Estonian energy management startup Grid Raven has been awarded €1.5 million by Enterprise Estonia under the Programme for Applied Research.
The company, founded by Georg Rute (CEO), Henri Manninen (CTO) and Markus Lippus (Chief Data Scientist), aims to increase the transmission capacity of power grids by using machine learning for weather prediction and grid modelling. Their software provides dynamic line ratings, potentially increasing transmission capacity by up to 30%, saving emissions and money.
The software can also help prevent major accidents. Transmission lines may dangerously overheat on hot, sunny, windless days, as they have a maximum operating temperature that they can safely withstand. However, in the majority (99%) of high-voltage transmission lines, the actual line temperature is not directly measured. Instead, grid operators rely on international, standardised calculations to determine the maximum power that a line can carry. Yet if the actual wind is in fact 0 m/s, then the capacity may be one third less than the international standard specifies. Grid Raven takes that into account.
More impact, globally
The new funding will support a 2.5-year project aimed at improving Grid Raven’s technologies and expanding its global impact. The grant will primarily fund two key areas of development:
- Machine Learning for Wind Prediction: Grid Raven will further refine its AI-driven wind prediction model, ensuring its applicability and accuracy on a global scale in various geographies including mountainous areas.
- Digital Twin Technology: The funding will also support the continued development of Grid Raven’s digital twin of the power grid. This sophisticated virtual model is the basis with which Grid Raven provides Dynamic Line Rating services to transmission owners, allowing for better planning, management, and optimization of grid resources.
The complete cost of the project is €2.3 million, of which €800k will be financed by Grid Raven. The company plans to expand its technical team by adding eight new members before the end of the year, thanks to the additional funding.
“Thanks to the grant from Enterprise Estonia, we will be able to build a world-class technical team here in Tallinn, Estonia, and achieve our vision of helping increase grid capacity by a third, globally by 2030,” said Georg Rute, CEO of Grid Raven.
Previously, Grid Raven joined the European Space Agency (ESA) Business Incubator to collaborate with space experts to leverage satellite data for improving the weather forecasting models. The year-long programme provided €60,000 of funding, access to technical expertise and connections to leading companies in the field.
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