OMRON eyes bigger pie in smart energy segment

Power automation major OMRON today said it is gearing up to expand its presence in the smart energy segment in the country.
The company has updated its portfolio with an array of unique and innovative solutions to cater to some of the critical needs of utilities in the sector, it said in a statement.
OMRON said that solutions have been displayed at the ongoing exhibition 'India Smart Grid Week-2017' here.
The company aims to support the utilities to manage a considerable proportion of their T&D (transmission and distribution) losses caused due to power theft by providing first-of-its-kind sensing solutions which make the meters 'tamper evident' and provide remote disconnect with real-time monitoring, it said.

Another notable solution is the Line Monitoring Sensor that has the capability of detecting hooking and leakage at the distribution lines enabling the utilities further, it said adding that this solutions gains immense importance considering the country has about 400,000 km stretch of distribution lines needing an efficient monitoring and management.
Live demos of flow sensors and seismic sensors, utilised for gas meters, air conditioners and for managing secondary damage caused by earthquakes, has also been displayed.

These solutions ensure safety and efficiency of energy usage making residences and business establishments smarter.
Explaining the business objectives, Vinod Raphael, Country Business Head - OMRON Electronic and Mechanical Components business division, India said, "Tomorrow's world is going to run on sensors and data, including the power industry. OMRON has an array of solutions to help India become smarter and energy efficient.

"This resonates well with many key initiatives of the government like National Smart Grid Mission, deployment of 250 mn Smart Meters by 2027, Smart Cities Mission, rural electrification by 2019, etc."
As per the industry reports, India is the 3rd largest producer of electricity in the world, however, the T&D losses run to the tune of US 16 billion per annum. Power theft and pilferage are some of the key causes contributing to this mismanagement. It said.
"We also strive to widen our reach to the key stakeholders, especially utilities, as we believe our Sensing and Control + Think solutions have the right capabilities and long-term appeal to contribute towards many of the issues affecting their performance and the demand-supply management in the sector," Vinod added.

OMRON's tamper detection sensor was unveiled in last year's ISGW and has now been empanelled in the Smart Grid lab of Tata Power along with other solutions.
India Smart Grid Week is the third edition of the Conference cum Exhibition on Smart Grids and Smart Cities, organized by India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF).