Infinity Technology Solutions along with Nokia, approach the development of smart grids for electric utilities by leveraging our full portfolio of communication networking solutions.
When a utility wants to modulate power usage to increase efficiency and enjoy cost savings, Infinity might build them a multi-tiered IP/MPLS network.
Power companies that want smart grids to regulate power need a WAN network solution that possesses the tools to monitor and control their distribution network.
They need to locate and isolate faults, prepare switching orders, regulate voltage, and optimize reactive power to reduce power loss and energy consumption when demand peaks.
In order to accomplish the above, Infinity can create a wide-area network (WAN) in two layers: WiMAX for the intermediate level, along with a 6.0 GHz point-to-point microwave backhaul as the backbone of the system.
Setting up a network solution for a smart grid in this way gives the utility full control of their network, makes for a more efficient system, and offers consumers greater choice when it comes to their energy consumption.
Smart grid projects such as these can be quite complex, depending on the needs of the utility. Many power company’s grids have stringent latency and bandwidth requirements for features such as reclosers and capacitor controllers out on their grids.
As the components of the grid that require automation to control power distribution, reclosers and capacitor controllers possess switches. And these switches need to deliver information quickly enough to the distribution management system to enable remote switching for modulating power consumption.
Installing a two-layer WAN solution consisting of full WiMax with microwave integration enables the automation of switches on reclosers and capacitor controllers on the grid for remote management of power distribution.
Intelligent Data from Smart Power Grids Yields Benefits
Smart grid technology allows utilities to better use their existing infrastructure. It also helps customers make wiser choices about their use of power. Below is a list of some of the benefits utilities enjoy when they deploy Nokia’s smart grid networking infrastructure:
- Grids become more efficient through the automation of distribution
- Peak demand goes down significantly
- Overall customer demand for power goes down by an average of 2% a year for three years
- Operational efficiencies from advanced metering increase
Utilities that choose Nokia solutions for their networking infrastructure typically enjoy a significant reduction in megawatt (MW) hours of electricity used, along with a significant decrease in total cost—typically millions of dollars saved yearly.
Power companies are also able to better supply power to their customers, increasing overall end user satisfaction.
Increased Customer Satisfaction Combined with Cost Savings
Above we mentioned advanced metering as one of the many benefits of automating the distribution of power for utilities.
Real-time remote metering saves utilities millions of dollars a year. Installing smart meters in residential homes and businesses means fewer meter readings, which generates savings in the manpower it costs to roll out trucks into neighborhoods to read meters. Additionally, utilities that deploy smart metering see a reduction in fraud.
Another major benefit of the smart metering and automation of power distribution is that it turns a utility’s customers into partners for positive energy use. Demand response prices refers to the practice of allowing customers to reduce their power usage during periods of high consumption.
Empowering customers to be more environmentally conscious is a great way to work toward a greener future on the horizon.
Infinity Designs and Installs Nokia WAN Solutions for Utilities
As a master distributor of Nokia networking solutions for the automation of power distribution for utilities, Infinity Technology Solutions has decades of experience in the design, implementation, and maintenance of WAN network infrastructure for more efficient grids.
