India's Tech Mahindra to collaborate with Ryerson on microgrid applied research

Indian multinational Tech Mahindra (TM) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Ryerson Univ to develop software solutions for optimizing energy generation, consumption and delivery using intelligent microgrids. The agreement will see Mumbai-based TM utilize Ryerson's intelligent analytics expertise to undertake six pilot projects (two each in Canada, India and the US) while seeking customers for commercial rollout.

The collaboration marks TM's first foray into Canada and involves integrating a host of variables to determine the most cost- and energy-efficient source of electricity, from the traditional grid to a growing number of renewable sources. Microgrids are increasingly viewed as an effective approach to efficient energy usage, particularly in an era where consumers (public and private) are seeking models that allow production and procurement in real time at lower cost.

TM selected Ryerson after meeting with several universities, many of which had excellent relevant research but were reluctant to test it in real-world projects. TM was also impressed with Ryerson's new Centre for Urban Energy (CUE) —– a live, on-campus laboratory specializing in smart grid and microgrid research.

"Ryerson is a different breed of university. It evolved from a polytechnic and it has an appetite for risk to take on such a forward-looking project," says Prateek Saxeena, a director at TM and part of its in-house entrepreneurs program. "We need smart, intelligent analytics to solve multi-variable equations and they're willing to develop the algorithms and validate them on real projects."

TM, the information technology and engineering arm of the Mahindra Group, has revenue of US$3.5 billion and employs nearly 100,000 people in 51 countries. In addition to microgrids, it is pursuing applied research projects to utilize satellites to measure energy leakage from buildings (UK) and solar charging stations for drones (Germany).

The three-phase microgrid project will take Ryerson and TM researchers from the creation of business cases through to the integration and analysis of data collected from the test sites.

"The utility sector has not really changed since it was invented. An alternative is required in today's environment and microgrid is the solution," says Saxeena. "This is particiularly useful in areas where there is no electricity as in the mining and oil ands gas industry or remote communities that rely on diesel. It's all about reliability and access."

Under the leadership of president Sheldon Levy, Ryerson has evolved into an IT powerhouse and commercialization engine with an international focus. Over his two terms, the student population has increased by 10,000 and it has established several state-of-the-art research facilities including CUE and the Digital Media Zone. (Levy recently announced his departure from Ryerson to take up the DM position at Ontario's Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, effective Dec 1/15).

TM has also struck an agreement with Niagara-on-the-Lake Hydro to build an intelligent electric vehicle charging system. The project — funded with $1 million from Ontario's Smart Grid Fund — aims to develop a real-time transformer monitoring and analytics solution for managing electric vehicle charging to ensure transformers do not overload.

Saxeena says the Ontario government was instrumental is assembling the team for the project and that TM will provide up to $1.5 million towards the project.

"We'll be able to measure aggregated loads at various levels," he says, adding that three of the project's seven phases have been completed. "Niagara-on-the-Lake Hydro is a small utility but it's very progressive, particularly in the area of transformer monitoring. Its president came up with a use case for the project to monitor electric cars on transformers."

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