ThinkLabs AI, Inc., a new startup focused on developing technology to help enhance grid planning through a combination of intelligent automation and AI, recently announced its launch, thanks to GE Vernova and a $5M seed investment co-led by Powerhouse Ventures and Active Impact Investments. This includes participation from Blackhorn Ventures, Amplify Capital, Mercuria Energy, and a national US energy company.
The electrical grid is under historic pressure as the energy transition accelerates. Network congestion from electric vehicle (EV) charging and data center growth, aging infrastructure, long interconnection queues for renewable developments, adverse weather events, and workforce constraints are salient pain points for utilities, globally. These pain points create real risks to reliable grid operation.
Led by industry veteran and proven energy entrepreneur Josh Wong, ThinkLabs is developing its flagship product, ThinkLabs Copilot, to help enable control room operators to more effectively operate complex modern grids in increasingly challenging contexts. The digital assistant is being designed to ensure reliability in territories with high penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs) and renewables.
For example, EV charging and data centers are causing unpredictable congestion on the grid and causing grid reliability concerns. By using an AI copilot, grid conditions can be continuously monitored, violations detected, and solutions automatically recommended before problems occur.
“As AI is becoming more pervasive in generating texts, images and videos, we see the need for specialized AI for utility grids that are rapidly decarbonizing,” said Josh Wong, founder and CEO of ThinkLabs. “Our unique capability is in modeling real-world phenomena governed by physics and engineering into its equivalent physics-informed AI digital twin, and providing a grid copilot for critical grid planning and operations.”
The ThinkLabs Copilot is being designed to support natural language interactions and augments centralized operational systems such as Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) and Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS), while enhancing edge intelligence.
“Maintaining grid stability is getting more complex, and more pivotal as we transition to cleaner, more abundant and variable sources of energy. Josh and his team at ThinkLabs are trusted experts in this industry and have proven their ability to solve complex challenges for utilities and ensure our grid stays reliable,” said Mike Winterfield, Founder and Managing Partner, Active Impact Investments.
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