Schneider Electric Enhances EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor to Better Optimize Onsite Energy Resources

- Enables more dynamic onsite energy control and optimizes facility performance

- Enhances customer service, maximizes the production and consumption of renewable resources and better manages energy spend

- New features include Hour ahead utility pricing, off-grid preparedness, flexible demand charge limits, CHP and thermal views, cybersecurity upgrades, customer chat functionality, and automatic user interface updates

News provided by

Schneider Electric

Sep 27, 2017, 09:00 ET

ANDOVER, Mass., Sept. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management and automation, today announced upgrades to its EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor platform. These upgrades will improve facility and energy managers' ability to optimize operational performance. The cloud-based, demand-side energy management software platform will continue to enable more dynamic and flexible onsite control of distributed energy resources (DER) within a building or plant.

EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor is designed to simplify the integration of DER and allow facility managers and microgrid operators to collect, forecast and automatically optimize the operation of onsite resources using real-time data and predictive machine learning algorithms. This allows customers to adapt the microgrid's control strategy to optimize the generation resource, adding greater efficiency and flexibility to the operation. The software-as-a-service platform can also integrate with Schneider Electric Energy Control Center, which helps manage DER communication during islanding or microgrid mode via an interactive web interface.

EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor's new features include:

Dynamic demand charge threshold helps customers automatically adjust and optimize their demand charge limit and perform peak shaving accordingly to avoid costly utility charges.
Day ahead and H-1 pricing allows customers to consume or produce energy at the most opportune time based on daily or hourly utility rates, which reduces the risk associated with variable electricity tariff pricing.
Storm Hardening Mode allows customers to monitor detailed weather forecasts to anticipate incoming severe storms and take the site out of Optimization Mode if needed. Customers can charge batteries, pre-lube generation, change HVAC set-point or pre-island the site to keep their facility online regardless of a utility power disruption.
Customers can optimize their use of distributed generation, such as gas generators and PV, by charging batteries during over production to ensure maximal use of resources without exporting energy to the grid.
CHP and thermal view lets customers uniquely monitor their CHP systems for thermal efficiency and performance while in utility connected or island mode.
Customer chat functionality allows customers to contact EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor support professionals via the in-platform chat box and receive fast, reliable customer support.
Automatic platform user interface updates offer greater real-time visibility into customer energy operations without having to refresh screens or continually log into the platform.
Cybersecurity upgrades protect sites from external cybersecurity threats through Tomcat 8 virtual servers with double proxy management and outgoing-only communications of data to Microsoft Azure servers.

"Today's facility managers demand innovative tools that make energy management simple, efficient and reliable. These enhanced features further empower EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor customers to optimize their energy spend by providing a comprehensive view of their grid operations, and offering data insights and grid control that lets users make sophisticated choices about how to manage their grid," said Mark Feasel, Vice President, Utility Segment, Smart Grid & Microgrid, Schneider Electric.

All updates related to the cloud-based platform will be done automatically for new and existing EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor customers. Users of the platform can request updates based on their individual project needs.

EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor is deployed across various utilities, municipalities, industrial, commercial, and university campuses worldwide. For more information about Schneider Electric's advanced microgrid solutions, please visit www.schneider-electric.us/microgrid.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is leading the Digital Transformation of Energy Management and Automation in Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries. With global presence in over 100 countries, Schneider is the undisputable leader in Power Management – Medium Voltage, Low Voltage and Secure Power, and in Automation Systems. We provide integrated efficiency solutions, combining energy, automation and software. In our global Ecosystem, we collaborate with the largest Partner, Integrator and Developer Community on our Open Platform to deliver real-time control and operational efficiency. We believe that great people and partners make Schneider a great company and that our commitment to Innovation, Diversity and Sustainability ensures that Life Is On everywhere, for everyone and at every moment.
www.schneider-electric.us

Discover Life is On

Hashtags: #LifeIsOn #InnovationAtEveryLevel #Microgrid #EcoStruxure

SOURCE Schneider Electric