Avesta Fund

Climate change creates new risks for electric utilities. From more frequent and intense storms to droughts that create wildfire-friendly conditions, it’s now more critical than ever for these companies to enact mitigation measures that account for these risks. One mitigation is the proactive inspection and inventory of grid assets at-scale, usually by piloting aerial drone missions to collect imagery and video on each asset. While these methods have proven to increase both grid safety and resiliency, most are employed on the transmission grid but not on the distribution grid. This is because, compared to transmission grid assets, distribution grid assets are too numerous, too geographically dispersed, are often located in densely populated areas, and the aerial view is often obscured by vegetation for much of the year. This makes piloting drone inspection missions over distribution grid assets extremely difficult. Yet, 90% of power outages occur on the distribution grid and there are cases of faulty distribution grid equipment sparking wildfires, such as the recent Silverado Fire in Southern California. Noteworthy AI solves this problem by ensuring that distribution grid assets are adequately inspected and monitored. Our solution combines hardware at the Edge and software in the Cloud to help electric utilities inspect and inventory distribution grid assets at scale. Our Edge hardware mounts directly on electric utility fleet vehicles (e.g. repair trucks) and uses proprietary computer vision to inspect and inventory distribution poles and their components with no impact on crew duties. Results are sent to our Cloud software in real-time. This converts non-productive fleet vehicle travel time into active inspection and monitoring at a low cost, enabling electric utilities to reap grid resiliency and safety benefits on the distribution grid as well.

WattBuy is an online marketplace that assists residents in saving on electricity costs by facilitating the selection of cheaper electricity providers. Founded in 2017, the platform empowers users to make informed decisions about their home electricity expenses by enabling them to browse and choose from a variety of plans available in their area. As several state governments have deregulated the electricity market, homeowners in 14 states can now access over 50 electricity providers and plans tailored to their needs. WattBuy utilizes a personalized recommendation engine to help clients set up electricity plans that align with their preferences and usage, ultimately allowing them to switch to more cost-effective options. The company is supported by the Department of Energy and Techstars Accelerator.