4th Annual Electric Energy Storage

This marcus evans meeting will catalyze the further development of storage as a real option by bringing together stakeholders such as industry (IPP, ISO, RTO), academia, and government to examine increased reliability, performance, and competitiveness of storage systems. Viability of Smart Grid Scale storage is challgenged through markets, finances, technology and the environment. Attending this conference will help one to gain perspective on how best update and integrate their assets more effectively.

Siemens and Accenture Form Smart Grid Joint Venture

Siemens and Accenture formed Omnetric Group, a joint venture in the smart grid field to develop solutions and services that allow utilities to improve efficiency and achieve greater supply security. Its business operations will focus initially on Europe and the U.S., with further global expansion planned in the future. Omnetric Group will focus on solutions and services for system integration and management of the growing volume of data created as part of power grid operation.

Memphis Light, Gas and Water Selects Elster AMI

Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) selected the EnergyAxis advanced metering infrastructure and EIServer meter data management systems from Elster Solutions for the first phase of their smart meter deployment. EnergyAxis enables meter data collection, analysis, reporting, and network management for all three services using a single head-end system. This simplifies system management, and reduces the total cost of ownership.

CPUC Orders PG&E Pipeline Out of Service Until Investigation is Complete

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) directed Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) to keep its natural gas pipeline number 147, which runs through the City of San Carlos, out of service until CPUC staff verifies the safety of the pipeline. The CPUC’s safety and enforcement division has initiated a staff investigation to determine whether any immediate safety concerns are posed by the pipeline. This investigation will result in public findings, required corrective action if necessary, and citations for any violation of law or regulation.

Google Invests in Silver Ridge Power’s Mount Signal Solar Project

Google partnered with Silver Ridge Power, formerly known as AES Solar, to invest approximately $103 million in Silver Ridge Power’s 265.7-MW Mount Signal Solar project. The project, also known as Imperial Valley Solar 1, is a utility-scale solar PV generating plant under construction in Imperial County, California. Mount Signal Solar is expected to be fully operational in 2014 and will sell its output to the San Diego Gas & Electric under a long-term PPA.

CenterPoint Energy's Natural Gas Business Will Deploy Itron Advanced Metering Technology

CenterPoint Energy’s natural gas distribution business will install Itron advanced metering technology across the utility’s six-state service territory by the end of 2015. Communication modules to nearly 1.3 million gas meters have already been installed in parts of the company’s service territory in Minnesota, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas. Upon project completion, 3.3 million communication modules will be installed in these states as well as Arkansas and Mississippi.

Aquion and Siemens Partner on Energy Storage System

Aquion Energy signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Siemens Industry under which both parties will test the integration of Aquion’s AHI batteries and Siemens’ Sinamics S120 drive technology. As part of the MOU, Siemens purchased an initial set of Aquion batteries for immediate shipment to their manufacturing and test facility in Alpharetta, Ga.