GE (NYSE:GE) took another big step forward today in the smart grid sector with the acquisition of the Energy Control Systems division of Montreal-based SNC-Lavalin. ECS software is currently used to improve the reliability, efficiency and carbon profile for 300 million people on six continents.

"ECS software empowers everyone along the energy value chain to do a better job with how they handle electricity," said Bob Gilligan, vice president--digital energy for GE Energy Services. "By adding the flow of information to the flow of power, we can help utilities be more reliable and efficient. We can help consumers understand and manage their electricity usage."

ECS' software uses real-time information to continually monitor and improve power delivery. The software also helps identify potential power problems before they happen--improving reliability. ECS can also reroute power around unplanned outages, caused by storms or other grid malfunctions. It also can automatically determine the cause of an outage and dispatch properly equipped crews to fix the problem faster.

ECS can also optimize the renewable generation mix with the integration of weather forecasting, as it anticipates available power by knowing when and where the wind and solar resources will be strongest.

via Marketwatch