IVADO and Hitachi ABB Power Grids form strategic collaboration to develop digital solutions for power grids

Montreal’s Institute for data valorization (IVADO) has announced a strategic collaboration with Hitachi ABB Power Grids to explore the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies to power grids. With this agreement, Hitachi ABB Power Grids joins IVADO as a member, and will help to bring focus to the digital evolution of power grids to support the transition to renewable energy.

This collaboration will address the challenges associated with the digitalization of power grids, with a focus on addressing the impacts of the widespread introduction of renewable energy generation sources. The transition to renewables represents a paradigm shift in terms of the architecture and management of power grids, which were originally designed to transmit and distribute power from a relatively small number of large, predicable sources such as fossil-fuel or nuclear power plants. Renewable energy generation, in contrast is highly distributed and variable, which creates new challenges for power utilities and grid operators. This collaboration will address the role that digitalization can and will play in addressing these challenges.

Replacing a large coal-fired power plant with renewable energy sources, for instance, can require hundreds or thousands of solar or wind assets. Managing the data from such large number and variety of connected devices presents enormous opportunities for optimizing grid performance.

“IVADO has considerable experience driving research around how AI and machine learning is being applied in a wide variety of industry verticals,” said Martin Naedele, global head of research, Hitachi ABB Power Grids. “By bringing together IVADO’s expertise in these fields with Hitachi ABB Power Grids’ strong track record in the development and management of electrical transmission, distribution, storage and energy management solutions will bring significant benefit to our customers, and to society as a whole as we pursue aggressive sustainability goals.”

According to Nancy Laramée, partnership director at IVADO. “Digital intelligence is the main pillar for smart grid management and design as it connects data and energy.

“Hitachi ABB Power Grids has been a pioneer in their field and this new partnership will provide exciting new avenues for optimizing power grids and further research with our academic experts in machine learning and AI towards a greener economy.”