart grid systems.
The Maharashtra Project includes GIS-based indexing and asset mapping (ArcFM), GIS network analysis based on Distribution Management System (DMS) on a Web based platform. The project is part of the Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Program (R-APDRP), an initiative of Ministry of Power of the Government of India. The objective of R-APDRP is to reduce the technical and commercial losses in project areas. The cost of the program is 500 billion Indian rupees (approximately 8.3 billion Euros).
According to Telvent's CEO, Ignacio Gonzalez, "Today, more and more utilities worldwide are interested in Telvent's Smart Grid technologies.  Our key partners, like Larsen and Toubro, are able to deliver the right suite to monitor, manage, and translate data into actionable business information."
Telvent has proven experience in deploying similar projects throughout the world such as Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) projects for Vattenfall (Sweden), Fortum (Finland) and SCADA, DMS, GIS and OMS projects for Consumers Energy (United States), Progress Energy (United States), Distribution Grids of Elektra (Panama), Emcali (Colombia), Saesa (Chile) and CNFL (Costa Rica).
The Maharashtra Project enables Telvent to improve and expand its position in India. Since 2005, there have been many joint projects completed in India, powered by Telvent's Smart RTU and OASyS technology including Jamnagar Export Refinery Project (JERP), the world's largest petroleum refinery and property of Reliance Industries Ltd; Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC); and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), among others.
Larsen & Toubro is a USD 8.5 billion technology, engineering and construction group, with global operations. It is one of the largest and most respected companies in India's private sector. A strong, customer –focused approach and the constant quest for top-class quality have enabled L&T to attain and sustain leadership in its major lines of business over seven decades (www.larsentoubro.com)

Telvent
Telvent (NASDAQ: TLVT) is a global IT solutions and business information services provider dedicated to helping improve efficiency and reliability for the world’s leading companies. Telvent serves markets that are critical to the sustainability of the planet, including the energy, transportation, agricultural and environmental sectors

Monday, June 7, 2010

India launches Smart Grid Forum

The Government of India launched Smart Grid Forum signally its strong intention of making the grid smarter and thus joining the worldwide Smart Grid race. The Smart Grid forum is different than the Smart Grid Task force. The Forum is going to be a non-profit voluntary consortium of public and private stakeholders, research institution, and selected utilities with the objective of accelerating Smart Grid development in India.  Whereas the task force is going to be inter-ministerial group primarily focusing to ensure awareness, coordination and integration of the diverse activities related to smart Grid technologies, practices and services for Smart Grid Research and Development, Co-ordinate and integrate other relevant inter-governmental activities, Collaborate on interoperability frame work, review and validate the recommendations from India Smart Grid Forum etc.

According to Government, at this stage, following are the focus points for Smart Grid development in India.
"
End of Load Shedding
  • Peak load shifting through a combination of direct control and differential pricing (demand response/dynamic DSM)
Reliable Power
  •  Robust systems with self-healing capabilities; first step is improved monitoring
Cheaper power
  •   Dramatic improvement in AT&C losses ? knowing where every kWh is going in real-time
Shifting the peak away from costly power
  • Better utilization of assets
More sustainable power
  • Integration of green and renewable resources at a massive scale ? enough to increase energy independence "
Initially, India Smart Grid Forum will select member through invitation only. Power ministry will be the patron of both Smart Grid Forum and Smart Grid Task force and will select member from state power utilities, private power utilities, power sector PSUs, empanelled System Integrators, SCADA Consultants and Implementing Agencies of R-APDRP, selected educational and research institutes, NGOs, CEA, CERC, CPRI, FICCI and NASSCOM. PFC (Power finance Corporation) and REC (Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd) are the permanent invitees of Smart Grid Forum. CSTEP is going to be knowledge partner and adviser to the forum.The India Smart Grid Forum website is at early stage of development.