Ensemble Energy

Ensemble Energy, founded in 2017 by Vivek Rao and Rob Budny, operates as a machine learning and artificial intelligence platform geared towards the monitoring of solar and wind power plants. The company was established in Palo Alto, United States, and later acquired by SparkCognition on May 19, 2021. The founding team's expertise was a core component of the company's strategy, with CEO Dr. Sandeep Gupta having 15 years of experience in performance optimization and control systems, holding a PhD in Aerospace Engineering. Co-founder Rob Budny brought 20 years of experience in rotating equipment design and reliability. This blend of data science and deep domain expertise in energy was a key factor for clients like EDF choosing Ensemble Energy as a predictive analytics partner.

The company's business model centers on its predictive analytics platform, Energy.ML, which utilizes machine learning to enhance operational efficiency for the renewable energy industry. This platform is designed to increase energy production, predict and prevent asset failures, and provide insights into future operational and maintenance costs. Revenue is generated through providing this software-as-a-service to renewable energy asset owners and operators, including notable clients like Sempra Renewables, AEP Renewables, and RENEW Energy Inc. A seed funding round on May 21, 2019, led by Intelis Capital and Powerhouse, provided an undisclosed amount to expand the platform's capabilities.

The Energy.ML platform offers a suite of modules for comprehensive asset management. The 'Fleet' module provides a single customizable dashboard for various asset types including wind, solar, hydro, and storage. The 'Monitor' module tracks key performance indicators such as production, revenue, and availability. A core feature is the 'Predict' module, which details the health of mechanical and electrical components by combining data analytics with physics-based models to improve prediction accuracy. This allows for the early detection of issues, such as in a pilot with Sempra where the platform's anomaly notification prevented a significant failure, leading to substantial cost savings. The platform also includes 'Report' and 'Analyze' modules for customizable reporting and self-serve analytics. By leveraging existing sensor data without requiring additional hardware, Ensemble Energy provides a cost-effective solution for operators to optimize maintenance and extend the life of their assets.

Keywords: renewable energy analytics, predictive maintenance, wind power optimization, solar plant monitoring, AI in energy, machine learning for renewables, asset performance management, Energy.ML platform, clean energy software, operational efficiency, energy production forecasting, component failure prediction, wind turbine reliability, solar farm analytics, data-driven energy management, rotating equipment analysis, power curve monitoring, energy asset management, Sandeep Gupta, Rob Budny