Utility companies are required to inspect their grid on a regular maintenance cycle. Traditionally this work would be done by walking along, or flying helicopters over the power grid. Inspection and maintenance of power lines used to be tremendous and tedious work, not to mention extremely dangerous.

Even though most utility companies have moved over to image-based inspection, they have trouble sorting through the vast amounts of images. It is estimated that one expert can sort through 50 000 images per year.

Thanks to a Norwegian tech company, eSmart Systems, based in Halden, Norway, this tedious job can now be done faster, more accurate, more cost effective and a lot safer.

Images are imported into their software, Grid Vision, which uses collaborative artificial intelligence (AI) to detect faults in components. eSmart Systems estimate their solution can help utilities companies save inspection costs by 40 per cent.

In stress tests, eSmart Systems have been able to process 180 000 images an hour, more than three times the amount of what a human is capable of processing in a whole year!

More precise defect detection

Åsberg ensures that Grid Vision is not created to make the detection experts redundant. The approach used in Grid Vision is Collaborative-AI, where the expert’s feedback on the recommendations made by the AI to raise the quality of their work, and free up time, that they can use to improve their service to their customers.

–  As the experts work with the AI, it learns, gets smarter and even more precise. With faster image processing, the utilities can detect defects earlier and resolve any issues before they become a problem. The experts can even move their attention to predictive maintenance, says Åsberg. 

eSmart Systems has one of the largest qualified data sets in the world. They have expanded their suite of solutions to create synthetic images. In graphic engines like Unreal, they create 3D models of digital components and add faults to give the AI more data to learn from.

– The utilities get more objective inspections and a better foundation to plan their maintenance budgets. Deeper insight and better documentation in the infrastructure can really make a difference ahead of the wildfire season for example, says Åsberg.

Industrial scale through the cloud

eSmart Systems currently serve utility companies across Europe and North America and have helped inspect more than 100 000 kilometers of transmission and distribution overhead lines and analyzed more than 3 million images. All because their solutions are built with the purpose of being scalable in Microsoft’s cloud platform, Azure.  

eSmart Systems is a certified independent software vendor (ISV) partner with Microsoft. The entire solution is hosted in Azure.

– Our solution was born in Azure. We have never owned a server on our own. On a technical level, Microsoft and Azure has been totally crucial for our ability to scale, Åsberg explains.

The partnership has been fruitful on a commercial level as well.

– All our leads are generated through Microsoft’s ecosystem. It can be difficult for a small company from Norway to get the contracts with enormous utility companies on our own. The path to a meeting is much shorter when it is a technology giant like Microsoft that makes the call, says Åsberg.

Industry lead for power and utilities in Microsoft Norway, Tor Inge Åsen, underlines that the partnership is mutually beneficial.

– While we can supplement eSmart Systems thanks to our brand, they validate us in an industry where we have no solutions that are directly applicable as well. They give us a way into a vertical we would’ve struggled to get a foothold in without a partner with expertise in the field, Åsen confirms.

A solution for the future

The energy grid is the largest asset in the world, and a necessity if our society is to have any chance of making the green shift into a more electrified world.

– Our software will play a huge part in how utilities will prioritize investments. Maybe they can even defer infrastructure investments and focus on high-risk assets only, because they will be in more control over the maintenance needs. This gives eSmart Systems a higher purpose, and makes our job more meaningful, says Åsberg.

Contact us today and see how Grid Vision is transforming the way the world’s leading energy providers inspect and maintain critical infrastructure.

Norwegian company eSmart Systems was among one of the first in the world to develop an Artificial Intelligence based solution, Grid Vision^®, for the inspection and maintenance of critical energy infrastructure. With over 20 years of experience, it has become the leading international player within its field. The company has global customers including several of the world’s largest energy companies, such as Naturgy, Xcel Energy and E.ON.

Oslo, Norway, August 22, 2022 – In the recently completed Series B share issue, the current investors – Equinor Ventures, Kongsberg Group, Nysnø Climate Investments, Energy Impact Partners, and Future Energy Ventures – together with the U.S.-based investment fund manager, Arosa Capital, have raised ~€40 million.

The capital will be used to accelerate the company’s commercial development and international growth.

Arosa Capital, which manages traditional and alternative energy investments, and who recently became an investor of eSmart Systems, believes the company can take a leading position in the global energy market.

Mr. Bache added: “We are thrilled that a respected, long-term strategic investor like Arosa Capital shares our view of growth opportunities going forward. The completion of this share issue in today’s financial climate is a confirmation of our company’s strong position and prospects.”

According to Princeton Environmental Research and Rystad Energy the global energy transmission network is expected to triple in size, and over $18 trillion is to be invested by 2050 to reach net zero, creating massive growth opportunities for eSmart Systems.

“The current geopolitical situation has increased attention on energy security and emphasized the need for a stable power grid. We are also experiencing more frequent occurrences of extreme weather, resulting from climate change, making power infrastructure more vulnerable. eSmart Systems is uniquely positioned to assist grid operators in meeting these challenges.”, says Mr. Bache.

Last summer, eSmart Systems acquired the Stavanger-based company Verico to strengthen and expand its international platform. Verico offers specialized product and services within Enterprise Asset Management complementing eSmart Systems’ existing services. The combined company employ 110 employees in Norway, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and the US.

Investment banks DNB Markets and Arctic Securities were financial advisors of the share issue.

About eSmart Systems

eSmart Systems is a leading provider of AI-powered solutions for the inspection and maintenance of critical infrastructure. With the Grid Vision® portfolio, the company provides Inspection Management and Asset Information Management solutions and services to utilities globally. Grid Vision provides a data-driven and condition-based approach to infrastructure inspections and support utilities to reduce inspection costs, improve inspection safety, improve the quality of asset data and prolong asset life. More information about the company can be found at www.esmartsystems.com.

About Arosa Capital

Arosa Capital Management LP is an U.S.-based alternative investment fund manager that focuses on energy both within traditional and alternative energy sources. Arosa was founded in 2013 and combines fundamental analysis with a long experience and deep knowledge of the energy markets to invest in venture companies, private and public companies, as well as in credit and commodities. More information about Arosa Capital can be found at www.arosacapital.com.