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ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this Tuesday, May 2, 2017, file photo, Verizon corporate signage is captured on a store in Manhattan’s Midtown area, in New York.
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Hawaiian Electric Co. and Verizon have joined forces to modernize Hawaii’s power grid with the installation of GridWide, a smart sensor that collects near real-time data and is now up and running.
Due to a partnership formed in May, Verizon agreed to install Internet of Things, or IoT sensors, connected to its 4G LTE network in Hawaii, to measure solar energy, according to a Verizon spokeswoman.
GridWide helps manage and balance energy loads, identify where outages occur and monitor meter performance.
“We’re excited about the impact Verizon’s GridWide partnership with Hawaiian Electric will have on increasing efficiency on Hawaii’s grid via our 4G LTE network to more capably handle renewable energy resources,” said Jay Olearain, Verizon’s director of product and new business innovation, in a news release. “GridWide will maximize consumer-owned solar systems, which helps the state reach its big- picture goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2045.”
While the new sensors will not offer Verizon customers any immediate cost savings, it will help those with rooftop solar panels better use the amount of electricity coming back to the grid, as well as determine what caused an outage, said Verizon.