In speaking with GE about stimulus spending at the GITA Geospatial Infrastructure Solutions Conference, they placed emphasis on proven technology with well-defined solutions that have clear returns. They stated emphatically that spending in these tough economic times will not be “build it and they will come” projects that are based on the promise of forward looking benefits.
GE is gaining projects and market share with their Smart Grid solutions, because they own most of the pieces to make this work, from wind power generation, to meters in the home, and systems to implement and monitor. Yesterday, GE announced a $200M Smart Grid deployment in Miami for Florida Power & Light, with roughly half of the funds coming from stimulus spending. Partners on the project are Cisco Systems and Silver Spring Networks.
GE’s Smallworld platform fits neatly into Smart Grid deployments by providing a modeling and management tool for both the power network and the complex communications network that will connect the sensors and the meters in homes. As utilities become telecommunications companies, those players that straddle both communities stand to gain market share.
The field component is also increasingly important to realize a Smart Grid vision as the accuracy of network details becomes of critical importance to achieve automation. GE’s purchase of MapFrame puts them in a good position to offer the complete solution from geospatial asset applications to physical network inventory. GE is emphasizing GIS as a foundational component that’s embedded in other management systems, rather than as a systems platform unto itself.
GE is both well positioned and well connected in Washington to gain traction from stimulus spending.
