Introduction
Taipower strategically invests in a sophisticated big data platform, emphasizing the optimization of data analysis, with a specific focus on high-frequency Smart Meter Data collected every 15 minutes. This optimization not only enhances operational efficiency but also brings tangible benefits, such as cost savings and faster decision-making. Combining this data with customer attributes, weather patterns, and economic activities requires a robust data warehouse with massively parallel processing (MPP) capabilities, ensuring seamless data collection, storage, computation, and analysis.
Taipower achieved a significant milestone with the successful implementation of the “Meter Data Management System (MDMS)” in 2020, encompassing all Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) customers’ data. Additionally, Taipower ‘s Enterprise Data Platform commenced operations on December 1st, 2021.
The Plan of Enterprise-level Platform
1. Origin of the plan
With the continuous advancement of Taipower’s operations, driven by the deployment of smart grids, widespread adoption of smart meters, and the flourishing influence of renewable energy sources, the Taipower’s business operations is becoming increasingly complex. This requires the establishment of a comprehensive enterprise analytics platform to bridge data silos among business units and establish a forward-looking, data-driven strategy. The primary goals include enhanced grid management, more efficient demand-side operations, improved power quality, heightened operational efficiency, increased customer satisfaction, and an overall enhancement of company profitability and competitiveness.
2. Project goals
The project delineates three specific objectives:
Integration of Company-wide Operational Data
Establish an Enterprise analytics platform that seamlessly connects smart grid data, including AMI meters and ERP transactions. This initiative aims to create a smart enterprise integrated structure, enabling real-time insights for faster and more informed decisions.Training Data Scientists and Promoting AI Application
Invest in cultivating top talent by empowering data scientists with professional training platforms, which equips them with a comprehensive skillset, including data extraction, cleaning, enrichment, and model building. This approach fosters unique core skills combined with domain-specific knowledge, positioning the company advantageously in the evolving landscape of data-driven strategies.Implementing Data Transparency and Enhancing Data Activation
This involves constructing an enterprise-level analysis environment built on three key pillars: data source, data storage platform, and data visualization platform. These components work together to streamline data collection, boost storage and computation, enabling effective visual analysis.
3. Major Tasks
The core tasks involve constructing an enterprise-level analysis environment, which includes:
Figure 1 Architecture Diagram
Data source
Focus on collecting and cleaning data from multiple sources, ensuring data integrity through validation, quality assurance, and translation. Employ automatic scheduling mechanisms to manage transmission processes efficiently.Data storage platform
Implement a highly scalable platform that provides resources for high-speed computing and flexible data storage using MPP architecture.Data visualization platform
Empower users with visual analysis tools for creating interactive reports. These tools enable data-driven decision-making through diverse chart types and robust statistical functions. Additionally, the platform allow users to leverage algorithms and build advanced analytics models for predictions and optimizations.
The implementation of this enterprise-level platform will not only streamline data management but also empower Taipower to make informed decisions, improve operational efficiency, and keep a competitive edge in the evolving energy landscape.
Use Cases
1. TPC e-Bill service
- Service Description
The TPC e-Bill service with simple registration and customer number setting has been provided to TPC users for quick inquiry of power consumption data and easy bill management. It is presented via easy-to-understand electronic interface and micro-animation such that users can have quick access to bill related information to facilitate the self-management of amount power consumption behavior and to achieve the energy saving effect.
The main visualization design of the front page is based on the illustration style with the layouts of four seasons. And there are the renewable energy subjects of wind power, solar energy, and hydraulic power generation to attract users to TPC e-Bill service in order to achieve the goal of paper reduction and environmental protection.
Figure 1 Front page main visual design (Spring)
Figure 2 Front page main visual design (Summer)
Figure 3 Front page main visual design (Fall)
Figure 4 Front page main visual design (Winter)
- Function Description
a. General User
“General User” can have access to the website related information including payment status enquiry, bill pre-estimate, website tutorial, FAQ, and news.
Figure 5 Front page of TPC e-Bill service
Users can register to become the “Member” of TPC e-Bill service. In addition to periodic bill notification and payment certificate in the form of email, users can also have access to historical bill data. A member could login the TPC e-Bill service to have access to the functions of basic information management, bill inquiry, and analysis of amount consumption chart. To make the operation easily, the bill information of all registered customer numbers will be listed on the login screen, and the provided functions are the latest monthly bill, total amount, payment status, the payment barcode to be downloaded (the unpaid bill can be directly downloaded), re-sending of electronic notification, and historical data.
- AMI Real-Time Inquiry
To facilitate the real-time inquiry of amount consumption data by AMI smart meter users and thus promoting the power consumption management, the “AMI Area” icon behind the customer number of AMI could be selected to enter the AMI dashboard function, which provides various functions such as comparison of various real-time amount consumption data, self-defined upper limit of amount consumption, analysis of amount consumption statistical chart, and rate service evaluation.
Note: Users could enquire real-time amount consumption data of the previous day by noon.
Figure 6 My Bill
The percentage comparison of total AMI amount consumption of current year and last year will be shown on the indicator dashboard. The monthly power consumption trend for the two years next to the dashboard to directly compare whether the total consumption has increased or decreased.
Figure 7 The percentage comparison of total AMI amount consumption and total amount trend
The users could check their own total consumption and the average power consumption in the same area or industry. And it would provide different contents via different scenarios to guide users to change their energy consumption behaviors.
Figure 8 Comparison of average total consumption in the same area/industry
Provide users with the ability to set the upper limit of daily electricity consumption. When the electricity consumption exceeds the self-set degree, the user will be notified by email.
Figure 9 Self-defined amount consumption upper limit and abnormality notification
According to whether the amount consumption exceeds the " average total consumption in the same area " or " Self-defined amount consumption upper limit ", the icons of carbon emission and trees are provided to strengthen the connection between amount consumption and energy saving.
Figure 10 Carbon Emission
The total amount consumptions of all months are presented and compared in the form of monthly pie chart, and different colors (green, yellow, red) are used to show whether or not it is increased as compared to the base month.
Figure 11 Monthly Consumption
The real-time and detailed AMI amount consumption charts are presented in graphics to shown the statistics based on “year”, “month, “day”,“15 minutes”,and the daily (24 hours) comparison.
Figure 12 AMI real-time statistical chart
The trial calculation comparison amount of simple rate plan is provided according to the past AMI real-time amount consumption information of users to help users assess which rate plans are more appropriate according to their energy consumption habits.
Figure 13 Rate Suggestion Pre-estimate
According to the past AMI real-time amount consumption information of users, we provide the estimate of the unbilled power consumption and the bill amount to help users control electricity usage.
Figure 14 Unbilled Electricity Bill Estimate
Users are provided with the power consumption charts of recent 48 hours for comparative analysis with the same timeframe of last week and last month.
If the Maximum Demand (kw) exceeds 95% of the Contracted Capacity (kw), the user will receive a reminder email, which reminds the user to avoid Customer Charge (Non-Contracted) fee.
Figure 16 Contents of notification letter
Future planning
Enhancement of interactive design
We will continue enhancing the interactive service for users and simplify operation interface and enhance the friendliness of website by user friendly and dynamic guidance approach in order to enhance users’ willingness of registration and use while achieving the energy saving efficiency of all people.Increase of comparison data
In order to enhance the advocacy of energy saving awareness and the mentality of comparison and competition, users will be provided with bases of different targets of comparison to achieve the objective of user’s voluntary power saving and to greatly enhance the energy saving effectiveness.Continue to integrate member accounts with Taiwan Power APP
Allow users to use services on various platforms of TPC through a single set of account passwords.
Future planning- Taipower APP
(1) Electricity information and comparison:
Provide users to select different time intervals to view the electricity consumption overview, such as every 15 minutes, hours, days, months, or choose two intervals for self-consumption comparison, or with comparing the average electricity consumption of users in the same area. Self-management of electricity consumption.
Figure 17 Electricity information and comparison
- Residential electricity analysis:
By utilizing power usage data and survey responses from users, we provide an analysis and estimation of home appliance usage patterns. To access this service, first-time users must click “Subscribe Now” and complete the electricity analysis questionnaire. The analysis results will be available the following day under ‘Residential Electricity Analysis’, displaying a breakdown of power consumption for each household appliance.
- My category:
Users with stable communication low-voltage AMI power service. Electricity consumption before scheduled meter-reading day: We provide trial calculation for the amount occurred from the last scheduled meter-reading day until 0:00 yesterday. We also provide the amount of the same period last year for comparison and you can make the prepayment immediately.
Figure 19 My category
- Rate trial calculation:
We provide rate package based on the trial calculation of the latest electricity bill for your application. Rate overview: Introduction of all the rate packages. Rate trial calculation: We provide rate package that is applicable to your electricity meter and will demonstrate the current and the optimal one (with the lowest rate) for reference.
Figure 20 Rate trial calculation
- Electricity consumption reminder(Only the account holder can use):
A daily limit or budget for electricity consumption can be set, and the system will schedule a review of the previous day’s usage or calculate the electricity bill. When the set limit is exceeded, a push notification will be sent to the person who set the limit.
Figure 21 Electricity consumption reminder
- The prepayment:
We provide different methods of prepayment for general users and AMI users(users with stable communication low-voltage AMI power service).
Figure 22 General users
Figure 23 AMI users
- Relocation settlement:
In addition to self-meter reading、taking photos of meter and making an appointment for Taipower personnel to read the meter for settling bill. AMI user that has been registered in the New Billing System can input the settled date and if the meter-reading was successful, the settlement amount will be calculated automatically. In the event of meter-reading failure, it will be the same as the non-AMI users that users could choose the method of meter-reading.
Figure 24 Relocation settlement
Explore potential target customers through AMI data analysis
To promote the Demand Response Program, we excavate potential target customers through AMI data analysis, which is the statistical model based on actual loads data provided by customers who attended this program in past. The identified target customers will be encouraged to attend Demand Response Program, which will increase the number of applications, the program’s effectiveness and reduce the pressure on peak loads of the power systems. 998 participants recommended by the statistical model attended 2023 Demand Response Program.
On 2023’s night peak day (July 6,2023), they reduced the performance by 1,128MW, accounting for 96.6% of total loads among all participants (1,111MW). They contributed approximately 3% of the operating reserves to the program. There’s evidence that the Demand Response Program helps improve the system’s stability.