Real-time usage analysis, intelligent load balancing, and new storage technologies yield significant cost savings

Boston, Massachusetts – March 7, 2012 – Falbygdens Energi AB (FEAB), Sweco, and Lavastorm Analytics today announced a partnership to develop simulation technology to help utilities uncover efficiency gains and economic benefits for smart grids. By analyzing historical and real-time energy consumption and production data for wind, solar, and electric vehicles against the backdrop of different business models, the simulations will help utilities determine the smart grid systems and operating models that are optimal and economically-viable for their market's unique energy needs.

The idea of turning existing energy grids in to smart grids by adding more automation, data analytics, and cleaner energy sources to them has become a global priority. Yet many believe the movement has been delayed because the exact value and benefits of smart grid and renewable energy technologies remain unclear to utilities and consumers.

"The cooperation between FEAB, Lavastorm Analytics, and Sweco will greatly benefit the energy industry," said Lars Ohlsson, CEO, Falbygdens Energi AB. "Sweden has unique energy regulations, but the intelligent systems we are proving can be easily translated to almost any country or region. By engaging with Lavastorm Analytics and Sweco, we're applying new analytic tools and environmental expertise to make sense of real energy data. The results will be invaluable for FEAB, and for smart grid initiatives everywhere."

Early trials run by the three companies indicate that the simulation technology reveals how cost-effective and energy-saving new technologies and configurations will be. The aim is to help accelerate adoption of smart grid technologies and business models, such as dynamic load balancing to reduce peak usage, leveraging new storage methods to maximize capacity utilization, and adoption of new pricing methods by power aggregators to develop demand response capabilities, among others.

"The energy market is quickly adopting more of a two-way business model," said Erik Severin, CEO, Sweco Energuide. "The smart grid has the potential to empower both producers and consumers of energy to have greater control over the environmental and economic sustainability of power generation. But utilities struggle to know which storage and generation infrastructures make the most sense and consumers demand energy management methods that are intuitive. This new collaboration is very exciting as we will soon have concrete evidence to prove what works best."

The simulation system will combine real-time data from FEAB's local energy market consumers, Sweco's energy technology consultancy expertise, and the Lavastorm Analytics Platform's real-time business analytics power. The partnership has already produced results for one business case test, showing that a combination of smart meters, real-time data visualization, dynamic pricing, and load management reduces peak power use by consumers by 10 percent, and the cost of running the power network for the utility by five percent.

"The ability to analyze massive, complex data is absolutely critical for the smart grid movement," said Drew Rockwell, CEO, Lavastorm Analytics. "For example, if every household in the U.S. installs a smart meter and utilities measure that data every 15 minutes, it would produce more than 400 terabytes of new data every day! That kind of data can disrupt business operations for a utility if they can't manage it effectively and extract the insights needed to optimize performance. The capabilities of the Lavastorm Analytics Platform were purpose-built to solve real-world big data challenges like this, and we're proud to play a role in determining the best ways to make energy more sustainable."

For more information on the three companies involved in this partnership, visit www.feab.nu, www.swecogroup.com, or www.lavastorm.com.

About Falbygdens Energi AB

Falbygdens Energi AB, or "FEAB", is the local supplier of electricity, remote heating and broadband to the residents in the Falbygden area. FEAB, a subsidiary to Goteborgs Energi AB, are currently conducting a series of research projects related to energy storage, renewable energy and smart metering. www.feab.nu

About Göteborgs Energi AB

As Western Sweden's leading energy company, we provide our customers with energy services, broadband, district heating, cooling, natural gas and the electricity supply network. We aim to create energy solutions that are sustainable in the long term. Efficient energy provision is one of the most important building blocks of a well-functioning society. To achieve our goal, we have developed into a versatile energy company. We offer services and products that make life easier for both companies and private individuals. www.goteborgsenergi.se

About Sweco

Sweco is an international consulting group with combined expertise in consulting engineering, environmental technology and architecture. Sweco has around 7 400 employees in 11 countries and recorded annual sales of approximately SEK 6.7billion. The company has projects currently underway in some 80 countries worldwide. Sweco is listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm AB.

About Lavastorm Analytics

Lavastorm Analytics is a global business performance analytics company that enables companies to analyze, optimize, and control the performance of their business processes. Using next-generation data discovery analytics tools and methodologies, the Lavastorm Analytics Platform reaches across siloed data sets to analyze processes, find defects, and build controls to ensure that complex financial, operational, and customer experience processes perform in an optimized way. The visual, step-by-step interface enables deep analytic design at a granular data and business process level, increasing business decision makers' self-sufficiency and confidence, delivering rapid financial business value. Lavastorm Analytics' solutions are used by thousands of business and IT professionals on six continents and are applicable in almost any industry, including communications, financial services, insurance, utilities, and healthcare.

For more information, please visit: www.lavastorm.com.