Let’s talk about Itron and Elpis Squared.
These companies’ elevator pitches, so to speak, clarify the following about the value prop they wield for the future of smart city technology implementations:
Itron: “We enable utilities and cities to better manage energy and water through our proven portfolio of smart foundational networks, software, services, meters and sensors, all of which yield insights to support business and community infrastructures.”
Elpis Squared: “Navigate transforming grid solutions with confidence. The Elpis Squared team’s substantial combined utilities experience has refined available product offerings to tackle existing utility challenges and dedicate proactive efforts towards reliably meeting the distinctive requirements of future utility management systems.”
That’s the more-or-less gist of it, we’d say.
But now, there’s even more:
Last week, Itron announced the expansion of its Grid Edge Intelligence portfolio through the strategic acquisition of Elpis Squared.
According to the official announcement, this acquisition “will strengthen and complement Itron’s solutions, adding expertise in grid planning, operations and engineering to Itron’s existing proficiencies. Utilities will now be able to accelerate how they operationalize next-generation, high-resolution data to address the energy transition.”
This is, indeed, big news. Given how grid complexities can mire teams’ operations, the acquisition of Elpis Squared will allow Itron embed real-time, high-resolution grid edge data into grid planning and engineering processes to make possible more accurate distribution grid modeling and analyses for improved performance metrics and overall organizational successes.
Combining Elpis Squared’s RE|Grid Suite with Itron’s aforementioned Grid Edge Intelligence solutions (i.e. these operate at utility scale across millions of endpoints) will supercharge Itron’s product roadmap and enable utilities to maximize the value of existing investments with key use cases. These include:
Integrated Grid Planning: The Elpis Squared RE|Grid Suite (including Model Validator, System Planner and Power Analyzer, together with Itron’s AMI and high-resolution grid edge data) will improve modeling and grid edge analytics and deliver an end-to-end approach for precision-level low voltage grid edge scenario planning.
Streamlined Scenario Planning and Impact Studies: Studies can be run more frequently to enable even more accurate forecast planning, leading to increased carbon reduction.
Improved Asset Planning: With high-resolution grid edge data, the asset planning process can be improved to protect transformer performance, extending capital investment life and reducing operation and maintenance costs.
Improved Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation: Combining the power of Elpis Squared’s RE|Grid Model Validator and Service Optimizer with and Itron’s Grid Edge Intelligence solutions, this will further power anomaly data and will dramatically improve location analytics.
As summarized by Don Reeves, Senior Vice President of Outcomes at Itron:
“The acquisition of Elpis Squared strengthens Itron’s Grid Edge Intelligence portfolio and will accelerate our product roadmap to create more value for our customers. We look forward to enabling customers to solve critical operational challenges by embedding Itron’s grid edge data and insights into utilities’ grid planning and operations, addressing the energy transition.”
And as echoed by Bryan Wright, CEO of Elpis Squared:
“We are excited to be acquired by Itron as we help utilities navigate a transforming grid with confidence. By adding our RE|Grid Suite to Itron’s Grid Edge Intelligence portfolio, Itron will catalyze the transformation of energy infrastructure and help utilities enhance resource productivity and create a sustainable, resilient and interconnected energy ecosystem.”
Elpis Squared’s solutions are now available to Itron’s North American customers.
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
