New Version of Transformer Monitor Broadens Smart Grid Opportunities

Sept. 5, 2011
The newest version of a transformer monitor is more rugged and compact, addressing the needs of large-scale pole top applications at the distribution level, thereby substantially broadening the market for the company's innovative smart grid technology products.

GridSense has announced the commercial launch of an important new version of the TransformerIQ monitoring line. The newest version of TransformerIQ is more rugged and compact, addressing the needs of large-scale pole top applications at the distribution level, thereby substantially broadening the market for the company's innovative smart grid technology products.

The new version of the TransformerIQ is cost-effective and easily installed without shutting off power. It also is environmentally sealed and uses battery-less technology, which makes it essentially maintenance-free for utilities.

Electric utilities need affordable transformer monitoring at the extreme edge of the distribution network. Pole-top transformers, which service three to four homes, number over 30 million in the United States. In addition, renewable power and extreme load fluctuations are creating new challenges throughout the grid while new installations, such as recharging stations for electric vehicles, are growing rapidly. With the introduction of the TransformerIQ product extensions, GridSense is expanding the market potential from approximately 1 million large and medium transformer installations to a multiple of 30 to 40.

"My dream has been to apply our technology-- typically used for power transformers-- to smaller transformers at the distribution level," stated Kevin Anderson, GridSense engineer and architect behind the TransformerIQ. "Most importantly, the price point of the monitoring system, which represents a fraction of the cost of new transformers, provides utilities the opportunity to extend the useful lives of billions of dollars of aging equipment."

GridSense provides utilities with a complete solution including an integrated radio/sensor package, secure communications, graphical user interface, text/email messaging and interface to utility operations enabling new applications and smart grid objectives such as capacity optimization, conservation voltage reduction, power factor correction, power quality monitoring, outage management, power theft monitoring and demand side management

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