On-Ramp Wireless wins grant to improve grid

On-Ramp ULP wireless grid sensors enable underground monitoring, faulted circuit indicators, smart grid analytics, DOE grant deployment, utilities integration, predictive maintenance, grid automation, and secure connectivity for hard-to-reach distribution circuits.

The U.S. Department of Energy DOE awarded On-Ramp Wireless a grant to contribute to the improvement of the nation’s distribution grid.

The DOE grant will enable On-Ramp to utilize its award-winning Ultra-Link Processing ULP wireless communication system to develop and demonstrate the first wireless grid sensor and faulted circuit indicator capable of monitoring underground and other hard-to-reach distribution circuit locations from a fixed installed network.

On-Ramp will conduct the project in partnership with two western utilities in the West.

Large utilities are challenged with managing tens of thousands of distribution grid sensors, above and below ground, in a given service area as part of ongoing grid modernization efforts across the sector. This often means the sensors end up being largely unmonitored until a fault event occurs, usually in an emergency situation. A system that is capable of reliably and securely reaching into the below ground sensors would significantly reduce time to isolate, repair and restore service to consumers.

Utilizing its technology, On-Ramp will develop and demonstrate the first wireless system to address this ability, a key step for any smart grid project in deployment, using the DOE grant.

On-Ramp successfully demonstrated the ability to connect wireless sensors throughout the distribution grid in a field test with Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. SEL this July. In the test, Wireless Sensors for Overhead Lines WSO from SEL were combined with On-Ramp’s fully integrated ULP system to monitor and report real-time fault indication and condition data. This enabled a comprehensive view of the distribution grid performance, results of which can be used not only for rapid and precise fault location, but also for predictive maintenance, grid automation, long-term grid efficiency and capital planning within broader Smart Grid initiatives across utilities.

“This project demonstrates the traction On-Ramp is having with large utilities, many of which have been looking for a wireless system to effectively connect underground sensors,” said Joaquin Silva, president and CEO of On-Ramp. “We are also pleased to continue building on the successful partnership between On-Ramp and SEL.”

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