Google, the engine of the global "Smart" World

In the last blog, it was introduced the influence which Google is able to have in the next future "Smart" business and more in concrete with business which is related to energy, from energy generation to end consumer and the way for using marketing for getting the real needs from customer and the way to improve this implementations.

During this week it has been reviewed information in some media about the acquisition of Google in this last year and the products which is thinking to launch to the market, some of them, just waiting for the legal approval.

One of new possible implementations I knew as a casualty  reading some information about the future trends of satellite communications. Google is in implementation process about new innovative and low cost opeation systems for internet communications.

This systems which is between the conventional satellite system and earth communication systems used nowadays, will enable Google to create the own infrastructure communication systems around the world, at the beginning for its own communication systems and it will see in the future. Such as all communication systems, it will communicate information via wireless connecting Data Centers located in earth.

At the same time, Google has made one step forward this week with the implementation of Data Center supplied by Wind Power Farm in Sweden

With  this new application for supplying the electricity needs for Data Center performance, Google starts to get the most Energy Efficiency in the Operations of Data Centers, having the coverage of Renewable Energy production for reducing the cost of the electricity supplying to the server, the percentage of required power supply, of course, it will depend of the Wind Farm Production. It is well known, Data Centers has a great electricity consumption, being supplied by Medium Voltage (MV) and having also supplying in Low Voltage (LV) for auxiliary supplying, considering the great system for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioned (HVAC) systems for cooling the high temperature for the performing of Data Centers, and using one Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), for the assurance of the Electricity supplying, in some cases, with two companies for the supplying in case of whatever issue, and the Genset (normally Diesel Generator) in case of mayor issue. For that reason, I consider one example of complexity because Wind Power is being intermittent generation and considering Data Centers are critical infrastructure, in some cases is managing information with high relevance, in terms of security, the Data Center supplied by Wind Energy is a big challenge and I think is opening a new application for considering in next future.

Talking about big challenges, one acquisition of Google has been one company (Makani Power), which is developing Airbone Wind Power Systems (see picture at bottom of the blog), out of the conventional Wind Power systems. The system is one Airbone systems which is lifting in the air by the "plane structure", taking the most profit of the wind, for staying in altitude (less turbulence wind), in one vessel which reduce the material, cost and the fatigue in the structure (for non staying fix in the ground) and open a new possibility for Wind Power with unlimited resource and opening the wind resource to more placement, because the wind in altitude is more frequent than onshore or even conventional offshore.

On the other hand, I would like to know the technical characteristics in case of integration in Grid, but may be is a good system for implementing off-grid in remote places far from whatever Power Line.

Following with acquisition, months ago, Google got into the Robotics Industry business, with one US Robotic company, Boston Dynamics. In my blog (Robotics for optimizing renewable energies - blog ), I exposed the possibilities for Robotics Engineering will have in the next future for Operations and Management (O&M) business, and in concrete for Renewable Energies business, which O&M is the main reduction part of the Cash Flow generated by the electricity in a PPA contract, or in case of Europe and other countries by Feed-in-Tariff. In this context, why not think about the possibility to implement this Robotic Technology, which right now, is mostly developed for disasters, for developing in O&M business. By this way, getting other applications, being possible to get and enormous number of possibilities, which at the same time, in the most of cases, this robots will be able to be supplied by renewable energies and controlled them by the Google new communications system.

Following with Google product launches, some weeks ago, I listened about the Google glasses, it seems, it is going to be one tool for recording videos, pictures and being connected to internet watching like an small screen reflected in the glass, with the possibility for staying located by geolocation, of course if the device is under internet cover.

On the other hand, I think, only two weeks ago, I have listened about one lens which is able to control the sugar level for diabetic people, advising by some flashes by one red "micro-led" installed on the same lens and then advising to the user (patient).

Considering all this possibilities, and also what it was exposed on the last blog. And getting in consideration that Google can develope one complete system with never end possibilities.

Considering the investment of Google in Renewable Energies (in conventional and new systems), and then use it for supplying its infrastructure in Data Centers, using this data centers as part of the new communication system in a mix system of conventional earth systems and satellite communication systems, which at the end can control Electric Generation Systems, Robotics applications, Smart Home applications, Tablets, Smart Phones, Google Glass devices, and who knows which is going to be next, it is clear, it opens a lot of possibilities.

Making a supposition of all together, it is possible to get what is the magnitude about Google can implement. Trying to put one example, and please try to see in a constructive way, the important is to see the possibilities.

Imagine one situation, one person who is diabetic and it has the Google lens and Google Glass. Imagine the lens is indicating by flashing to this example person the level of sugar in blood exceed the normal level and this person starts to feels bad and unfortunately is falling down to the ground loosing the awareness and gets on the ground.

The possibility to implement actions by the complete systems developed for Google is able to be as next example. In this moment, after the patient is on the floor, the Google Glass can detect this patient has any problem because there is no flashes in his/her eyes in a determined time (flashes in eyes in some people is every hear beat) and being 11 o'clock in the morning and in the middle of nowhere (no people around half km or half mile).

This Google Glasses can detect that the person has any problem. The system can search by geolocation ( in the worst case, no one is close to this patient) whoever is close this patient who use Google Glass or even any Smart Phone, and send one message to this person advising: "Emergency - One person in the street "Calle suceso" is on the floor - diabetic patient". After receiving this message, the systems is indicating the way to get in the position of the patient is, and this person who goes walking to assist the patient is receiving one video by Youtube which explains the process that has to be followed for trying to restore the patient and even, the person, and others around the place, can received one medical professional talking at the phone for explaining the process.

During this process, one ambulance has been advice by the system, of course the closer ambulance to the place, and the police can be advised and one automatic system to regulate the traffic and then the ambulance make the trip in the less possible time. In the meanwhile the traffic which, may be is stopped in the road until the ambulance cross the street, can received advertisement after the advising in the "car radio" about one ambulance is going to cross the street in the next minutes.

In the next future, the regulation of traffic can be regulated automatically (semaphores etc), and why not regulated by Robots, for controlling the situation in whatever emergency situation.

When the person (or the persons) has arrived to the patient which is on the street, the medical entity can see the situation by the camera from the Google Glass of the person for attending (if required) the patient until ambulance arrives. At the same time, think about possibilities with new bracelets which read the heart beat for someone who can suffer a heart attack.

With the example of the situation exposed, I would like to express what is the possibility of the complete Google System. From the energy production to supply the electricity to the Data Centers (and in the next future for supplying robotic systems, self drive automatic electric vehicles and communications system) which are going to make more competitive systems  in a long term, by zero cost of raw material, Wind and Sun, just considering the O&M of the infrastructure.

The communication system, which will operate around the world, it can communicate and control all "Smart" devices coordinating all and giving real answer for optimizing all process in our "normal" life and making advertisement for profitability and for knowing the trends of every step takes by the company decreasing risk in the investment. This implementation can be one new system model of operation which perform all the chain, being one serious compentence for Utilities, Facilities, Health Care busines, Capital Goods, Automotive Industries, Bank Industry with the Smart Phone payment application "Wallet"., in the Simulation Industry for artificial intelligence, for starting to execute models of all this information, with acquisition of DeepMind Technologies, and in future...what else industry.

On the other hand, the only issue which this global system will bring, because one Big Data, independently operated by different servers, it is the possibility for being cracked in terms of cybersecurity (Hacker), then the security in the cyber industry is going to be crucial for the reliability of this next future applications.

Makani Power - Google Airbone Wind Energy

New member in the "Smart" game

During last "Consumer Electronics Show" in Las Vegas, it was possible to know new implementations and solutions for the next, and immediate future, from electronic consumer industry, covering a great range of innovative products from the most consumer product in electronics industry; e.g.: cell phones, home appliances, TV's etc, to one of the most extreme version of EV; eFIA (see video in youtube).

If it is taken in consideration the most known consumer electronics products, it is possible to get some information about the new possibilities. Regarding "Smart Homes", LG, one of the most important Korean Electronic Consumer with Samsung, it has presented a new "Home Chat", one tool which allows customers to communicate, monitor and share with all LG home appliances. The language used by this system is called, "Natural Language Processing (NLP)". This language enables to communicate, from every internet device, in this case; the Smart Phones with LINE (free calls and messages) to all the appliances which operates in home, giving a new dimension of the Domotic Technology. With this implementation, the Domotic takes control over all new systems which operates in future in this Smart Homes, and not only the most used implementations: HVAC and security.

With this new interaction, the customer has the possibility to control all home appliances and watch the state of all devices in the Smart TV. From this point, a lot of applications can be implemented. Some examples, the home appliances can give information to the Customer Service Department of the Brand in case of whatever issue, and communicating to try solving this issue in the office by remote control (making Resets, updating software or firmware). At the same time, the Service Engineer will know what is really the issue in the home appliances, and also known, number of cycles, kind of cycles in any washing machine or dishwashing, number of times it gets open the door of the freezer, reference number and year of production of the appliances for whatever consulting etc, and then, being with more information for not having issues with availability of properly spare part (in case of need it), and finishing the intervention in the first visit, very important thing for end consumer. And of course, the design and production can improve the Product.

In this context, it is easy to think what it will be future applications linked with LG has presented. The new applications in the Smart Phones will be the control of all new application which would be implemented in the new Smart Homes: EV, EV charger, security, domotic, Energy Efficiency etc and etc.

In this field, there are high number of possibilities, as example and related security, it is possible to control and monitoring the starting of the extraction ventilator in the hood, if right now the extraction hood can switch on when detects a determined level of steam, why is not possible for getting systems which control level of gas or carbon monoxide for security applications, and of course being connected with emergency responsible and Smart Phones of the customer. At the same time, in this new future control systems, the EV charger can give electricity from the battery of the EV to the grid (in contrary way as normally), in case of emergency in the electric system (outages), not being able to use home appliances or other electric devices which needs electricity, like it happened in USA with the extreme weather conditions weeks ago, and then, controlling all the electricity demand by security reasons from any responsible entity. Of course, all related with Energy Efficiency and Demand Response (DR) will have an extraordinary possibilities of new business opportunities, playing with high and low demand.

Related to Energy Efficiency, and not necessarily in any emergency situation, if it is checked some topics in Google Trend, it will be shown that one of the most important topics is: "Save Energy". The people is concerned about the cost (in terms of money) and the cost (in terms of environment) about energy.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, from US Department of Energy has developed one solution for comparing data coming from the energy management systems, which enables to compare this data from different buildings at the same time, and then getting conclusions about better performance and get Energy Efficiency best practice from the experimental point of view.

Regarding Utilities, one study from New York University gives some information about which will be the most important topics in future for their customers, being mainly; bill pay options, social responsibility and transparency.

Therefore, the future will bring a lot of new challenges for Utilities and then, possibilities, but of course it will be other companies and business which will know also this opportunities.

This week, Google announced the acquisition of Nets, one company which made temperature sensors for home applications. With this acquisition, Google will integrate all the information from the temperature sensors in internet. At the same time, Google, with the acquisition of Motorola, will have the possibility for integrating the information of all mentioned devices and applications in the Smart Phones and opening new range of possibilities in the Smart Homes technologies, even with possibility for, in the meanwhile it is checked the temperature in the sensor, customer can received advertisement.

Related with advertisement, one point which is also changing in the advertisement business is the way to contact with potential customers. Outbound Marketing is almost part of history, the customers are really tired to find more and more advertisement which sometimes is never watched. May be one reason of that is the great implementation of Marketing which gives more "quality" information, information which generates interesting content and the way to explained: "Content Marketing" and "Gamification", being really one alternative for the industry business, as it is well introduced in retail business so far.

There are some information  about  "Gamification" in the "Smart Energy" business. Some explanations about webs which are opened to the people to propose alternatives and solutions for the "day by day" performance for getting best practices by the experimentation of the people. One example is "www.worldwithoutoil.org", this web is a game for proposing alternatives for a life without oil, giving possibilities for working in team for finding solutions for Smart Homes and Smart Cities, it is one web which enables to improve the "day by day" life of the people in a complete system of interaction and interchange information regarding how to life with no petrol products.

Following with an example of Gamification, Siemens has been one company which has implemented one game for simulating Smart technologies in relation with Energy (see: power matrix and picture at bottom of post). This new concept of interaction, it will enable to share a lot of information worldwide, and the people will participate in the evolution and trend of the "things", being a collaborative system. 
Just thinking about possibilities of this new concept of sharing infomation and considering I have been working in home appliances industry, I see from another point of view, and regarding this Gamification Marketing, it is could be the finish of "Instructions for Use" (IFU's) as it is known, in my opinion this new concept can make the end of the IFU's in paper, and the starting for developing simulation systems for making more real and understandable the IFU's with the interaction of the customer with an screen playing with control panels and remote control of the appliances and devices and watching what is happening when it is pressed one determined button, and also helping to the producers to create the most "easy to use" products.

Taken in consideration all the points exposed, it is possible to conclude the main point of all this proposals is the big amount of data which will create all this implementations; from Smart Homes, Smart Cities, Smart Grids and all the applications involved. All this information will create a Big Data, an enormous data. It is well known the Big Data will be one of the most important points for the most of companies which are involved in the business mentioned for getting conclusions and trends about the needs for customers, technologies and how to implemented at a lower cost, and then, creating business strategies.

 As a example, one Utility can have the information regarding Electricity consumptions from a number of customer by AMI systems (consumption peak related to time etc). On the other hand, for example, Security company will have some information too, and get some conclusions about the needs of the customer and possibilities for improvement products and services. And of course, it will be possible to cross this information in a big data, from Utility and Security company, being one company which manage all this information and even give some advertisement in the customer's Smart Phone or PC when interact with this technologies, as Google can do with the temperature sensors.

Trying to get one conclusion of all explained, there will be one company which will be able to do all explained technically and in terms of advertisement possibilities as can make any Utility in close future, but this company will be in one preference position for knowing the best possible future business. Google it is a company of marketing which use all the technological possibilities for making this marketing; internet searcher, trends for advertisement, web SEO, geolocation and etc etc.

My question is , if Google crosses all the information coming from all the Smart Energy Technologies: Smart Homes, Smart Cities, Smart Grids, Renewable Energies, with the enormous information which is "created" on the web every day, Google will have an enormous information (and information is power), and then, the best positioned to get conclusions in terms of business and advertisemen.

...and it is well known, that Google has the best tool (search engine) for crossing all this information and extract conclusions for business and advertisement possibilities, which the rest of competence have not at the same technological level...

Consequence of High Generation of Wind Energy by windstorm in Spanish Electric Market

I would like to show with some grafics the consequence when there is a great production of Wind Energy in Mix generation in the Spanish Electric Market.

Yesterday, 5th January 2014, the price of the Electricity made one record in the last 8 month.
Last 19th December, the price was 61.38€ MWh, issue which made cancel the auction by the Industry Ministerium "Ministerio de Industria", because the regulation responsable council for the Competence (CNE: Comisión Nacional de la Competencia) consider there was something strange with the high price.

Yesterday, 5th January 2014 the price of Electricity was 4.99€ MWh, one record of low price since 28th April 2013, which the price was 3.91€ MWh.
I would like to show the example of generation during last windstorm of this last three days in Atlantic and Cantabric Spanish Coast, showing by grafics the production.

 Grafics from:
-Wind Energy Production by:  REE (Red Eléctrica de España) webside: https://demanda.ree.es/eolica.html
- Price of Electricity by Omel: (Operador del Mercado Eléctrico) website: http://www.omel.es