Itron and Schneider Electric Join Forces to Modernize and Simplify Energy Distribution

Itron, Inc. and Schneider Electric are collaborating to improve energy and grid management for utilities as homeowners and businesses increasingly adopt distributed energy resources (DER)—like rooftop solar, battery energy storage, electric vehicles and microgrids—at the grid edge. In a stepwise approach, the companies will integrate their intelligent grid and DER management solutions to digitalize the demand and supply of electricity. 

Electricity demand is rapidly increasing due to the electrification of transportation, heating, and more. By 2050, the U.S. grid's capacity will have nearly doubled compared to 2022, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and in Canada, grid capacity is projected to reach 226 GW by 2050.

With more DER comes more data generated at the grid’s edge, and an unprecedented opportunity to harness, aggregate and analyze that data to produce actionable insights. Itron and Schneider note that utilities can leverage this awareness to optimize grid planning and operations by integrating the companys' Grid Edge Intelligence and Digital Grid solutions to increase grid capacity while deferring infrastructure investments. The two companies are working on dozens of integrated use cases that they report will deliver value across asset management, grid planning and operations, and DER management, and will work with utilities to integrate their solutions. 

“We began collaborating with Schneider Electric to simplify grid management and enable a new generation of applications for utilities that recognize the dramatic changes and escalating demand that await all of us,” said Don Reeves, senior vice president of Outcomes at Itron. “This collaboration will help us realize Itron’s vision for the grid edge—one where meters, transformers and feeders negotiate amongst themselves to achieve localized distribution outcomes, dynamically adapting and configuring sections of the distribution grid while enabling consumers to participate and benefit from these transactions.” 

“At Schneider Electric, we’re committed to delivering solutions for utilities that connect everything from grid to prosumer, and this collaboration with Itron is the latest expression of that commitment,” said Ruben Llanes, NAM Power & Grid Segment President for Schneider Electric. “Utilities today need an interoperable, fully connected foundation for intelligent grid operations, and it is inspiring to pursue this future with Itron—one of the most innovative forces in the industry.”

Modern utilities already benefit from Itron’s industrial IoT (IIoT) network solution that collects usage and status data from the point of service. By bringing together distributed and centralized intelligence, grid operators gain greater situational awareness and real-time insights, including key measurements, notifications, and events like downed wires. With this collaboration, the two companies note that utilities can extend energy orchestration to behind-the-meter assets, enabling proactive management of grid constraints when and where needed. Itron’s Grid Edge Intelligence solutions integrate grid analytics and edge DERMS to enhance visibility, such as high resolution, real-time transformer level insights and control with Schneider’s Digital Grid solutions. 

Sophisticated grid edge intelligence solutions also support behind-the-meter intelligence—essential as more homes and commercial properties are equipped with DER like solar and electric vehicles. Bloomberg NEF projects 167 million homes and 23 million businesses to be solar users by 2050. These intelligent assets can then be leveraged in demand response programs that reward owners for easing their usage during times of peak demand. With solutions like Schneider Home and Itron’s Distributed Intelligence-enabled Optimizer solutions, prosumers can gain control of their electricity supply as they produce and consume energy, while utilities can optimize the grid to meet evolving needs. 

_{Source:  Itron}

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