NovoGrid Acquired by SCADA International
SCADA International, headquartered in Denmark, has announced that it is expanding its software offerings and digital services by acquiring NovoGrid Ltd, a leading provider of grid analytics based in Dublin. NovoGrid is now the fourth company to join the SCADA International group, emphasizing the continuation of the company’s impressive journey.
NovoGrid, a University College Dublin (UCD) spin-out company, specializes in grid analytics technology, empowering developers, asset owners, and energy traders with insights into grid connection possibilities long before investments are made.
The technology allows customers to shorten the time to market by providing actionable connection options. Now part of SCADA International, this expertise strengthens the group’s full suite of offerings across the entire lifecycle, beginning at the very early stages of energy project design.
The acquisition demonstrates SCADA International’s dedication to helping accelerate the energy transition. Today, grid integration and lengthy interconnection queues pose one of the biggest threats to electrification and decarbonization of the energy system because the current power grid infrastructure is not built or dimensioned for the fast expansion of variable power generation and increase in power demand.
Particularly, this shift in the industry has been one of the reasons SCADA International has joined forces with NovoGrid.
“Alongside the rapid development of renewables and increased rate of electrification, the demand for the highly specialized expertise that NovoGrid covers is increasing, too. NovoGrid is a front-runner in helping customers solve grid integration challenges by quickening the interconnection process and providing intelligent tools for better decision-making. We are very pleased to have the NovoGrid team on board, as we now can support our customers in solving their challenges along the full lifecycle of their assets – from the cradle to the grave, so to speak,” said, Thomas Bagger, CEO, SCADA International.
He added, “When we founded SCADA International in 2006, the industry’s challenges were very different than they are today. Back then, our offerings were mainly related to hardware and consultancy. As the market matured and customers started looking into self-performing strategies, we expanded and developed independent monitoring and control software. In that way, we have always evolved alongside our customers’ needs and market changes. So, it has been natural for us to have NovoGrid join our new extended team.”
Actionable insights – 20 times faster plays
NovoGrid co-founders Paul Manning and Professor Andrew Keane, UCD School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Director of UCD Energy Institute and NexSys, are also thrilled about the new partnership.
The company they jointly founded in 2014, and which was headquartered previously at NovaUCD, developed proprietary grid analysis technologies based on years of research carried out by Professor Keane and his team at UCD, leveraging highly sought-after power engineering expertise firsthand to tackle challenges from the rapid growth in renewable and electricity demand.
Professor Andrew Keane, UCD School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Director of UCD Energy Institute and NexSys and co-founder, NovoGrid said, "I am particularly pleased that NovoGrid grew out of an active Irish energy research system demonstrating the key role R&D contributes to real decarbonisation solutions working with industry partners, developing talent and making an impact on global power grids".
NovoGrid’s GridScreen software transforms complex power flow results into actionable insights, offering grid connection options and curtailment analysis of a project’s impact on the grid in a fully automated way. This allows developers to assess site potential significantly faster than typical market standards.
NovoGrid co-founder, Paul Manning, said, “For the past few years, we have closely tracked the industry’s shift toward renewables and electrification, and we are now at a tipping point where grid integration is the number one problem for most of our customers. With this increase in demand, it has been a natural step for us to expand our company, and we are more than happy to be doing so together with SCADA International.”
Professor Andrew Keane added, “We are at a point where meeting grid requirements is essential in ensuring a secure and sustainable future energy supply. This puts added pressure on our customers. Bringing in more resources means we can be a stronger partner to help them scale the barrier. I am excited to begin this partnership with SCADA International and support our customers in many more areas than today.”
As a part of the acquisition, Paul and Andrew will continue in their current roles and contribute to the further development of SCADA International.
Fourth in a row – more to come
This acquisition marks the fourth in under a year for SCADA International. But according to the board at SCADA International, the growth journey continues if the potential is out there:
“As a group, we can now support our clients across the full life cycle of their assets – from the initial phases of planning, design, and grid connection to commercialization, operations, and maintenance. But there are still other areas of interest to us. Our main objective is to continue to expand our offerings in a way that creates increased value for our customers. Also, if that means investing in new technology or getting more people on board,” says Thomas Bagger, CEO, SCADA International.
ENDS
29 November 2024
For further information contact Micéal Whelan, Communications and Media Relations Manager, NovaUCD, UCD Research and Innovation, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie.
Editors Notes
SCADA International empowers the renewable energy sector through unparalleled SCADA expertise. Our highly skilled specialists support the full SCADA value chain, and we strive to act as the trusted partner from design, SCADA hardware production, software development, network design and solution installation to surveillance and maintenance.
Headquartered in Denmark, SCADA International employs more than 200+ people located around the world in Denmark, Germany, Poland, Spain, Ukraine, Romania, United Kingdom, and USA. https://scada-international.com/
NovoGrid supports renewable energy, electricity storage, and energy project developers and operators with automated grid connection analysis. Their pioneering technology provides customers with valuable and actionable insights into grid connection options to help accelerate the interconnection process.
NovoGrid’s product suite is based on years of research originating at University College Dublin. The GridScreen software platform simplifies complex results into actionable insights, offering a range of grid connection options or curtailment analysis for specific locations. This allows developers to make quick, accurate, and informed decisions. Paired with their GridAtlas software, an online & interactive database map for pre-screening of locations, and their GridCast module, which provides real-time grid congestion data for energy traders, NovoGrid enables customers to elevate, automate, and optimize screening of potential areas for project development.
With its base in Dublin, Ireland, NovoGrid supports major utilities, developers, and renewable energy companies across the United Kingdom and Europe. The customer portfolio counts, among others, EDF, Uniper, RES, and EDP. https://novogrid.com/