Information systems are the backbone of business processes where access to information enhances business decisions. When developing or acquiring a new system, simple and seamless integration with existing or future systems is crucial. Data provided through various systems or solutions typically requires multiple integration points using different methods or technologies to extract and standardize data […]
At midnight on December 18, 2013, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) successfully integrated four additional regions of the electric grid in the southern United States to their existing footprint, effectively expanding it from Manitoba, Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. While this integration will certainly provide benefits to both new and existing members, this […]
Data Privacy Day is celebrated each year in the United States, Canada, and the European Union to honor the January 28, 1981 signing of Convention 108. This was the first legally binding international treaty dealing with privacy and data protection. Recognition of this day calls for individuals, governments and businesses to place a higher value on […]
Within any industry or organization, the analyses performed on a daily basis are oftentimes the same series of calculations that are simply run for a different time period or on a different set of data. Nonetheless, those queries can require an inordinate amount of time and effort to replicate every day, from setting up the […]
Californians love their cars and have a reputation for being environmentally conscious, so it is no surprise that the state leads the nation in green vehicle purchases. According to the Detroit News, roughly 50,000 electric vehicles (EVs) were sold in the U.S. in 2012. California accounted for just under one-third of those sales. In 2013, […]
In an unprecedented move, China rejected a quarter of U.S. corn imports this year after discovering the corn violated its ban on specific genetically modified foods. China found 545,000 metric tons of U.S. corn unacceptable after finding it contained MIR162, an insect resistant strain of the grain (The Wall Street Journal). Although MIR162 has been […]
The amount of data that companies can draw upon is overwhelming. Many market participants within the energy, commodity, and financial industries need help determining which data sets to draw upon to address and, in some cases, identify pressing business issues that need resolving. When attempting to manage high volumes of data, market participants tend to focus […]
Last week we held the third webinar from our “Data in Action” webinar series with Platts, a leading global provider of market news and benchmark price assessments for those in energy and commodity markets. Platts has been independently and impartially assessing oil markets since 1909, and with the recent crude oil developments in the U.S. […]
Forecasting is an essential part of running a business, and historical data is a vital component of forecasting. Done correctly, forecasting helps a company plan ahead and increase its chances of remaining profitable. When it comes to data, the challenge for many companies today is finding a way to analyze abundant amounts of data in […]
In recent years, there has been a growing worldwide effort to reduce carbon emissions. Many initiatives are in place to reduce or minimize the effect of carbon emissions, including the introduction of stricter energy and fuel efficiency standards; the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) facilities; the development of alternative energy sources to coal; […]