Neara

Flooding in Germany. Wildfires in Greece. Thunderstorms in Spain. Summer 2024 has seen a fresh wave of extreme weather sweep across Europe. And forecasts suggest there will be little respite for infrastructure as we move towards the winter months. Weather is getting more unpredictable and we must act now to ensure our infrastructure is protected against the threat posed by these increasingly volatile conditions. At Neara, we’re working with utilities to bolster the grid, using AI and digital modelling to generate faster, more accurate insights, and simulating extreme weather events to enhance storm response. Want to find out more about how we do this? Get in touch or follow the link in the comments.

Heightened activity in this year’s hurricane season is underscoring the growing severity of storms driven by climate change, as reported by Andrew Freedman at Axios. The increased frequency and strength of hurricanes highlight the urgent need for more proactive and resilient infrastructure planning. Addressing vulnerabilities before disaster strikes is crucial. By focusing on strategies that enhance long-term resilience, like investing in advanced grid technologies, we can better protect communities and ensure faster recovery in the face of escalating weather challenges. #HurricaneSeason #AITech #GridResilience

🌪️ How prepared is your network for hurricane season?  🌪️ Are your infrastructure upgrades keeping pace with load growth? 🌪️ Which equipment looks just fine but won’t make it through >60 mph winds? Extreme weather is unpredictable, but your network’s response doesn’t need to be. Neara’s 3D digital network model simulates every weather scenario, helping utilities anticipate and identify vulnerabilities before they escalate. Our advanced technology streamlines the prioritization and budgeting for essential grid hardening initiatives like undergrounding, stay installation, and covered conductor deployment. Learn how to reduce field visits, lower costs, and keep teams out of harm’s way at Neara.com. #WeatherResilience #GridHardening #ExtremeWeather

Did You Know? Extreme weather now accounts for 80% of all major power outages, a sharp increase from previous decades (Kendra Pierre-Louis, Bloomberg). High winds, heat waves, and cold snaps subject utility equipment to stress that can cause malfunction and failure — think lines sagging dangerously low on a hot day, conductors galloping, shaking off ice, and high winds pushing nearby trees into lines, sending them cascading to the ground. At the same time, these conditions drive up energy demand, pushing the grid to its limits. So, what’s the solution? Understand critical vulnerabilities well before severe weather hits, reducing outages and safety incidents. How? Simulate these conditions in a controlled digital environment to see how the network responds in the field before they become real-time reality. #PowerOutages #ClimateChange #GridResilience #ExtremeWeather

Over the weekend, the UK experienced a record-breaking storm. “Lilian” marked the highest number of storms ever experienced in a single storm season - the twelfth to hit the UK since September last year. Why is this important? Extreme weather is increasing thanks to the acceleration of climate change. And ageing infrastructure is taking a hit. With each new storm, the grid faces a fresh onslaught of volatile conditions, causing damage and widespread power outages that impact communities up and down the country. The story is much the same across Europe - with a summer of extreme weather sparking devastating wildfires in countries such as Portugal and Greece. Lilian’s record-breaking status is a sign of what’s to come. We cannot sleep on taking action to bolster and climate-proof vital infrastructure, to keep communities safe and connected when future storms hit. Neara’s Managing Director Taco Engelaar explores some of the ways we can do this in the article linked in the comments below. 

Wildfires are rapidly escalating into a national crisis due to rising temperatures and shifting climate patterns. Extreme weather and accelerated vegetation growth only compound the problem, as reported by Hayley Smith in Los Angeles Times. Climate change = hotter summers, longer storm seasons, higher risk of wildfires and severe storm destruction. We must address these evolving risks with advanced strategies and solutions that proactively manage and mitigate the impact on communities and ecosystems. This means investing in comprehensive wildfire management plans, improving our understanding of fire behavior, and implementing measures that enhance resilience across communities. #ClimateChange #Wildfires #ExtremeWeather https://lnkd.in/gnRD7zn4

Neara is attending CIGRE Paris next week. We look forward to connecting with our clients and industry experts to discuss all things grid. Reach out if you'd like to set up a meeting with Taco Engelaar and James Mullin 📅

🌩️ Which poles won’t make it through a category 2 storm?  🌩️ If rainfall peaks at >3 inches per hour, where do we need to de-energize? 🌩️ Which trees are likely to cause wire-downs if wind speeds exceed 60 mph? Hurricanes and storms bring significant risks. The number of weather-related outages from 2014 to 2023 doubled compared to outages at the start of the century (Mary Gilbert, CNN). But more challenging weather doesn’t need to weaken the response. Neara’s 3D digital network model simulates every storm scenario, allowing utilities to see exactly how storm conditions will affect their assets so they can shore up vulnerabilities before storms make landfall. Learn how to improve resilience and safety, reduce damages, and improve SAIDI/SAIFI - all with less time in the field at Neara.com. #StormManagement #HurricanePreparedness #GridResilience

Meet Robert C. Baxley, Senior Manager of Customer Success at Neara. With a range of sales experience under his belt, Robert has proved a valuable asset to Neara’s Customer Success team, improving client outcomes and fostering strong relationships with our partners. Previously, Robert was a Technical Sales Engineer at Bentley Systems, where he provided site design tools and conducted on-site demos to integrate Bentley’s solutions into clients’ workflows. At Neara, Robert helps lead the Customer Success team in delivering exceptional client experiences and enhancing the value of Neara’s solutions. He works closely with utilities and engineering companies to understand their specific needs and ensure they fully benefit from Neara’s technology. Fun fact: Robert is a Volunteer at the American Red Cross.

Last week, The Energy Department announced $2.2 billion in grants for eight critical power transmission projects across 18 states, as reported by Ben Geman at Axios. This funding will add roughly 13 gigawatts of capacity, serving as a major step toward enhancing grid resilience and addressing the challenges of aging infrastructure. At Neara, our advanced AI technology helps utilities stay ahead of load growth by making it much easier to activate new transmission in clearing typical hurdles faster, and ensuring utilities are equipped to make the most out of the infrastructure they already have. Learn more at Neara.com. #AgingInfrastructure #GridResilience #AITech