Accenture announced last week that it has acquired BRIDGE Energy Group, a Boston-based consulting and systems integration firm that provides grid modernization, analytics, and security services to utilities in North America. BRIDGE Energy Group has an issued patent on a platform configured to manage and integrate various operations in a smart grid environment. This technology serves Accenture‘s goals in this acquisition by helping it apply new tools to meet the demands of its utilities clients. Accenture has multiple patent documents of its own in the Energy Financial Settlement sector, one of which is directed to optimizing energy costs in a micro grid, a fairly active area of development. However, it noticeably lacks patents directed to smart grids in this sector, which may help explain its motivation behind the acquisition. Perhaps the technology of BRIDGE Energy Group will help bridge the gap between utility companies and advancements in smart grid technology.