Sensor Data as a Service: Part 1

Sensor Data as a Service is transforming grid monitoring by providing utilities with on-demand access to richer measurement data and actionable insights. By enabling earlier detection of abnormal conditions and faster interpretation of events, it can improve situational awareness while reducing the need for large, bespoke monitoring deployments. This webinar highlights two complementary approaches for delivering synchrophasor- and waveform-based observability as a practical, utility-ready service.

David Rieken (Hubbell) will first demonstrate a novel distributed sensing and edge intelligence architecture leveraging advanced metering infrastructure to provide high-resolution, time-synchronized visibility into distribution grid behavior. Using GPS-synchronized phasor measurements and high-fidelity waveform capture from meter-connected sensing devices, the system enables low-cost distribution-level synchrophasor observability and advanced anomaly detection. A featured case study will demonstrate how synchronous phasor measurements and waveform analytics identified 11 separate underground arcing events prior to complete cable failure at a utility. By combining dense sensing deployments with edge computing and distributed analytics, the platform provides unprecedented visibility into emerging fault conditions and transient system behaviors that are traditionally difficult to detect using conventional monitoring approaches.

Ralph Brown (Grid Visibility) will then introduce a novel approach harnessing existing adjacent infrastructure for capturing high-quality, time-synchronized continuous point on wave (CPOW) voltage measurements, as described in IEEE PES TR-127 "Synchro-Waveform Measurements and Data Analytics in Power Systems”. With the dense deployments of voltage sensors enabled by this novel approach, unprecedented visibility into the instantaneous state of distribution grids is possible, providing insights into both distribution and transmission behaviors previously undetectable. This technology will be demonstrated during this webinar to highlight some of the unique insights possible with this novel approach.

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Dr. David Rieken is a technology executive and research leader specializing in distributed intelligence, advanced analytics, and grid-edge computing for electric utilities. He serves as the technical lead for the Aclara360 platform, a distributed cloud-edge system for grid observability, analytics, and operational intelligence. Over the past 20 years at Hubbell/Aclara, he has led smart grid and distribution automation research focused on applying advanced sensing, information theory, edge computing, and machine learning to utility infrastructure challenges. Prior to Hubbell/Aclara, he conducted research at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Boeing, and General Dynamics.

Ralph Brown joined GridVisbility, inc. to lead R&D after mentoring its founders at CableLabs® where he was CTO and responsible for leading CableLabs’ R&D staff in delivering innovative technology to the cable industry. In this role, he led research and development in a broad range of areas, including: Hybrid Fiber-Coax, Optical, and Wireless Network Technologies, as well as Open Source Software, Security, and Technology Policy. In this capacity, he was responsible for leading opportunities for convergence across all CableLabs programs. During this period, he also served on the Board of Directors for SCTE/ISBE, the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA), the Open Connectivity Foundation (OCF), and Kyrio®. After retiring from CableLabs he founded Brown Wolf Consulting LLC. Mr. Brown earned a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His Master’s thesis was in the field of Speech Recognition. He received his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Summa Cum Laude, from North Carolina State University.