Microsoft in the Power & Utilities Industry

Together with our partners, Microsoft offers information technology solutions to address operational requirements common to all utilities around the world.   These technologies integrate components for generation, supply, delivery, sales, service, and regulatory compliance in the power and utilities industry.

Microsoft is committed to solutions which empower utilities by enhancing interactions among co-workers, customers, vendors and regulators across the utility value chain. These enhanced relationships increase efficiencies at every level of the utility operation to deliver innovative services, implement best-practice operations and enhance planning.

 

As utilities go about adding new devices to the grid and incorporating new data sets to their operational capabilities, Microsoft offers technologies that are interoperable with existing investments and future innovations through adherence to industry standards.

In service to the industry, Microsoft developed the Smart Energy Reference Architecture (SERA), a comprehensive smart grid era guideline for technol­ogy integration across the entire interconnected smart energy eco­system.   SERA provides worldwide power and utility companies with a detailed framework for existing technologies that will enable bidirectional power and information flows around the grid. Microsoft SERA helps utilities by demonstrating a method of testing how well information tech­nology aligns with their business processes, to foster integration and coordination for improved operational excellence. SERA focuses particular attention on standards and in­teroperability.  This is in anticipation of future advanced tech­nologies that will add even more capabilities to grid operators, consumers and utility fleets. SERA also addresses a prima­ry concern of utility executives: that smart grid technologies won’t break their bud­gets.

Last but not least, SERA provides the first conceptual framework for adding cloud services to the development of the smart energy ecosystem, particularly for use by the service providers, utilities and independent system operators (ISO) offering new services to consumers. Use of the cloud will reduce the time to deployment for new solutions required to run the smart grid.  It will also integrate well with platforms already installed to create a distributed, secure computing environment across locations, and in coordination with vendors and market operators.

Worldwide utility partners deliver Microsoft platforms and technologies with their solutions. Partner programs generate significant momentum in innovation which is a key differentiator, and a much needed competency, as the power and utility industries respond to regulatory and resource changes worldwide. Utilities can now feel confident they are part of a Microsoft-partner team designed to keep pace with changing technologies.  This dynamic team can help utilities companies to respond to new opportunities in the shifting marketplaces.  As new issues challenge a utility company’s IT infrastructure, Microsoft and its partners are there, anticipating the next move, with the ever present goals of reducing total cost of ownership, increasing profitability and delivering innovative solutions that grow utility relationships with customers through the reliable delivery of their commodities.

These foundational elements, together with our solutions, can help power and utilities providers realize new revenue streams, improve efficiencies, and gain a competitive edge.