Metering installations are becoming more complex in a world of decentralized energy generation using renewables. New requirements and regulations as well as decentralized energy storage is leading to an increasing need to manage the lifecycle of metering installation to stay on top of the situation onsite. In addition, efficient and automated processes are needed to react to the high demand of customers to become prosumers.

The SAP Cloud application services for utilities measurement concept management supports the SAP Utilities Core by providing the required connectivity and its operations between the bundled systems supporting managing lifecycle changes to the utilities installation structures.

What is the SAP Cloud application services for utilities measurement concept management?

This Cloud Application Service was developed and designed to address the technical connectivity between SAP S/4HANA Utilities and SAP Measurement Concept Management (SAP MCM), which is implemented on the SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP).

At its core, this service delivers and maintains the technical connectivity between SAP MCM and SAP S/4H Utilities, handling utilities installation structures setup and changes related to meters and distributed energy resources. These resources comprise solar panels, natural gas turbines, wind turbines, heat pumps, charging stations, EV chargers, or storage batteries. The service ensures that the entire lifecycle of these resources — from installation and defect reporting to removal, exchange, and even upgrades — handled by SAP MCM is seamlessly managed and distributed to SAP products and third-party systems for further orchestration.

Considering that any interruption in this connectivity directly impacts business operations, this service ensures, that essential data related to utilities management is accurately shared and utilized throughout utilities operations and systems, improving overall efficiency. In essence, this service delivers reliable technical connectivity, data sharing, and efficient master data distribution, ultimately supporting the essential processes of the utility industry.

Technical Connectivity and Setup: This service addresses two core aspects, initial setup and recurring tasks. The initial setup involves configuring the technical infrastructure required to enable seamless data exchange between SAP S/4HANA Utilities and SAP MCM. This includes establishing the necessary connections, protocols, and data exchange mechanisms. Recurring tasks encompass the ongoing administration and operation of this connectivity to ensure its reliability and efficiency.

Streamlining Utilities-Specific Data Handling: The SAP MCM component plays a pivotal role in this context. Its primary objective is to simplify and standardize the management of technical and business master data that is specific to utilities companies. In doing so, it facilitates smoother execution of various utilities-related business processes and enhances compatibility with third-party solutions that the utility may be using.

Event-Driven Architecture: One of the notable features of the SAP MCM component is its adoption of an event-driven architecture. In this architecture, events are at the core of communication and data exchange. Specifically, the SAP Event Mesh service serves as the central technology on SAP BTP for handling events. Events are generated in response to various lifecycle changes within the measurement concept instances. These changes can include technical installations, modifications, dismantling, and decommissioning of equipment or assets.

Responsiveness: The event-driven approach ensures that changes in measurement concepts are captured and disseminated in real-time. Subscribed applications, in this case, SAP S/4HANA Utilities, can receive these events and respond accordingly. For example, when a technical installation is recorded in SAP MCM, SAP S/4HANA Utilities can automatically update its records or trigger relevant processes based on this information. This real-time responsiveness enhances data accuracy and process efficiency.

In summary, the service designed for Utilities companies using SAP MCM either in combination with SAP Utilities Core or with SAP S/4HANA Utilities addresses a critical need in the utilities industry by facilitating seamless technical connectivity and data exchange between SAP S/4HANA Utilities and SAP MCM. It leverages an event-driven architecture and the SAP Event Mesh service to ensure real-time communication and responsiveness, ultimately streamlining utilities-specific data management and enhancing the overall efficiency of utilities businesses.

The picture below illustrates the scope of this Cloud Application Service in an initial customer landscape of SAP Utilities Core.

What does the Customer get?

The SAP MCM application and SAP Event Mesh are provisioned on the SAP Business Technology Platform. This initial setup lays the foundation for seamless data management.

The systems are technically connected to be able handle data lifecycle changes coming from the measurement concept instances. These changes can include technical installations, modifications, and decommissioning of infrastructure. Importantly, these changes are captured in the form of events, which are then channeled into the SAP Event Mesh. This ensures that any alterations in the measurement concept instances trigger corresponding events, creating a dynamic data environment.

Subscribed applications, specifically SAP S/4HANA Utilities in this case, are poised to react to these events. When events occur, these applications receive the relevant data and then take appropriate actions to continue the process orchestration.

The result is an end-to-end connectivity solution between the various SAP systems within the scope of the project. This means that data flows between these systems, supporting the utilities industry’s operational needs efficiently.

Finally, continuous support is provided throughout the entire journey. From the initial start of the system to its establishment and optimization in the operational environment, there is an ongoing commitment to ensuring that the system functions effectively and meets the evolving needs of the utilities industry. This support guarantees that the technical connectivity and data management remain stable and reliable over time.

What is the additional value compared to standard operations?

The new Cloud Application service is going beyond the traditional standard service by extending standard operations for single cloud into an advanced operations service focusing on the interface and integration of the single cloud solutions. That way SAP is delivering not just an integrated solution but also integrated operations.

Would you like to learn more about SAP Utilities Core?

Please find more details by following this link to a blog on SAP Utilities Core.

For further questions and information please contact Felipe Ortega Aguilar or Bernd Keller.