ALLENTOWN, Pa., Nov. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- PPL Electric
Utilities and GE Power Digital announced a joint initiative to
develop and test software to manage and control electricity from
renewable and stored energy sources.
The initiative will enable both companies to learn more about
the impact of this type of power — called Distributed Energy
Resources (DER) — on grid management and accelerate the advancement
of technology to support it.
DERs are local electricity generation, storage and other energy
resources typically connected to the grid at the distribution
level. With the growth of renewable resources, such as wind and
solar, DERs play a growing role in the grid and make network
operations more dynamic and complex for utilities like PPL.
Challenges exist because energy resources like wind and solar
are not constantly available. At the same time, the grid must be
able to assimilate the power while still providing safe and
reliable service for all customers.
Planning for, monitoring and controlling DERs while maintaining
reliability requires in-depth system knowledge combined with
advanced technologies. GE's DER Orchestration software uses
automated and adaptive technologies to manage the impact of
distributed generation. GE was recently recognized by IDC
MarketScape as a leader in DER management systems.1
PPL will adopt GE's DER Orchestration and integrate it with the
utility's Advanced Distribution Management Solutions (ADMS). This
combination will enable the utility to model and improve grid
operations, maintain grid reliability, enhance load forecasting and
improve bi-directional communication with DERs. PPL and GE will
test the software within the utility's service territory for
assistance with future product development and verification for
others within the industry considering DERMs solutions.
Matt Green, chief information
officer at PPL, commented, "There will be more change in the
electric utility industry over the next 10 years than we have
experienced in the prior 100 years. Distributed energy will be
everywhere, but we'll still need the grid. With the proper
investments to successfully orchestrate DERs, the grid will become
more valuable. Utilities are best positioned to provide the
platform of the future and enable emerging technologies to thrive.
To accomplish this, we need long-term strategic relationships such
as the one we have established with GE."
Responding to changes in the grid while maintaining reliability
is a key focus for PPL. Their investments to date include
installing smart grid technology, designing data analytics models
to improve equipment maintenance and replacement and installing
better protection against damage from lightning strikes. PPL is
ranked in the top 10 percent nationally and first in the
Mid-Atlantic region in keeping the lights on for its customers,
according to system average outage frequency figures from the
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Reliability is directly related to customer satisfaction. PPL
routinely ranks among national leaders in customer satisfaction,
according to a noted national study. The study measures utility
customer satisfaction by examining key factors, with power quality
and reliability having the highest weight.
"Distributed energy brings with it variability that places new
stresses on the grid. To address this challenge, new approaches to
business and operating models along with advanced software
solutions are critical," said Jeff
Wright, vice president of product management for GE Power.
"We're glad to be working directly alongside a forward-thinking
utility like PPL. Not only are they focused on innovating for the
future, they're focused on doing it the right way for their
customers – safely and reliably."
About PPL Electric Utilities
PPL Electric Utilities provides electric delivery service to
more than 1.4 million homes and businesses in Pennsylvania and ranks among the best utility
companies in the country for customer service and reliability. PPL
Electric Utilities is a major employer in the communities it
serves. It is a subsidiary of PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL). For more
information visit www.pplelectric.com.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is the world's Digital Industrial Company,
transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions
that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized
around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through
which each business shares and accesses the same technology,
markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels
innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With
people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes
for customers by speaking the language of
industry. www.ge.com
About GE Power
GE Power is a world energy leader providing equipment, solutions
and services across the energy value chain from generation to
consumption. Operating in more than 180 countries, our technology
produces a third of the world's electricity, equips 90 percent of
power transmission utilities worldwide, and our software manages
more than forty percent of the world's energy. Through relentless
innovation and continuous partnership with our customers, we are
developing the energy technologies of the future and improving the
power networks we depend on today. For more information please
visit www.ge.com/power, and follow GE Power on Twitter and on
LinkedIn.
PPL Contact
Joe
Nixon
Strategic Communications, PPL Electric Utilities
+1-610-774-5997
JCNixonJr@pplweb.com
GE Contact
Kathleen
Szot
Media Relations, GE Power Digital
+1-312-581-8588
PowerDigital.Communications@ge.com
1 IDC MarketScape: North America Distributed Energy
Resource Management Systems 2018 Vendor Assessment (Doc
#US41793416), August 2018.
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SOURCE PPL Electric Utilities