GE Vernova has unveiled grid data management software to unlock a smarter, more resilient energy network.

GridOs Data Fabric is designed for grid orchestration, to help utilities operate a grid that is both smarter, as renewable energy scales, and more resilient, as extreme weather events increase.

The grid today is more complex, and energy data are a contributor to this complexity, as these data are dispersed across the energy network, multiplying exponentially and creating data challenges for electric utilities to manage.

GridOs Data Fabric (www.ge.com/digital/applications/grid-orchestration-software/data-fabric) uses federation to access decentralised data from multiple sources and virtualisation to create a centralised view across the grid ecosystem, from transmission, distribution and the edge, and IT and OT applications. This unified data view helps grid operators discover, govern and use large volumes of distributed data to make better decisions faster while orchestrating the grid in real time.

“We are working to address complications arising from big energy data,” said Sanjay Banga, president of transmission and distribution at Tata Power. “Unlocking energy data across the grid will help us address variable renewable power, grid disruption, and the induction of millions of EVs, solar panels, solar pumps and IoT edge devices. Scalable options that make data management easier for utilities will help us better forecast generation and load for grid balancing and optimise capex for optimal data analytics. This supports our drive towards 24/7 availability of reliable, sustainable power for end users.”

As utilities modernise the grid by installing line sensors and smart meters, they are able to gather large amounts of data to enhance grid intelligence. They also need to process an increasing number of external data sources, such as weather, wildfire, traffic and emergency services information. GridOs Data Fabric is designed to integrate energy data from across OT and IT, as well as these external data sources to facilitate coordinated decision-making.

“Energy data play a key role in delivering a more efficient grid,” said Mahesh Sudhakaran, general manager at GE Vernova’s grid software business. “Utilities will need to connect energy data from across the grid ecosystem to effectively automate grid operations, orchestrating a more intelligent, secure and resilient grid that is ready and built for future electrification needs. By leveraging energy data, AI and machine learning [ML] powered technologies, utilities can move at speed to meet demand while addressing renewables management and electrification challenges.”

Collaborations are key to accelerating grid orchestration and scaling breakthrough technologies that rely on energy data. Itron, an American energy, water, smart city, industrial IoT and intelligent infrastructure services company, will leverage GridOs Data Fabric to connect grid operations and grid edge data, from sources such as residential solar and electric vehicles.

“A key component of the GridOs Data Fabric software is its ability to connect and integrate data to make more accurate real-time decisions that enable a reliable and resilient grid,” said Don Reeves, senior vice president at Itron (www.itron.com). “The data to be exchanged with Itron’s grid edge intelligence can provide new insights to promote grid stability and to train and power AI and ML applications that help automate key aspects of the grid operation.”

GE Vernova’s GridOs strategy is centred around a modular, composable, data-driven software portfolio designed to orchestrate a more sustainable energy grid and help utilities keep pace with the energy transition. This announcement builds on GE Vernova’s acquisition of Greenbird Integration Technology and the launch of GridOs in 2023.

“This launch includes GridOs Connect, our energy data integration engine, a key component for the federated grid data fabric that feeds continuously updated data sets into the system,” said Thorsten Heller, chief innovation officer at GE Vernova’s grid software business. “This is information that has been difficult for utilities to compile and analyse holistically in the past. With GE Vernova’s acquisition of Greenbird Integration Technology last year, we are ready to help utilities unlock data for a smarter, resilient grid that is fit for future generations.”