Latest news with #DigitizingUtilitiesPrize
Associated Press
15-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Simple Thread Wins Round 2 of U.S. Department of Energy's Digitizing Utilities Prize for Hosting Capacity Analysis Tool
Award recognizes innovative solution to accelerate clean energy grid interconnection RICHMOND, VA, UNITED STATES, April 15, 2025 / / -- Simple Thread, a software consultancy working at the intersection of software, power systems, and design, has been named a winner of Round 2 of the U.S. Department of Energy's Digitizing Utilities Prize. The company earned recognition for its Hosting Capacity Analysis (HCA) tool — a cloud-based solution that helps utilities accelerate interconnection studies and make faster, more transparent decisions about where new generation can be added to the grid. As utilities face mounting interconnection requests and pressure to modernize infrastructure, Simple Thread's tool provides a scalable, cost-effective way to assess grid capacity and streamline internal review processes. It is model-agnostic, integrates into existing workflows, and supports strategic planning as well as regulatory reporting. 'We're proud to be recognized by the Department of Energy and the American-Made program,' said Justin Etheredge, CEO of Simple Thread. 'Our Hosting Capacity Analysis tool is just one example of how we help utilities solve mission-critical problems — whether that's modernizing equipment ratings systems for FERC 881 compliance, automating transmission outage analysis, or improving interconnection transparency.' The Digitizing Utilities Prize, led by the DOE's Office of Electricity and the Office of Technology Transitions, aims to surface innovations that enable more dynamic, resilient, and data-centric grid operations. Simple Thread was selected among other top-performing teams advancing digital solutions for the utility sector. To learn more about the HCA tool and how it supports utility interconnection planning, visit: Case Study: Optimizing Grid Interconnection with Hosting Capacity Analysis While the award was announced in January, interest in Simple Thread's Hosting Capacity Analysis tool has continued to grow, prompting the release of a detailed case study and new engagement opportunities in 2025. About Simple Thread We solve the unique challenges of energy and utility organizations by living at the intersection of design, software, power systems, data, and transformation design. From outage planning to interconnection, we build tools that help utilities operate more efficiently, meet evolving regulatory needs, and prepare for the grid of the future. Tracy Simpson Simple Thread email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alabama Power and E Source Win Prize for Data Analytics Innovation
The Southern Company utility and E Source partnered on an advanced predictive power mapping data system to improve service reliability. BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 20, 2025 /CNW/ -- E Source and Alabama Power have won the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Digitizing Utilities Prize for the development of a custom Enterprise Graph Database, a predictive power mapping data system. The winning Round 2 initiative builds on the success of the project team's Round 1 proposal. Launched in October 2023, the Digitizing Utilities Prize is a DOE initiative that incentivizes utilities to partner with software developers and data experts to address complex challenges in the electricity sector through data analytics and system digitization to improve grid reliability and resiliency. The database, which helps Alabama Power more easily identify potential issues in the distribution network, earned the project team a $275,000 cash prize ($75,000 in Round 1 and $200,000 in Round 2) and a $75,000 technical voucher to a national laboratory. The Enterprise Graph Database is a tool that organizes and connects different datasets, making it easier to analyze and visualize network connections, asset relationships, and risks. It helps simulate distribution networks, analyze power flow, optimize grid operations, and assess grid-side and customer-side investments. One of its main benefits is providing near real-time updates and insights by connecting to source data, allowing continuous updates instead of waiting for annual system modeling updates. It also keeps a record of previous grid configurations for accurate and comprehensive comparative analyses. It adds to a series of successful data initiatives at Alabama Power executed in partnership with E Source, improving operational efficiency, managing risk, and enhancing customer satisfaction. Commenting on the importance of data analytics to utility effectiveness, Shane Powell, Southern Company Director of Data Analytics for Power Delivery said, "We are at a key moment in the utility industry where data innovation has made significant progress to meet our needs and goals. At Alabama Power, we are focused on developing practical data solutions that offer quick benefits, can grow with our needs, and provide long-term results. This award is a testament to the integrity and effectiveness of our approach. Our collaboration with E Source has been critical to the success of this and other data initiatives at Alabama Power, so we are excited to move into the next phase of this program with their team." E Source and Alabama Power will now participate in Round 3 of the prize program, a separate competition with a $2.5 million prize pool. At this stage, teams will refine and demonstrate their solution's effectiveness and scalability for industry adoption. Tom Martin, Vice President of Data Science at E Source, noted Alabama Power's commitment to innovation in data analytics as the foundation for the win, saying, "I am delighted with the win and proud of our collaboration with Alabama Power. The success we have seen with this project reinforces our commitment to helping utilities pursue pragmatic innovation and secure funding to address complex industry challenges with data solutions. Alabama Power's dedication to enhancing its grid operations through advanced technologies has been essential to our successful working relationship, and we are looking forward to working with them in the next phase of the program." Throughout 2025, project teams in Round 3 will choose a track focused on resource integration or grid-sensing capabilities. The winners will be announced in December. You can learn more about the prize program here. E Source's data science experts support utilities with AI-powered data solutions to enhance a broad range of operations initiatives. To learn more about E Source's data science capabilities, visit the company's website here. About E Source E Source combines industry-leading research, data science, and consulting to help utilities make and implement better data-driven decisions that positively impact their customers, their bottom line, and our planet. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, E Source has teams across the US and Canada. Learn more at About Alabama PowerAlabama Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company, provides reliable, affordable electricity to 1.5 million customers across the state. Learn more at Media contact: Adarsh Nalam, Director, Solutions Marketing and Communications adarsh_nalam@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE E Source Companies LLC View original content to download multimedia:
