Sensus, a provider of clean technology solutions, has acquired Atlanta-based Verdeeco, a smart grid analytics company offering big data solutions for electric, water and gas utilities.
The acquisition will enhance Sensus’ data analytics portfolio, the company said. Verdeeco will remain a separate brand but operate as part of Sensus.
Utilities gathering data from smart sensors, including smart meters, and external sources such as weather reports, will now be better able to use the information for actionable intelligence that saves time and money.
Specific applications in the Verdeeco portfolio include transformer utilization, load aggregation and alert and alarm management.
“The importance of data in our industry revolves around not only the ability to gather it from disparate sources, but to generate actionable insights that help utilities realize greater value from their technology investments,” said Sensus president Randy Bays.
“Our customers can select from individual applications that satisfy a specific need and know that the platform exists for adding more applications in the future,” Bays added.
The Verdeeco suite of products, services and applications enables utilities to aggregate data from smart meters, SCADA systems, customer billing software, news services and a myriad of other sources.
All of the applications are hosted in a secure cloud by Verdeeco’s Grid as a Service platform. Cloud-based management requires a lower upfront capital investment, offers a reduced cost of ownership and enables the utility to take advantage of new software functionality.
Utilities are embracing new technologies and processes that enable them to move from simply managing data to applying data analytics to business functions and operations in a more predictive mode.
These capabilities, coupled with cloud-based delivery, open up many opportunities for business improvement and transformation,” said Mike Smith, vice president at the Utility Analytics Institute.
Utilities can maximize the value of their investment in communication networks and advanced network applications through data analytics that improve operations, reduce cost and enhance customer service.