Alstom Grid awarded with IBM SAFE Certification for Smart Grid Solutions

Alstom Grid recently received IBMs SAFE (Standard Architecture Framework for Energy) for its Smart-Grid-ready Network Management Solutions. This global certification recognizes the prime solutions on the market for utilities willing to reorganize their operational processes and systems to take the full benefits of Smart Grids.

IBM has formed alliances with a limited number of partners in order to be able to deliver a comprehensive end-to-end Smart Grid-ready solution offering to the utilities needs at global level. This certification award makes Alstom Grid the sixth member of this ecosystem of partners.

This award also marks a new step in the partnership between Alstom Grid and IBM on the Smart Grid market, as they will now be able to fully address the utilities challenges for Smart Grids, by offering innovative technological solutions backed by a unique expertise in condition monitoring and grid management, as well as IT technologies and asset management solutions. It will provide integration and optimization between utilities condition monitoring, grid operations and asset management, thus improving their operational efficiency and level of Smart Grid-readiness. It will moreover bring additional benefits for utilities in terms of business processes, and overall operating costs.

Jean-Michel Cornille, Senior Vice-President Automation at Alstom Grid, declared: We are very proud to obtain this SAFE Compliance certification from IBM for our e-terra platform (Energy Management System, at central control room level for grid management) and e-terra distribution (Distributed Management System). Teaming with IBM these past years, to develop an integrated solution for utilities to efficiently manage simultaneously energy flows and electrical asset management, has been an important first achievement. We now plan to develop this alliance further by working together with IBM to address other utilities needs to transform their processes and achieve Smart Grid-readiness level.

Demonstrations of joint Alstom / IBM Smart Grid solutions have already started in the labs of the two companies and are will be pursued in 2011-2012.

The Smart Grid market extends across the entire energy value chain, from power generation units, through electrical grid management, down to end-user distribution. It transforms the traditional electrical grid management by infusing it with Information Technologies, in order to increase its energy efficiency, reinforce its reliability and stability, and allow for the integration of new renewable and carbon-free energy sources. The Smart Grid market is currently estimated to amount for around 16 billion Euros / year, and is projected to grow up to 50 billion Euros / year by 2020 at global level.

Editors notes:
EMS: Energy Management System, software platform managing the electrical network from a central control room.

DMS: Distributed Management System, a software platform managing the energy network at distributed level, through digital substations spread across the electrical network.

About Alstom
Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure and sets the benchmark for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies. Alstom builds the fastest train and the highest capacity automated metro in the world. It provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions and associated services for a wide variety of energy sources, including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind, and it offers a wide range of solutions for power transmission, with a focus on smart grids. The Group employs 96,500 people in more than 70 countries, and had sales of over 23 billion* in 2009/10. (*Pro forma figures)

Alstom Grid, the newest sector of Alstom, has over 100 years of expertise in electrical grids. Whether for utilities or electro-intensive industries or facilitating the trading of energy, Alstom Grid brings power to their customers projects. Alstom Grid ranks among the top 3 in electrical transmission sector with a sales turnover of approximately 3.5 billion in 2009. It has 20,000 employees and over 90 manufacturing and engineering sites worldwide. Its four main business areas are Products, Systems, Automation and Service. At the heart of the development of Smart Grid, Alstom Grid offers products, services and integrated energy management solutions across the full energy value chainfrom power generation, through transmission and distribution grids and to the large end user.

Press Contacts
Emmanuelle Helleux (Alstom Grid) -
Tel : +33 1 49 01 70 87
emmanuelle.helleux@alstom.com

Tim Brown (Alstom, US Communications) -
Tel. +1 860 713 9530
timothy.s.brown@power.alstom.com

Gayle Wooster (Alstom Grid, Communications for Americas Region)
Tel. +1 425 466 6399
gayle.wooster@alstom.com 

• Alstom Grid awarded IBM SAFE Certification for Smart Grid Solutions

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