Duke Energy, Avista invest in open source software for utility smart grid platforms
Duke Energy has teamed up with Avista Development, a subsidiary of Avista Corp. based in Spokane, Wash., to develop open source software for grid edge technology solutions through an investment in Open Energy Solutions Inc. (OES).
“The software will use interoperability concepts and distributed intelligence, allowing utilities to more efficiently integrate, coordinate and optimize diverse assets,” the companies said in a written statement. “This includes the energy grid, traditional and renewable generation, customer assets and more.”
It’s the first time utilities have worked together to create open source software for utility smart grid platforms, according to the companies. The goal is that the technology will ultimately deliver benefits to customers in part by providing information and tools to help them manage their energy usage.
The technology solutions mainly focus on the expansion of distributed energy resources (DER), in the form of roof-mounted solar, community solar and utility scale solar.
“One of our core foundations is trying as a company to integrate more DER into our grid, our customers are asking for it, and our investors are wanting more renewable types of generation,” Jason Handley, Duke Energy’s director of Smart Grid Emerging Technology and Operations, told Daily Energy Insider.
According to the Charlotte, N.C.-based energy company, hydro and solar account for 7 percent of Duke’s owned capacity along with nearly 3,000 megawatts of wind and solar on the commercial side. They’re hoping the new alliance will keep things moving along that same path.
Developing open source software is a bit of a departure from business as usual for the utility.
“Our industry has been in proprietary mode for many years and it has worked well for us,” Handley said. “What we’re seeing now with the advent of technology and the speed our industry is changing – there’s a need to look at other opportunities. Open source is definitely one of them where we can be more adaptable and flexible.”
Duke and its partners organized several meetings during 2018 to drum up support for the idea and more than 40 utilities showed interest, including APS, Arizona’s largest electric company, and Xcel Energy, which provides power to eight Western and Midwestern states.
OES, based in Santa Clara, Calif., was founded by the ITOCHU Corporation of Japan and has been instrumental in supporting and accelerating the implementation of work undertaken by Duke’s Emerging Technology Office. OES will make the software available to users in an open source format, which the companies said would facilitate widespread adoption and support for the software as utilities make upgrades to the energy grid. No firm release date has been set for the new open software.
“Our vision is to be able to integrate whatever comes at us in the future and not be as rigid in how we’re accepting today and what we’re going to need to be in the future,” Handley said. “Our customers’ needs are changing in terms of how they want to deal with their utility. Whether it’s knowing more about their bills, or whether they want to become a prosumer and at some point down the line, start selling electricity back to Duke Energy.”
