ABB and Ambient Corporation Collaborate on Advanced Power Quality Monitoring Solution


Combining ABB's DistribuSense(TM) products with Ambient's advanced power quality monitoring and communications solutions delivers a cost-effective, high-performance end-to-end solution to enhance distribution grid reliability and efficiency.

San Diego, California - ABB, the leading power and automation technology company, and Ambient Corporation (NASDAQ: AMBT), provider of a secure, flexible and scalable smart grid communications and applications platform, announced the integration of DistribuSense(TM) current and voltage sensors with AmbientPQM(TM) for advanced power quality monitoring and communications. The integrated product is a combination of hardware and software, Ambient Smart Grid Communications Nodes enabled with AmbientPQM(TM), that enhances the ABB DistribuSense(TM) offering by adding local intelligence, management, communications, and alarm reporting at the location of the sensors.

The combined DistribuSense(TM) and AmbientPQM(TM) solution facilitates grid management through real-time monitoring, and measurement of an extensive and configurable array of power quality parameters, to increase efficiency through Volt/VAR Optimization (VVO), and reliability through Fault Detection, Isolation and Restoration (FDIR). The standard, high-quality current/voltage output signals from the ABB sensor are read by AmbientPQM(TM) and processed for local decision-making, or directed to the appropriate head-end system through standard protocols. The combined solution is cost-effective for utilities offering flexibility in the choice of backhaul communication technology, and local control of data at the sensor. Utilities benefit from a high-performance end-to-end solution that enhances distribution reliability and efficiency by decreasing energy costs, protecting revenue, avoiding costly regulatory penalties, and boosting customer satisfaction.

"Distribution monitoring will allow our utility customers to make their distribution networks more efficient, reduce their generation needs, and reduce their operating costs," says Steve Lindsay, Marketing and Sales Manager for ABB's Power Products Medium Voltage Distribution Components business unit in Pinetops, North Carolina. "A collaborative effort between ABB and Ambient will lead the way in new distribution grid reliability and energy efficiency initiatives and we are both proud to contribute to these activities."

Ambient's robust IP-based communications capabilities allow utilities deploying DistribuSense(TM) sensors flexibility in choosing how and when data is returned to the utility, and over which preferred public or private network the data is communicated.

"We welcome this collaboration with ABB," stated John J. Joyce, President and CEO of Ambient. "Such collaborations enable utility customers to deploy innovative solutions that deliver the promise of an advanced, modern distribution grid."

This announcement was made at DistribuTECH, a leading smart grid and transmission-and-distribution conference and exhibition held annually in San Diego.

About ABB

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 145,000 people. The company's North American operations, headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, employ about 30,000 people in multiple manufacturing, service, engineering and other major facilities.

For help with any technical terms in this release, please go to: www.abb.com/glossary.

About Ambient Corporation

Ambient Corporation designs, develops and sells the Ambient Smart Grid® communications platform. The Ambient Smart Grid products and services include communications nodes; a network management system, AmbientNMS®; integrated applications; and maintenance and consulting services. Using open standards-based technologies along with in-depth industry experience, Ambient provides utilities with solutions for their smart grid initiatives. Headquartered in Newton, MA, Ambient is a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: AMBT). More information on Ambient is available at www.ambientcorp.com.

Ambient is a registered trademark of Ambient Corporation. AmbientPQM is a trademark of Ambient Corporation.

For more information please contact:

ABB Media Relations

Bill Rose

919-807-5743 - office

919-244-4879 - mobile

bill.rose@us.abb.com

Ambient Media Contact

Joanna Hamblin

jhamblin@ambientcorp.com

(617) 614-6793

Bill Rose

ABB Inc.

Manager, Media Relations

Power Products & Power Systems, North America

940 Main Campus Drive

Raleigh, North Carolina, 27606 USA

Phone: 1 919 807 5743

Mobile: 1 919 244 4879

email:bill.rose@us.abb.com

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