Smart Energy Forecasting

White Paper

How Does Forecasting Enhance Smart Grid Benefits?^®

How SAS can help

Data from Smart Meters will be essential for utilities executives who need timely and accurate forecasts of load growth for strategic planning. SAS Solutions will scale to accommodate that data, helping you identify where load growth is expected and the kinds of customers who contribute to that growth. Future-proof analytics are essential to manage growth better.

• Better planning: Energy demand is increasing, and load forecasts are essential to predict capital expenditure. SAS Solutions also provide weather-normalised energy sales and revenue forecasts for near-term planning and budgeting.
• Identify growth patterns: SAS consolidates large volumes of information to create accurate forecasts. Utility executives will learn where load growth is expected on their distribution systems. The results of the analysis will be vital if they are to meet their customers' needs and manage growth.
• Greater accuracy: A generation ago, utility demand forecasts could be accurate to +/- 5 percent. Today, executives will tolerate forecast errors no larger than 1 percent. By harnessing data from Smart Meters, accuracy is increased.
• Improve customer service: Use detailed Smart Meter data for household customers to identify patterns of consumption and suggest ways that they can save energy.
• Cut imbalance costs: The accurate forecasts provided by SAS Solutions reflect true demand patterns. They are also delivered quickly, so your confidence in energy purchasing will improve, and your imbalance costs will fall.
• Model demand for all customers: SAS's patented statistical forecasting engine uses advanced methods to model and forecast both gas and electricity demand, and the same technology can be used for customers of all sizes without loss of accuracy.