This article is contributed by envelio, a technology company specialized in digital solutions for the power grid. As the energy transition accelerates worldwide, grid operators face unprecedented challenges: growing volumes of renewable energy, electric vehicles, and new consumers must be integrated quickly and reliably.
To meet these demands, innovative digital platforms like envelio’s Intelligent Grid Platform are becoming increasingly vital for distribution system operators around the globe.
Intelligent Grid Platform – The digital hub for the future of power grid management
Digital and automated handling of all processes related to the integration of new distributed generators, battery storage and consumers into the power grid.
- 1 central system for all grid-relevant data
- 20x faster handling of technical processes
- 75% lower costs compared to today’s process
- 100% flexible to integrate with any source system
The energy transition poses new challenges for grid operators
Today, grid operators often manage grid-related data in various isolated systems (e.g. GIS, ERP system, control system). However, there is no central and validated power grid model that permanently combines all data. There is little transparency about free grid capacities, and manual input is necessary for many work steps, e.g. to merge and validate data. This makes many processes time-consuming and error-prone.
Smart grid technology as solution
The Intelligent Grid Platform is a solution to this challenge: a smart grid technology platform that unites all grid data and allows to digitalize and automate all processes related to grid impact study, short- as well as long-term grid planning, and grid monitoring:
- Automate all important steps of the grid connection process: Transferring of the application data, identification of suitable points of connection, capacity reservation for new connections, and more – all features in one tool.
- Design scenarios for future supply requirements and evaluate the actual effects on your grid. Carry out your operational and strategic grid planning quickly and efficiently.
- Combine all your grid data into a complete power grid model and use it to obtain detailed, real-time insights into your grids – for higher grid transparency and more accurate grid forecasting.
GridHub – The Grid Hub as the basis
The Grid Hub is the heart of the Intelligent Grid Platform. Here, all grid-relevant data is bundled in one place and combined to form a complete power grid model. Grid topology, equipment data, supply task – all information from the primary substation to the end customer is represented in one model.
You can flexibly utilize all data and information for a variety of purposes. You can use the Intelligent Grid Platform’s tailor-made apps for your grid planning and operation management processes. Or export data and results via various interfaces and APIs in order to flexibly use them for your own processes or those of partners and customers.
How are our power grid models created?
Our data engineering team develops tailor-made interfaces to all relevant data silos of our customers, e.g. GIS, ERP or MDM. Data and information from different systems are combined using special matching algorithms. High data quality is a prerequisite for successful process digitization. This is why all data is checked for completeness, plausibility and consistency. Special repair routines resolve typical data quality issues immediately and automatically.
Data Integration
Our interfaces allow you to permanently monitor all source systems. All data changes are automatically recognized and continuously transferred to our database.
The power grid model in the Intelligent Grid Platform is always up to date
This means that a validated and up-to-date power grid model is always available for all voltage levels – without any manual effort on the grid operator’s part.
Application areas of the Intelligent Grid Platform
Our applications support your most important processes in the areas of grid connection, grid planning and operation management. End-to-end in one system and tailored to your needs.
- Grid Connection
Automate processes for the integration of new distributed energy ressources and consumers - Grid Planning
Plan your grid for the future and evaluate the effects of grid expansion measures and changing supply tasks - Operation Management
Use your monitoring devices for live grid transparency and optimizing your operation management - Grid Data Management
Unify all your data into a complete overview of the current grid status and available capacity reserves - Field Services
Utilize grid data in the field to optimize collaboration between grid planning, operations, and management
envelio –Smart grids for a sustainable future worldwide
Who we are
envelio is an award-winning clean-tech software company from the beautiful cathedral city of Cologne. In April 2017, envelio was established as a spin-off of RWTH Aachen. Since the beginning, we have been pursuing a common goal: With our product, the Intelligent Grid Platform, we want to drive forward the energy transition on a global scale by making life easier for distribution system operators and grid customers.
Our passion for sustainable solutions also accompanies us in everyday life. As a diverse and international team, we build and live the envelio spirit in our daily interactions.
Numbers
23+ won awards and prizes
175+ employees
23 nationalities
1 common vision
Our story
The idea for envelio arose during our work in the field of energy system research at the Institute of High Voltage Technology at the RWTH Aachen. All the founders wrote their dissertations in the field of “intelligent distribution grids”.
Throughout many research projects with grid operators, something became clear:
There is a lack of a scalable software platform for managing future grids, with the need to integrate more and more renewable energy sources and charging stations for electric vehicles.
Using the dissertation algorithms as a first basis, we developed the Intelligent Grid Platform and founded the start up envelio — the smart grid company of the future.
From Aachen, we moved to Cologne and opened our first office. Since then, our customer base has been steadily growing and becoming increasingly international. The number of employees also increased, so we changed to our current office again in 2020. More than 175 people now work at envelio with the common goal of driving forward the energy transition as quickly as possible.
Our vision
Our vision is not a product of strategic considerations. It is our daily motivation and at the same time a guiding principle for our coexistence. In working to fulfill this vision, we are also facing a global challenge: the implementation of the energy transition.
Drawing our electricity entirely from renewable energy sources is a long way down the road. In the future, millions of new photovoltaic systems, wind turbines and charging stations are to be integrated into our existing grids. In the course of the energy transition, a rapid expansion of the electricity grid must therefore take place. Distribution grid operators are currently not prepared for this level of demand. This is exactly where we want to make our contribution.
Our mission
We want to offer all actors a common dynamic platform for connecting renewable energies to the power grid — for efficient and digital energy data management. Only smart grids enable rapid grid integration of renewable energies. They are the prerequisite for achieving the energy transition quickly, easily, safely and cost-efficiently.
Learn more on envelio.com
