Massachusetts-based electronics company Analog Devices (ADI) is working with Enel’s Gridspertise subsidiary to advance the resiliency and quality of smart grids around the world.

Gridspertise was set up last year to provide sustainable technologies for distribution system operators (DSOs). The collaboration enables the development of hardware and software that support distribution grid self-healing and adaptation in response to changes in energy supply and demand as renewable energy sources are brought online.

The joint effort is built on the long-term smart meters and grid digitalisation collaboration between ADI and Enel over the past fifteen years. Today, ADI is working with Gridspertise to deliver more precise and accurate measurement and monitoring capabilities through real-time data. This can improve grid reliability, thanks to faster response times, better resiliency and higher quality of service, while helping utilities improve their operational efficiency and implement a rapid transition to clean energy as well as enabling flexibility services.

The technologies are suitable for the enhancement of legacy infrastructures of different geographies and life stage, and do not require costly rebuilds; also, they reduce the environmental impact of the assets, making digitalisation a key driver for more sustainable power distribution grids.

“Leveraging an open innovation approach, Gridspertise collaborates with key players from different sectors to industrialise and deliver the most advanced hardware and software in the market for the digitalisation of power distribution grids, supporting DSOs around the world to accelerate the energy transition,” said Robert Denda, chief executive officer of Italian firm Gridspertise. “We are excited about our collaboration with ADI following Enel’s footsteps. We look forward to continuing offering the most up to date grid edge technologies that enable operators to better manage aggregated demand from residential and commercial buildings and support the future of the energy system in which our customers become prosumers.”

ADI’s power and precision technologies also deliver enhanced analogue-to-digital conversion, protection, precise measurement, metrology and isolation capability for the QEd Quantum Edge device at the heart of Gridspertise’s digitalisation of secondary substations. This is a first in the industry to virtualise fully the physical components of secondary substations, turning them into customisable edge applications, while enabling new use cases and improved management of key grid functionalities.

“ADI technologies span across the electrification ecosystem, from vehicles to energy storage to charging stations, and today they are becoming even more important for the electric power distribution grids, where precision measurement and digitalisation is essential to ensure greater flexibility and resilience,” said Patrick Morgan, ADI corporate vice president. “We are pleased to expand our collaboration with Gridspertise into our next generation of advanced energy measurement, isolation, sensing and control.”

ADI serves 125,000 customers worldwide with more than 75,000 products in the industrial, communications, automotive and consumer markets. It is headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts.

Enel launched Grispertise as a subsidiary in September 2021. The company leverages on Enel’s expertise in developing, testing and scaling up technologies to operate smart grids all over the world for DSOs of any size or geography. It provides access to digital technology for the transformation of electricity distribution networks in metering and grid edge digitalisation, networks infrastructure digitalisation, and field operations digitalisation. Target markets include Europe and Latin America, starting with the countries where Enel already has a strong presence, and expanding towards North America and Asia-Pacific where the investment in smart grids will drive infrastructure upgrade projects in the near future.

• Enel X, the energy services arm of the Enel Group, is collaborating with the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and Ontario Energy Board (OEB) for an innovative battery storage and demand response aggregation pilot project to support Ontario’s growing energy needs.

The project, supported by a $3.3m CAD investment through IESO’s Grid Innovation Fund as well as regulatory support from OEB’s Innovation Sandbox, aims to unlock opportunities for businesses to leverage on-site batteries and reduce their electricity use to meet real-time energy needs.