November 20178 Disruptive changes & Digitalization in the Energy sectorEvolution in the Energy ChainLong-term drivers like growth for energy demand, need for replacement of aging and outdated infrastructure and the challenge to create a sustainable energy system are laying focus on the means to systematically optimise electric power grids through an intelligent network infrastructure.The energy chain is evolving into a multifaceted, electrically and mechanically well meshed network with many new participants. The outcome would be an efficiently automated system, which is digitally fully empowered to seamlessly serve energy transactions across borders, in open, transparent markets operating under new digitally-enabled regulatory frameworks. There is a disruptive shift from topology-based to customer-centric, transaction-based business models. Management of such an Energy Grid is becoming exceedingly more complex and challenging. Networks are expanding at a much faster pace than even a few years ago and demand a high degree of individual monitoring and control. Integration of renewable and distributed energy coupled with weak infrastructures are key aspects that are being addressed. Utilities have since long been using several applications to support transmission and distribution planning and operations, customer support and billing, asset management, and market participation. Since more than a decade, there has been a collection of new applications such as Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI), Feeder Automation (FA), Advanced DMS etc., which are categorized as Smart Grid applications. The challenge for utilities is when and how to deploy each of these Smart Grid applications to return the most economic benefit to the organization while minimizing the negative impact on utility operations. With limited IT/IS budgets and staff, stake-holders are forced to choose which information BY ANAND MENON, CHIEF TECHNICAL OFFICER ­ ENG TECH ENERGY MANAGEMENT ASEAN, SIEMENS Anand MenonIn MY View
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