New York-based Robert Cruickshank Associates (RCA) has launched a nationwide optimum load shaping API for smart energy management. Called GridIoT, it can help broadband operators reduce energy costs and carbon footprints.

The breakthrough creates energy opportunities for cable broadband operators by providing what RCA says is the first nationwide availability of standards-based optimum load shaping (OLS) signals that let operators reduce electrical expenses and take leading roles in boosting the efficiency of electric grids and microgrids, all while accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources.

GridIoT OLS signals modulate and time-shift electric load on the power grid by working directly through the IoT with electric vehicles, batteries and thermostats. Broadband providers can use GridIoT products to gain more control over their own powering requirements, as well as create business opportunities by helping utilities, businesses and smart cities ensure power availability and reduced carbon emissions.

The signals ensure the lowest-cost and cleanest electricity is used in broadband operations and connected communities. OLS signals let broadband operators reduce operational costs by up to 20%, and more as technology improves. Equally important, the signals project the future availability of grid resources for efficiency and sustainability as time-shifting electrical demand becomes an integral part of grid modernisation and customer-side transactive energy management.

Broadband operators can use the OLS signals to help energy suppliers avoid capital investment and increase operational efficiency by reducing grid congestion and raising the use of the generation-to-load infrastructure.

“Optimum load shaping of electrical demand is the fulcrum for grid modernisation,” said Robert Cruickshank, CTO for RCA. “The GridIoT OLS API enables electric vehicle and battery charging, rooftop solar, thermal storage and more to play a crucial role in balancing supply and demand. Furthermore, the proximity and ubiquitous reach of broadband networks will enable cable operators to provide monitoring and management that will reduce power costs, maximise availability and meet sustainability goals.”

Instead of today’s fragmented retail electricity pricing schemes, OLS signals abstract thousands of utilities’ pricing schemas and demand-side energy management programmes in a single, searchable database. The signals combine forecasts of electric load, renewable energy sources, wholesale prices, grid congestion and other factors to create wide area and hyper-local load shapes that jointly optimise the generation, transmission, distribution, storage and use of electricity.

“Technologies such as OLS can put cable at the centre of every discussion on energy cost, availability and sustainability,” said David Fellows, chair of the SCTE Engineering Committee.

The OLS signals are available online via an interactive, web-based viewer and API. Any device or energy management system can programmatically query the API for an OLS signal, then autonomously decide whether to time-shift some or all of its demand for electricity to lower-cost periods. The system is designed to improve pricing, optimise effectiveness and reduce power outages.

OLS technology provides benefits for utilities, transmission and distribution system operators, and third-party electricity providers. It propels optimal load shaping into the energy management marketplace. Manufacturers of energy storage systems and controls can integrate the OLS technology and signals to benefit their organisations and customers.

The signals are compliant with the Ansi SCTE 267 2021 US national standard. The standard defines an electronic payload, aka the optimisation signal, and a client-server platform for distributing OLS signals to energy consumers. The OLS server is cloud-based.

Clients are implemented in the controllers of flexible loads such as batteries, water heaters, air conditioners, refrigeration systems, and commercial and industrial users of electricity. In addition to an OLS server routinely broadcasting signals across large geographic areas, any OLS client can query the OLS server to check for a hyper-local load shape by providing its latitude, longitude and electricity provider to help manage congestion in the last kilometre of the grid.

RCA invented OLS and spearheaded the SCTE 267 and 271 power monitoring and management standards.