In-depth AWS knowledge ensures a stable platform

The energy transition is largely a digital transformation. To help energy retailers adopt and develop new technology and capabilities, NET2GRID helps its customers generate insights from smart meter data. A scalable AWS platform is crucial to provide these services. NET2GRID engaged inQdo for platform hosting, maintenance, and consultancy.

NET2GRID works with energy retailers on their customer’s personalised engagement by analysing smart meter data and increasing customer lifetime value. This starts with insight into energy consumption. “Many consumers are provided with an app from their energy supplier where they can see when and how much energy they use. The data and analysis underlying this app come through our systems,” says Peter Broekroelofs, CTO at NET2GRID. “Because we can process a huge amount of data from smart meters, we can discover patterns and help energy suppliers share this knowledge with their customers.” He puts forward the example that electric vehicle owners are best off charging their cars when the energy tariff is low; that is when the sun is shining. “Especially as dynamic rates are getting deployed and prices fluctuate, insight is crucial. Moreover, energy companies and consumers need to work together to avoid overloading the energy grid.”

AWS-partner

Until about eight years ago, NET2GRID’s storage and analytics systems ran in-house. However, to save time and costs, the decision was made to move the systems to the cloud. “The choice for AWS was easy, as they were the biggest cloud provider at the time. Moreover, they offer excellent value for money.” To manage the migration, the help of inQdo was enlisted. NET2GRID runs two key components of its product in the cloud: Energy AI consists of numerous models that process measurement data, analyse it, and make it available to energy retailers. In addition, the AI company has built a services platform that, via a comprehensive API, should make it easier for energy suppliers to develop customised apps. “As our AWS partner, inQdo helped set up the cloud infrastructure for the platform and provided us with support and consultancy,” says Broekroelofs.

Cost optimisations and tool selections

The biggest challenge in moving NET2GRID’s systems to the cloud was the input, storage, and retrieval of time series data, as it is very different from relational data and databases. “inQdo helped us with professional services regarding cost optimisations and tool selections.” All NET2GRID customers have a separate, dedicated AWS account for privacy and billing reasons. “This means that the deployment model must have a solid and stable foundation. The NET2GRID IoT hardware creates a real-time data stream with 1 data point every 3 seconds per household. That’s a huge amount of data, which means the API and underlying infrastructure must be able to scale easily and optimise costs.” Scalability in particular was an important consideration in choosing the cloud, Broekroelofs explains. “On-prem hardware and software requires a lot of maintenance and is less flexible to expand at peak times. In the cloud, we use a managed environment, and virtual servers are added or turned off at the push of a button. Especially given the number of customers we serve, scaling economically on an in-house platform is virtually impossible.”

Edge AI

Moreover, because data processing takes place in the AWS cloud, NET2GRID can more easily innovate and integrate new data streams. For example, the company is working on ‘edge AI’, where data is analysed at the edge of the cloud, instead of at a central location. “So on or close to the smart meter itself,” Broekroelofs clarifies. “This way, smart triggers can be given when energy-guzzling devices are detected, but also about the best and most economical times to charge the car or turn on the dryer.” This requires data to be processed in even more real-time. At the moment, smart meters transmit electricity data to the grid operator once every 15 minutes, which is only available a day later, but with additional hardware from NET2GRID, the data becomes available immediately. “With all this information, energy retailers can add even more value for their customers, because they can very quickly tell when and how much energy is consumed or generated by solar panels. That way, as a customer, you can determine when the best moments are to charge your electric car, for instance. But you also get to compare your energy consumption with that of a peer group or your own usage in a previous period.”

Diepgaande kennis

For NET2GRID, inQdo is a valuable sparring partner when it comes to AWS. “They are our go-to partner when it comes to knowledge and expertise on AWS. inQdo serves several customers who encounter similar issues as we do. This brings them valuable experience because they can move quickly and refer back to previously learned lessons at another organisation. As a result, issues are sometimes flagged up before they occur,” says Broekroelofs. inQdo’s deep AWS knowledge is praised by the NET2GRID CTO. “Especially to our ‘team of enablers’, our infrastructure people responsible for tooling, it is convenient to have a partner they can turn to. In addition, inQdo is very cost-conscious and they provide all kinds of tooling for optimising the AWS cloud-use to be more cost-efficient.”