Top 10: Grid Management Systems
Modern grid management focuses on using renewable and distributed energy resources to transform traditional electricity grids into smart, flexible and resilient energy sources.
Companies can integrate new technologies, like AI and data integration, to optimise supply and demand whilst also preventing outages.
Infrastructure is being upgraded with automation, advanced control rooms and digital tools that allow for real time fault detection and flexible load management.
Energy Digital has ranked the top 10 companies with grid management solutions.
10. Toshiba
Revenue: US$24.1bn (2023)
CEO: Taro Shimada
Founded: 1939
Toshiba specialises in microgrid solutions, with the aim to stabalise power systems.
The company's Micro Energy Management System (μEMS) is an essential technology for modern smart grid power networks.
The μEMS predicts both energy demand and renewable output, schedules power distribution, and manages fluctuations in real time.
By optimising energy use in microgrids, it helps lower fuel consumption and cut CO₂ emissions.
9. ABB
Revenue: US$32.9bn
CEO: Morten Wierod
Founded: 1988
ABB focuses on grid automation and electrification solutions for distribution grids and microgrids.
The company offers digital solutions and systems that enable efficient management and integration of distributed energy resources (DER) to ensure cybersecurity and optimise grid performance through digital platforms, AI analytics and intelligent control technologies.
Juha Koskela, Managing Director, ABB Marine & Ports, says: “Onboard Microgrid addresses a specific segment of the market, with smaller vessels playing an important role in shipping’s electric, digital and connected future.
“Bringing Onboard Microgrid to market shows how closely ABB has been listening to owners in the inland waterways vessel, ferry, workboat, tugboat and yacht markets seeking to benefit from hybrid propulsion.”
8. Cisco
Revenue: US$53.8bn
CEO: Chuck Robbins
Founded: 1984
Cisco focuses on smart grid solutions that can enhance the reliability, security and efficiency of energy grids.
The company’s connected grid optimises electrical supply and demand, utilising solutions for advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), distribution automation (DA) and substation monitoring.
The solutions are designed to increase grid reliability and enable integration of renewable energy.
Mary de Wysocki, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer for Cisco, says: “The only way that we’re going to mitigate the worst impact [of climate change] is to accelerate the transition to clean energy,”
“To do that, we need a smart, secure, connected modern grid. And the digital technologies we bring to energy companies or utility providers, can help these organisations accelerate their capabilities through the transition.”
7. Honeywell
Revenue: US$38.5bn
CEO: Vamil Kapur
Founded: 1906
Honeywell offers advanced grid technologies that support distribution grid operations and distributed energy resource integrations
The company supports utilities across the entire value chain from the generation transmission to the distribution.
The Smart Grid solutions portfolio focuses on energy efficiency and demand response programs, engaging customer segments with customisable approaches.
The company offers DER management platforms with the aims to optimise energy use and grid balance dynamically.
Amol Motivala, President of Honeywell Smart Energy, says: “By leveraging the power of AI, Cloud and 5G, we are driving the shift to autonomy for utilities and fundamentally changing the way energy distribution is managed by offering real time connectivity.
“Through Verizon 5G connectivity, we are reimagining the utility ecosystem with cellular connected smart meters that provide the needed insights to help improve grid performance and customer satisfaction.”
6. Schneider Electric
Revenue:US$44bn
CEO: Olivier Blum
Founded: 1836
Schneider Electric is a global leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation.
The company provides solutions designed to help modernise infrastructure, improve grid resilience, reliability and efficiency.
One of its key initiatives is the One Digital Grid Platform, an AI powered platform providing advanced capabilities for grid panning, asset management, operations, resiliency, flexibility and customer engagement.
It uses a hybrid cloud architecture with multi-layered cybersecurity protections and open integration based on Microsoft Azure.
Nadege Petit, Chief Innovation Officer at Schneider Electric, said: “Economic and technological growth is dependent on our ability to deliver energy reliably, securely and affordably.
“By fostering collaboration across the industry, we are addressing key challenges like data centre grid-capacity constraints.
“At Schneider Electric, we remain committed to driving innovation that enables a smarter, more sustainable grid for generations to come.”
5. Oracle
Revenue: US$57.4bn
CEO: Safra Catz
Founded: 1977
Oracle focuses on providing software solutions to optimise electricity distribution grids.
The company's key product is the Oracle Utilities Network Management System, which offers unified grid operations capabilities.
The system has AI driven control of DER offering real time insights, quick response to outages and safety and operational efficiency in enhancement .
Larry Ellison, Co-Founder of Oracle, says: "Database grids mark a new generation of much faster and more reliable database technology that runs on groups of low cost PC servers.
"Oracle is first to market with database grid technology and our database sales are trending up."
4. IBM
Revenue: US$62.8bn
CEO: Arvind Krishna
Founded: 1911
IBM creates solutions around the development and deployment of advanced analytics and cloud based platforms.
It supports smart grid deployment through providing expertise in systems integration, system architecture and business analytics.
The company’s solutions support the transition to more automated, risk aware and efficient grid operation in the energy ecosystem.
Bryan Sacks, CTO for the Energy, Environment & Utilities industry at IBM, says: “Power generation accounts for approximately 35% of global emissions, with ground transportation contributing another 20%, so the pressure to move towards renewable electrification is quite tremendous.
“It’s not just about simply migrating over to renewable sources though.
“It’s about migrating in a way that consumers can consistently use and rely on.”
3. Hitachi
Revenue: US$66bn
CEO: Toshiaki Tokunaga
Founded: 1910
Hitachi acquired ABB power grids in 2020 and is now a global leader in power grid technologies, integrating its advanced digital platforms with power grid equipment.
The company designs, manufactures and sells power grid products, systems, software and service solutions.
Through Hitachi energy the company serves utilities in industry, transportation, data centres and infrastructure sector.
Niklas Persson, Managing Director of Hitachi Energy's Business Unit Grid Integration, says: “We are at a defining moment in the energy transition.
“With unprecedented levels of renewable power being added globally, we must reconsider how we design, plan and operate power systems to support the rapid pace of the energy transition.”
2. GE Vernova
Revenue: US$34.9bn
CEO: Scott Strazik
Founded: 2024
GE Vernova provides advanced grid technologies and software solutions focused on accelerating the global energy transition.
The company offers a comprehensive AI powered software platform, GridOS, designed for grid orchestration.
It says that the software can provide customers with a 17% faster restoration time, and reduce inertia management cost by 40%.
The platform supports the management of power grids with high renewables penetration, which can be up to 70%.
This support aims to enhance reliability, resiliency and operational efficiency.
Mahesh Sudhakaran, General Manager of GE Vernova’s Grid Software business: “There is no AI for electric grid networks without unlocking control system data.
“Our mission is to empower every utility to achieve grid orchestration through data and AI.
“We have a pragmatic approach to help utilities unlock their energy data and activate AI-enabled applications and train AI models so they can orchestrate a more intelligent grid.”
1. Siemens
Revenue: US$84bn
CEO: Roland Busch
Founded: 1847
Siemens is a leading grid management company offering a portfolio that covers designing, financing, building, operating and maintaining modern smart grids and power distribution systems.
Its grid software Spectrum Power is recognised globally as a premier power grid management system.
The company says that any grid software based on Spectrum Power is resilient, reliable and secure by design as it alleviates the complexity of grid management needs.
It has launched Gridscale X a software that offers flexible, autonomous and proactive management of low-voltage grids.
The system helps grid operators to manage critical grid segments and transformer states as well as improving grid stability and speeding up response to outages.
Dr. Sabine Erlinghagen, CEO of Siemens Grid Software says “At Siemens Grid Software, we are the partner for power utilities to accelerate and secure the energy transition in a sustainable and profitable way.
“By paving the way for autonomous grid management, we empower grid operators to accelerate digital transformation easier, faster and at scale.”
