Infosys,Wipro among the Big Fish of global Smart Grid IT: GTM Research

The leading clean technology research firm GTM Research in its latest report "The Network Grid 150 : The End-to-End  Smart Grid Vendor Ecosystem Report and Rankings" has identified Wipro and Infosys as one the top 7 global software companies in the Smart Grid space. It is well know fact that software is one of key component of Smart Grid technology. From managing power demand to monitoring the grid health, software is going to be the essential piece of all smart grid segments. The other 5 big fish are IBM, Oracle, Siemens, Accenture, and Schneider Electric. The report selected the top 7 "Big Fish" based on two basic criteria, 1) market cap of more than $20 billion and 2) being active and influential in smart grid market.

Though, the smart grid solutions are unique to the local conditions, having global smart grid exposure and experience will be an added advantage, as the right set of tools and techniques mastered can be used for the smart grid implementation in India. Wipro and Infosys have implemented various smart grid IT project in the global market and with their local knowledge of the Indian utility and energy industry, are well placed to take advantage of the emerging smart grid market in India. According to ZPRYME, Indian government is set to spend close to $11 billion in next 5 years to reduce the line losses to less than 15% in urban and high-density area. Approximately one-fifth of the $11 billion will be spent on IT for the state-run distribution companies. 

While, the western and developed economies have to re-work the grid to successfully implement smart grid, developing countries like India , which still are building the electric infrastructure, are uniquely positioned to take advantage of smart grid by completely bypassing many of the technologies that emerged in the last decade and are at the verge of extinction.

HCL Partners with eMeter and Tridium, Expands Smart Grid Partner Ecosystems

HCL Technologies (HCL), a leading global IT services provider, today announced a significant expansion of its smart grid partner ecosystem by forging strategic alliances with two leading data management software firms focused on the smart grid market: eMeter and Tridium. The creation of smart grids includes the modernization and digitization of aging power grids.

These partnerships enable the integration of real-time data management and analytical software with HCL’s comprehensive suite of services to help utilities transform their existing infrastructure from traditional power grids to smart grids more efficiently. Additionally, the partnerships will further accelerate HCL’s strategy to become an end-to-end integration services provider to the utilities companies.According to Pike Research, the smart grid managed services market is expected to become a multi-billion dollar market by 2015.  In 2011, the market reached $821 million, a 75 percent growth rate over 2010.

"HCL has made a global commitment to utilities customers in enabling them to address their most pressing challenges by helping them assess and roll-out smart grid programmes in all the major power markets," said Rajeev Sawhney, the Global Head of Public Services for HCL Technologies. "Through the partnerships with these industry leaders, we aim to build on our domain competencies and offer best-in-class smart grid solutions that give our customer maximum value and competitive advantage.

The new HCL partnerships include:

• Working with eMeter, a leader in energy data management, to increase the efficiency of data processing at utilities by providing a more secure, reliable distribution and consumption of energy
• A partnership with Tridium, a global leader in open platforms, application software frameworks, automation infrastructure technology, energy management and device-to-enterprise integration solutions, to help HCL increase operational efficiency of utilities by building and automating smart energy consumption management and control systems.  Tridium’s Niagara Framework®, a software platform that integrates diverse systems and devices operates in real-time to integrate the diverse building systems of a utility to ensure environmental sustainability

“eMeter is very excited about working with HCL,” said Lisa Caswell, VP Worldwide Alliances at eMeter.  “Together we will be able to showcase the best of both firms and offer a true end-to-end smart grid solution to utilities companies in a very competitive market.”

“The Tridium Niagara Framework is an ideal development platform for HCL that will add another layer of innovation and support to their industry leading smart grid product solutions and turnkey services,” said Marc Petock, Vice President, Global Marketing and Communications, Tridium. “We look forward to helping HCL deliver next-generation smart grid services to their end customers.”

HCL’s Smart Grid Lab
Recognizing that an array of technologies are required to efficiently run a smart grid network, HCL Technologies has identified and partnered with eMeter, Tridium and other companies and is working extensively with each partner in HCL’s Smart Grid Lab.  The HCL Smart Grid Lab assists customers in developing a Smart Grid solution adoption roadmap, identification of best suited solution, collaborating with partners in testing solution models, reducing risk, and meeting time-to-market, etc.

About HCL Technologies
HCL Technologies is a leading global IT services company, working with clients in the areas that impact and redefine the core of their businesses. Since its inception into the global landscape after its IPO in 1999, HCL focuses on ‘transformational outsourcing’, underlined by innovation and value creation, and offers integrated portfolio of services including software-led IT solutions, remote infrastructure management, engineering and R&D services and BPO. HCL leverages its extensive global offshore infrastructure and network of offices in 26 countries to provide holistic, multi-service delivery in key industry verticals including Financial Services, Manufacturing, Consumer Services, Public Services and Healthcare. HCL takes pride in its philosophy of ‘Employee First’ which empowers our 72,267 transformers to create a real value for the customers. HCL Technologies, along with its subsidiaries, had consolidated revenues of US$ 3.1 billion (Rs. 14,101 crores), as on 31st December 2010 (on LTM basis). For more information, please visit www.hcltech.com

About eMeter
eMeter provides essential software that enables electric, gas and water utilities to realize the full benefits of Smart Grid. Leading utilities worldwide depend on eMeter Smart Grid Management software to reduce operational costs, improve customer service, and drive energy efficiency. With the most large-scale deployments in the industry and strategic partnerships with Accenture, IBM, SAP, and Siemens, eMeter has built a reputation for unparalleled expertise that ensures customer success. Additional information about eMeter is available at www.emeter.com

About Tridium Inc.
Tridium is the global leader in open platforms, application software frameworks, automation infrastructure technology, energy management and device-to-enterprise integration solutions. Software frameworks from Tridium extend connectivity, integration and interoperability to the millions of devices deployed in the market today and empowers manufacturers to develop intelligent equipment systems and smart devices that enable collaboration and communication between the enterprise and edge assets. Additional information about Tridium is available at www.tridium.com

HCL Press Release

HCL lends first-of-a-kind Smart Grid contract of $100 million in India

HCL, The 5th largest IT company in India has earned the distinction of being the first company to lend multi-million dollar Smart Grid project in India. As reported by Business Standard, the company will establish intelligent electricity network by integrating generators and consumers, which will allow to efficiently manage demand and supply hence, increasing the robustness of the power system.

Anant Gupta, president of  HCL Technologies Infrastructure Services Division, quoted,“HCL has signed the world’s first-of-a-kind smart grid contract with an Indian power distribution enterprise. Smart grids can be used in the emerging markets to reduce inefficiencies and there are 6-10 players in the industry which are offering such solutions. The company under its Ecosystems and Business Incubation initiative is incubating 5 technology ideas, which include Smart Grids, Cloud Computing, E-Governance, Mobility, and Biometrics.  As one of the empaneled IT consultants for Government of India's R-APDRP program, HCL has already won 5 R-APDRP projects in different states. It has also set up Smart Grid labs in India and Raleigh, North Carolina to tap this emerging opportunity, which the company plans to initially capture 5% market share. 

The Smart Grid market is still at the nascent stage and with its ever growing potential, HCL with its present less than 100 staff in this segment is aiming to become turnkey integrators.