ONS Brazil
ONS Brazil optimizes its power grid management with AVEVA PI System
ONS is Brazil's National Electric System Operator, responsible for power generation and transmission across the entire country. The organization needed to manage real-time dispatch of renewable energy while maintaining grid stability, reduce reliance on manual telephone coordination of remote assets and avoid curtailment to ensure a fair distribution of wind and solar power across regions. ONS deployed AVEVA PI System alongside its proprietary GERDIN and SINapse tools to automate energy dispatch and optimize real-time grid management. The results are remarkable: a 98% improvement in operational communication efficiency enabling live digital dispatch, 211,000 MWh of renewable energy saved by minimizing curtailment and prioritizing clean energy, and $11.4 million in savings in 2024 thanks to improved energy efficiency and reduced reliance on fossil fuels in the Brazilian power mix.
Testimonials
FAQ
How does AVEVA PI System help Brazil's national grid operator integrate renewables?
ONS, Brazil's national electricity system operator, uses AVEVA PI System with its proprietary GERDIN and SINapse tools to automate energy dispatch and optimize real-time grid management. The platform integrates variable wind and solar sources on a national scale, making it possible to prioritize clean energy in the electricity mix. This integration directly supports Brazil's energy transition and shows how a real-time data platform becomes the backbone of a large-scale grid operator.
Why is automated energy dispatch a better alternative to the telephone?
Before AVEVA, ONS relied on manual telephone coordination to manage its remote assets, which delayed dispatch decisions. AVEVA PI System delivered a 98% improvement in operational communication efficiency, turning dispatch into a real-time digital process. Decisions now take seconds instead of minutes, in line with the actual speed of grid fluctuations. This modernization is essential for managing a grid with high renewable penetration like Brazil's.
How can 211,000 MWh of renewable energy curtailment be avoided?
AVEVA PI System enabled ONS to save 211,000 MWh of renewable energy by minimizing curtailment and prioritizing clean energy in dispatch. Real-time visibility into wind and solar, combined with algorithms that optimize allocation between regions, avoids curtailment losses. For Brazil, whose energy mix relies heavily on hydropower and renewables, this maximized efficiency represents both a massive economic gain and a major step forward in decarbonizing the national power system.
What concrete financial gains does grid optimization deliver?
ONS saved $11.4 million in 2024 thanks to AVEVA PI System, through greater energy efficiency and reduced dependence on fossil fuels. These gains come from systematically prioritizing available renewable sources, reducing curtailment and optimizing inter-regional coordination. For a national operator, these savings add up year after year and largely fund the ongoing modernization of the platform, creating a virtuous circle of digital transformation.
How can wind and solar power be dispatched fairly between regions?
Using AVEVA PI System, ONS monitors renewable generation in every Brazilian region and automates dispatch to ensure a geographically fair supply of clean energy. This transparency and automation prevent the regional imbalances that previously penalized certain areas. Fair management of renewables is a major social and political issue for a continent-sized country like Brazil, and AVEVA provides the technology foundation for reconciling regional fairness with overall grid efficiency.