Siemens and Teradata form global strategic partnership for big data in the utility sector

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, April 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Siemens Smart Grid Division and Teradata (NYSE: TDC) today announce a global strategic cooperation in the field of big data. Through this collaboration Siemens Smart Grid further optimizes its portfolio of solutions which will provide energy utilities with a much higher level of transparency on the status and activities in their networks. This will enable the customers of Siemens Smart Grid to improve reliability of their infrastructure and to run their grids more efficiently in an increasingly cost-sensitive environment.

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"Based on the broadest smart grid technology portfolio and our leading position in energy automation and meter data management, we know which data are key to an optimized operation of networks. Combined with Teradata's expertise in analytic data solutions, we can provide our customers with relevant and valuable information allowing them to make faster and significantly more informed decisions," said Dr. Jan Mrosik, CEO of Siemens' Smart Grid Division.

Teradata's Unified Data Architecture™ (UDA) is a secure and cost-effective framework for smarter data management, processing, and analytics that enables utilities to exploit all their big data – as huge quantities of data are called today. Data of this scale are generated when utilities operate infrastructure which the Siemens Smart Grid Division has upgraded from traditional networks to smart grids, with enhanced automation, new sensor technology, communication systems, and software applications. A good example are Smart Meter: 1,000,000 of these devices alone can produce a data volume of up to several petabyte a year. According to IMS Research today there are 178 mln smart meters for energy installed, until 2016 this number is expected to rise to 343 mln.

While utilities face an increasingly challenging business environment, the emerging IT evolution in the energy sector is proving to be a key competitive solution for utilities. To remain competitive and able to meet ever changing regulatory and economic requirements, utilities have to utilize both technological and commercial data generated at ever shorter intervals to optimize their systems. Only the ability to collect, organize and analyze this volume and variety of high-velocity data in a way relevant and accessible to business will bring real value to utilities.

Teradata customers such as Southern California Edison and Oklahoma Gas and Electric already manage and analyze large data volumes to deliver the services that keep them at the forefront of the industry. Utilities can quickly assess costs and time needed to restore power if there is a blackout, and thus proactively provide their customers with better information. Queries about transmission losses relative to manufacturer types, geographical locations, and weather conditions will enable better planning of networks and load flows. Maintenance can be performed based on data about actual wear, rather than on a fixed cycle. Through the implementation of geographical data their workforce can be deployed more efficiently.

Siemens and Teradata will be the first to offer end-to-end integration of operational data with smart meter data for analysis on a single platform, providing an entirely new view on the network. The companies are jointly developing data models - including providing further enhancements to Teradata's industry leading Utilities Logical Data Model, the fundamental building block for utilities data analytics. The Teradata Utilities Logical Data Model provides the structure and standardization to address crucial business questions, makes data accessible, enables data to be reused in other applications, and allows fast and accurate communication with customers and regulators.

"Of course, just collecting and storing data doesn't drive a cent of value to a utility's bottom-line or help a utility's customers understand their energy consumption," said Hermann Wimmer, President, International, Teradata. "By integrating their data and running their analytics on the Teradata platform, utilities can apply intelligence to networks and use meter, asset and other sources of data to gain operational efficiency, improve service and increase customer satisfaction. That is where the value lies."

The Siemens Smart Grid Division (Nuremberg, Germany) supplies power providers and network operators, industrial enterprises, infrastructure elements and cities with products and solutions for intelligent and flexible network infrastructures. To meet growing energy needs, the networks of today and tomorrow must integrate more and more renewable energy sources and ensure bi-directional energy and communication flows. Smart Grids help make it possible to generate and use power efficiently and on demand. For more information, visit http://www.siemens.com/smartgrid

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SOURCE Teradata Corporation