GridSense, an Acorn Energy Company, Announces New Substation Monitoring Application at Two Utilities

SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- GridSense, an Acorn Energy (NASDAQ: ACFN) company that develops and markets advanced monitoring solutions for the electric power industry, has announced that two major utilities will use its LineIQ™ overhead line monitoring solution to cost-effectively collect intelligence from previously unmonitored substations.

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Even in this era of the emerging smart grid, a significant percentage of substations lack intelligence of any kind. Traditionally, retrofitting substations to provide remote intelligence required a time and cost commitment to full metering.  In many instances, even spot monitoring inside the substation is particularly expensive due to internal and regulatory requirements. Considering that utilities might have up to 1000 lines feeding into their substations, the cost and time for retrofit can quickly grow prohibitive.

To gain intelligence at unmonitored substations in a cost effective manner, two US utilities will  deploy GridSense LineIQ™ to monitor 15kV and 69kV feeder lines as they come into—but before they reach—the substation.  "It was only through working closely with the utilities that we realized how serious an issues this was," says Brandy Henson, GridSense Sales Manager.  "The two utilities helped us understand how we could extend the product to offer a unique response to a surprisingly common problem."

The utilities chose LineIQ™ because it allows them to leverage their substations' existing communications networks, whether cellular, WiFi, or wireless networks.  The technology is compatible with multiple options, in this instance one utility is using the Silver Spring radio and the other the Sensus radio.  In addition, LineIQ's solar power with battery backup lets both utilities avoid the time and cost of tapping into the substation power supply.

Using LineIQ™, these organizations are bypassing the high cost of metering at the substation, while gaining smart grid intelligence that can help prevent outages and guarantee the quality and reliability of supply. The programmable units will monitor faults, current, voltage, and record and log ambient and conductor temperature.

"LineIQ's self-powered mechanism, expansive communications options and advanced sensing capabilities are providing new ways to identify issues before they become outages," Says Henson. "In unmonitored substations, the industry needs the smart grid benefit of practicing preventive maintenance instead of reactive repair.  LineIQ™ now provides that in a way that's more cost-effective than previously thought possible." 

About GridSense Inc.
GridSense is a smart grid technology company dedicated to providing innovative, practical and cost effective monitoring solutions to the electric power industry. Utilizing in-depth industry knowledge and understanding of utility requirements, we provide technology and services that help the industry address the limitations of old and aging infrastructure. We apply experience and technical know-how with new insight and ideas to create intelligent, reliable and leading edge technologies that add value to our customers and shape the future of the modern electrical power system. 

About Acorn Energy, Inc.
Acorn Energy, Inc. is a holding company focused on making energy better by providing digital solutions for energy infrastructure asset management.  The four businesses in which we have controlling interests, improve the world's energy infrastructure by making it: more secure - providing security solutions for underwater energy infrastructure (DSIT); more reliable - providing condition-based monitoring to critical assets on the electric grid (GridSense, OmniMetrix) and more productive and efficient - increasing oil and gas production while lowering costs through use of permanent ultra-high sensitive seismic tools that allow for a more precise picture of reservoirs (US Seismic). For more information visit: http://www.acornenergy.com.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. There is no assurance that Acorn Energy, Inc. or its operating companies will continue to grow their respective businesses, or that any of them will meet the expectations or execute the initiatives described or referred to above. A complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties which may affect Acorn Energy's business generally and the businesses of its subsidiaries is included in "Risk Factors" in its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its 2012 First Quarter 10-Q as filed by Acorn Energy with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact: Leonce Gaiter
Tel: 916.372.4945
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Acorn Energy, Inc.