Volt/VAR Optimization: Squeeze More Out of Your Grid
Whether using VVO in a centralized, decentralized, or edge of network configuration, upgrading your implementation using the MICATU platform overcomes current limitations to deliver a robust return on investment.
A Real-time Edge for Any VVO Implementation
Volt/VAR Optimization (VVO) presents a compelling opportunity for electric utilities to achieve significant operational improvements. By strategically managing voltage and reactive power, VVO acts as a control lever, enabling utilities to fine-tune network performance and unlock hidden value.
Purposefully designed for maximum frequency and fidelity of digital data, ease of deployment, and reliability of operation, the MICATU platform delivers substantive improvements to various configurations of VVO technology despite the size of the distribution network, the level of control required, or the availability of resources.
- Centralized Configuration: Communicating digital data at the speed of light, MICATU advanced optical sensors provide highly accurate and reliable data for VVO functions. Installed at strategic locations throughout the distribution network, MICATU is the only commercially available platform offering computational power at the grid’s edge providing real-time data to the centralized computing platform.
- Decentralized Configuration: Strategically deployed at each location in the distribution network, MICATU’s M410B digital signal processor with resident computational power provides local data in real-time for VVO functions improving coordination and control. The data from MICATU advanced optical sensors can be communicated using a wide range of available protocols to a central location or to neighboring locations to coordinate and optimize VVO functions throughout the network.
- Edge of Network Configuration: In an edge of network configuration, the frequency and fidelity of digital data delivered only by the MICATU platform provides unmatched granularity of data on network conditions and highly accurate data on voltage and current levels. The MICATU platform enables optimized VVO functions at the edge of the network, such as voltage regulation and power factor correction.
Regardless of network configuration, the MICATU platform delivers highly accurate, reliable and real-time data to maximize VVO functions, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of voltage regulation, power factor correction, and reactive power compensation.
Overcoming VVO’s Current Limitations
While VVO technology has offered incremental improvements to utilities in the operation of their networks, limitations in the capabilities of the underlying technologies such as capacitor banks or voltage regulators prevent realization of VVO’s full potential.
Modular, accurate, and resilient in any VVO configuration, the MICATU platform can be safely and quickly hot deployed on existing conductors to collect more precise and more accurate data on more metrics immediately, relegating these typical VVO limitations to the past:
- Communication Infrastructure: With built in computational power, MICATU’s M410B digital signal processor overcomes limitations in communication infrastructure by reducing the amount of data that needs to be transmitted over the communication network. MICATU’s digital platform delivers highly accurate and reliable data, reducing the need for redundant data transmission and increasing the efficiency of the communication network. Easy to deploy at any strategic location throughout the distribution network, MICATU advanced optical sensors reduce the amount of data that needs to be transmitted to the central computing platform.
- Data Quality and Availability: MICATU advanced optical sensors use light to sense the optic effects in magnetic and electric fields for greater precision without conducting electrons, providing highly accurate and reliable data in real-time at a fidelity and frequency unrivaled commercially. This data empowers optimization of VVO functions, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of voltage regulation, power factor correction, and reactive power compensation.
- Scalability: By reducing the computational requirements and communication bandwidth required for VVO functions, the modular MICATU platform overcomes scalability limitations. MICATU advanced optical sensors provide highly accurate and reliable data in real-time, reducing the need for complex data processing algorithms and latency making it easier to scale VVO functions to larger distribution networks.
- Integration with Existing Infrastructure: Flexible, modular and in a variety of form factors to fit most network configurations, the MICATU platform is isolated from the current for rapid and safe installation at different locations in the distribution network, providing local data for VVO functions. MICATU advanced optical sensors deploy alongside existing infrastructure, reducing the need for significant modifications to the distribution network.
- Cost: The MICATU platform delivers a fidelity and frequency of highly accurate and reliable data beyond other commercially available alternatives, reducing the need for costly redundant infrastructure and maintenance. Additionally, MICATU advanced optical sensors provide real-time data on the health and condition of the distribution network, empowering predictive maintenance and asset management, further reducing costs over time.
For utility operators looking to minimize the invisible energy drain that occurs during transmission and distribution, shave off peak load spikes to potentially defer costly infrastructure upgrades, or to deliver reliable power to customers while maximizing the capacity of their existing grid, the MICATU platform overcomes limitations in typical VVO implementations empowering reduced energy losses, optimize peak demand, and enhance grid efficiency delivering a robust return on investment.
The Role of Optimization
Reducing energy losses is a critical step towards improved profitability in the energy sector. Learn how the MICATU platform can dramatically minimize the amount of energy lost in the distribution system while maintaining the voltage levels needed by customers and regulated by law.
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