Smart grid optical sensor firm secures growth investment
Backing for Micatu’s optical sensor technology allows operators to mitigate grid disruption from increased renewable use. The investment was led by Wave Equity Partners for continued global expansion and ongoing deployment of its proprietary GridView optical sensing platform for industrial and utility grid measurement solutions.
“The electric grid is being disrupted daily by the increasing use of renewables, and optical sensing is the best solution for averting a crisis,” said Michael Oshetski, CEO and president of Micatu, based in New York. “Wave’s investment allows us to build out Micatu’s manufacturing scale to satisfy the growing global demand of a broad range of utility customers, who need our safe, reliable, precise grid data sensors.”
Micatu’s GridView system provides 0.5% accuracy in voltage and current, voltage harmonics to the 250th, current harmonics to the 11th, as well as temperature for operators to boost gird reliability. The optical sensors are capable of monitoring multiple voltage classes, which reduces cost and installation complexity.
Active deployments of smart grid technology are enhancing the way utilities measure complex systems such as underground networks and substations. The sensors are non-conductive, taking measurements using light passed through an optical crystal rather than passing electrons.
This enables the measurement platform to replace traditional current and potential transformers while increasing crew safety, averting potential fire risk, providing more accurate and smarter management controls, and lowering capital and operational costs. With overhead, underground, and groundless options available, the sensors can be easily deployed where they are most needed to collect data and enable seamless distribution automation applications for the next generation of the grid.
Related articles
- COVID-19 LESSONS FOR THE POWER GRID
- MONITOR FOR 500 KM OF HIGH VOLTAGE LINES
- FLUENCE REACHES UNICORN STATUS
If you enjoyed this article, you will like the following ones: don't miss them by subscribing to :
