NEWS

State of the art 3 Tier solution introduces a new benchmark for security, advanced grid applications and is high speed ready 

 

Wednesday, November 5th, 20149:00 am CET

Dateline: Amsterdam, Netherlands 

 

(San Jose, California& Amsterdam, Netherlands) - Networked Energy Services Corporation (NES), a global smart grid market leader, today announced, at the annual European Utility Week event in Amsterdam, the launch of Patagonia, its next generation solution platform for the smart grid. The 3 tier platform includes ruggedized Grid Appliances (which include smart meters and sensors), Linux-based Control Nodes and a robust grid analytics and applications portfolio encompassed in its Utility Data Center solutions. 

 

Patagonia has been designed from the ground up to support end-to-end, state of the art security to help its customers and partners meet the security challenges they face with a comprehensive solution. Patagonia is purpose built to adapt with ever-changing security threats while providing the ability to enable grid applications and pre-process data for improved responsiveness and lower operating cost. The security offer includes a comprehensive end-to-end system covering all 3 layers of the architecture and all interfaces between the layers and the system at all levels. Each level uses state of the art algorithms (such as AES-GCM and AES-CCM) and combines it with an automated PKI system spanning all layers and integrated with the utilities IT security system. Patagonia also includes a comprehensive grid analytics and applications portfolio which offers its customers and partners a multi-faceted value proposition and perpetual return on investment as its customers deploy more applications. Patagonia is also designed to support multiple communications mediums and protocols, including OFDM PLC and various wireless options. Current plans are to launch the availability of OFDM PLC option on Patagonia's Grid Appliances within the next year. 

 

Patagonia also includes a brand new series of secure Grid Appliances, designed to operate in the field for 20 years with 10 times the processing power and memory of previous generations, providing the head-room to support current and future applications. A dual-core MCU for independent metrology and application processing allow for expansion and accurate measurements. Patagonia's Grid Appliances support applications like smart metering, load control, multi-utility networking and much more. These appliances can also integrate with home and enterprise control application platforms through up to 2 Multiple Expansion Ports. Patagonia includes the DCN 3000 Distributed Control Node, placed in the center of the architecture,based on a ruggedized Linux platform. The DCN 3000is not only the communication gateway from any IP based WAN to field buses, it also provides a flexible distributed application platform, building unprecedented visibility into the physical grid layout and the health of the distribution grid. The DCN provides integrated OFDM ready PLC and expansion to additional field buses and grid communications via standard USB buses ensuring upgradability as technologies change and new use cases are explored. 

 

When fully deployed, Patagonia will enable utilities to deploy multiple applications on a single platform. Customers who select Patagonia for AMI applications will be able to seamlessly add valuable applications like grid health monitoring, transformer monitoring, demand response with active load control, integration of distributed energy resources (DER) enabling the vision of renewable energy sources and efficient management of tomorrow's grid. A start anywhere approach allows the utility to identify specific use cases with defined ROls as a starting point and incrementally expand solutions and investments as the return materializes, and over time providing an ROI much better than might have been anticipated in the original project. 

 

"We see this is a groundbreaking platform for the industry and it is one of the reasons why we selected NES as our Smart Grid Platform", said Piotr Kolodzie, CEO of Tauron Distribution, the largest distribution utility in Poland. "While our initial focus is on deploying the smart metering application, it is very compelling and comforting to know we can operate securely and deploy additional applications to help improve the safety, reliability and efficiency of our grid without significant incremental investment. We support Patagonia and the value it can bring to the industry." 

 

"Patagonia is a natural progression of our vision and strategy to deliver a proven, open, multi-application platform to our partners and customers," said Michael Anderson, President and CEO of NES. "Patagonia offers industry leading security with headroom for expansion given the inevitability of new requirements which must be addressed in order for our partners and customers to remain confident in end-to-end grid security. Further, Patagonia supports multiple applications across the grid appliances, control nodes and utility data center software comprised in this 3-tier solution. As a result, our partners can be assured of flexibility and a return on investment that grows each time a new application is deployed." 

 

The modernization of the electrical grid is a global imperative in order to meet rising demands, ensure reliability and safety and ensure long term efficiencies to realize global resource and environmental responsibility. Networked Energy Services Corporation's vision is help usher in this new era of grid safety, reliability and efficiency with its 3 tier, proven, open, multi-application platform. 

 

About Networked Energy Services Corporation (NES)

 

Networked Energy Services Corporation (www.networkedenergy.com) is a global smart energy leader in the worldwide transformation of the electricity grid into an energy control network, enabling utilities to connect to their customers, offer new services and help them compete more effectively, through solutions which can help reduce operating costs, provide expanded services and help energy end users to become active participants in energy conservation. The company was formed as a result of the spinoff of Echelon Corporation's Grid Modernization Division in October 2014. NES has its headquarters in the US, with design and R&D Centers located in Silicon Valley, CA, and Fargo, ND, and sales offices throughout the world.Networked Energy Services' solution, based on Open Smart Grid Protocol (OSGP), is used in more than 4 million smart end points by utilities around the world. You can find out more information about NES and its products, including smart meters, data concentrator nodes, and head-end software, at www.networkedenergy.com. 

 

About S&T AG

 

S&T AG (www.snt.at, ISIN AT0000A0E9W5, WKN AOX9EJ, SANT) is listed on the Prime Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The company has some 2,100 employees. It operates in 20 countries. S&T is one of the three largest suppliers of IT systems in Austria and in Eastern Europe. S&T's prime assets include the breadth of the products - many proprietorially developed - comprising its portfolio. These products are used in the smart energy, cloud, security and mobile IT sectors. The portfolio is distributed throughout Central and Eastern Europe. S&T launched its "smart energy" business area in 2014. This area now comprises NES (www.networkedenergy.com), the Austria-based Ubitronix GmbH (www.ubitronix.com) and the Group subsidiary RTSoft (www.rtsoft.ru/en). These companies provide S&T with an unsurpassed portfolio of smart energy technologies. This portfolio enables S&T to offer comprehensive, end-to-end solutions in this area. 

 

About Cedrus Enterprises Holding 

 

Cedrus Enterprises Holding (www.cedrus.net) is a privately held dynamic multi-faceted Lebanese Holding company. Through its diverse portfolio of businesses, the group covers a wide and variable spectrum of business and technical consulting services, with particular emphasis on the energy sector as an area of strategic importance. Cedrus's long-range investment strategy includes greater focus on areas related to the power generation, distribution and management and operation of utilities sector, the provision of smart grid solutions and AMI, and high technology (ICT, ISP, Smart Housing Solutions, Software and Telecommunications). Cedrus is also currently involved in arranging contracting services (Infrastructure, Commercial & Residential), Electromechanical Products & Solutions, Facility Maintenance and Cleaning Services, Defense and Security (specialized training and equipment), Transportation (airport ground-handling and management), and hospitality (hotels, restaurants, franchising and catering). 

 

About The Open Smart Grid Protocol 

 

The Open Smart Grid Protocol (OSGP) is a family of specifications published by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) used in conjunction with the ISO/IEC 14908 control networking standard for smart grid applications. OSGP is optimized to provide reliable and efficient delivery of command and control information for smart meters, direct load control modules, solar panels, gateways, and other smart grid devices. With over 4 million OSGP based smart meters and devices deployed worldwide it is one of the most widely used smart meter and smart grid device networking standards. 

 

About The OSGP Alliance

 

The OSGP Alliance, founded in 2006 as the Energy Services Network Association (ESNA), is an independent global, not-for-profit association that promotes the adoption of the Open Smart Grid Protocol (OSGP) and related services and infrastructure for smart grid applications. Members include utilities, software, hardware and service providers, and solution integrators that share a common goal and vision for promoting open standards for energy demand side management, smart grid and smart metering systems. More information about the OSGP Alliance can be found at www.osgp.org.