Data Visualization for a U.S. Regional Electricity Wholesaler All Case Studies
Improving how experts view the flow of energy
The Challenge
To effectively ensure the reliability and efficiency of our nation’s electrical power supply system, regional energy experts scrutinize high–voltage transmission grids 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In doing so, they constantly maintain a balance of electricity supply and demand, monitoring exactly how much power should be generated – when, where, and for whom.
Under this system, one particular energy wholesaler is responsible for much of the eastern seaboard – serving 51 million people utilizing nearly 165,000 megawatts of capacity, spread over 13 U.S. states. On an average day, these experts conduct hundreds of “what if” scenarios, maintaining a state of readiness for virtually any event.
The accurate display of relevant, up–to–the–minute data is more than an everyday necessity; it’s mission–critical.
The wholesaler responsible for the eastern seaboard recently contacted Electronic Ink with the need to improve its current data display system. The Task Force articulated two main problems:
- The current physical environment for viewing the data was too complex, involving six separate screens for each operator, using stark colors that caused strain.
- In addition, operators were finding it difficult to perform the necessary cognitive tasks. Interpreting, translating and error–checking complex numeric data calculations into key decisions was highly demanding, and stressful.
The challenge: design a system that would distill numeric data displayed across six separate monitors down to a single visual “dashboard” – giving operators a comprehensive, easy–to–use picture of energy modulation and distribution, across the entire grid.
The Electronic Ink Solution
Electronic Ink devised a highly visual set of interpretive factors for power grid data, based on the existing system. The visualization design considered which stations were generating how much power, and where the largest supplies of electricity were. The system also needed to factor in power rerouting, station startups and shutdowns, and supply vs. demand station scheduling. The new view leveraged a color scheme better–suited for the darker environment in which the operators work.
In parallel to designing the data visualization schema, Electronic Ink’s technical development team went to work, leveraging the Infragistics software solution in order to power the presentation layer. Pairing Infragistics with Microsoft’s .NET framework allowed us to deliver a well–tailored application solution that fit both the implementation and data needs of our client’s system.
Net Result and Impact
Electronic Ink revolutionized the way this particular energy wholesaler operated, creating a “self evident” structure for data visualization and display. Now, operators consult a single monitor for tasks that used to involve six screens. And instead of having to perform complex cognitive tasks in order to interpret the numbers, they can simply view and toggle graphical models of the numeric data, allowing them to reach key decisions sooner, with less effort.
While formal metric testing of fatigue and eyestrain factors has yet to be performed, the feedback from operators is overwhelmingly positive, and new operator training and is now far easier, and onboarding much more swift.
Electronic Ink continues to expand its efforts in the energy space by developing prototypical data visualization designs for energy flow across Europe:
- We’re currently helping EON.com, a recognized world leader in energy, with a data visualization strategy for their new state–of–the–art building that handles consolidated energy trading across Europe.
- We’re also extending our expertise in the art and science of data visualization to assist the United Kingdom’s National Grid system of energy monitoring and management.
