AIA Granted US Patent on AGORA, its Electric Power Grid System

The Spanish group, Aplicaciones en Informatica Avanzada (AIA), announced on May 27 that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted it a patent on AGORA (Advanced Grid Observation Reliable Algorithms), its system to operate electric transmission networks.

"AGORA is working on the electric power grid of California through our U.S. subsidiary, EleQuant, Inc. The granting of this patent marks a milestone for AIA by acknowledging that our model optimizes control and minimizes losses in electric power grids", stated Regina Llopis, Chairman and CEO, AIA.

AGORA offers proven solutions to the challenges faced by electric utilities operating high voltage grids and companies distributing mid and low voltage. Electrical grid networks have become more complex with the growth of renewable energy sources, intelligent meters and control elements like Facts (Flexible Alternating Current Transmission System), which require new intelligent tools to optimize operations.

AGORA represents a new-generation solution for network operations, increasing the reliability of the transmission networks and dramatically decreasing the risk of congestion, instability, or voltage collapse. It also provides real-time support to blackout restoration.

AGORA is based on an LFA (Load Flow Algorithm), which is deterministic, non-iterative, non-ambiguous and capable of solving complex multi-node calculations, even in situations near voltage collapse. This algorithm has important advantages relative to the traditional Newton-Raphson method, and provides reliable information.