With this adoption, the Bureau is foreseeing the enablement of interoperable, multi-service and secure wireless communications networks for government, utilities, service providers and enterprises in India.

Under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme, which was introduced in July 2021, a nationwide rollout of more than 250 million smart meters is currently underway, while also large-scale smart city development is underway with the government having allocated support towards the development of 100 smart cities in the country.

“The adoption of the Wi-SUN Alliance wireless communications specification as a standard for India by the BIS is a clear signal that the national standards body recognises the role that wireless mesh technology will play in driving the growth of smart cities in India and the rapid rollout of smart meter projects over the next few years,” commented Phil Beecher, President and CEO of the Wi-SUN Alliance.

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Reji Pillai, President of the India Smart Grid Forum and Chairman of the Global Smart Energy Federation, said the Forum has been closely associated with the Wi-SUN Alliance for over a decade and described India’s adoption of the Wi-SUN FAN as a great achievement.

“In India we should ideally make it mandatory for all smart metering and smart city applications which will ensure interoperability between different systems and reduce total cost of ownership of all applications.”

Wi-SUN’s wireless mesh technology is currently supporting the Smart City Living Lab project in Hyderabad, a partnership between the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-H), the government of Telangana and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology India that serves as a test bed for smart city technologies.

The Wi-SUN Alliance is already running the Wi-SUN FAN PHY certification programme for the Indian frequency band (865-868MHz), with testing at TUV Rheinland Bangalore.

The Alliance is also working to start the certification programme for the Wi-SUN FAN specification. The test setup available for Wi-SUN FAN certification can also be used for IEEE 2857 and BIS standard IS 18010 (Part4/Sec1) compliance testing and verification.

The Wi-SUN FAN specification is aimed to support the specification and rollout of large-scale outdoor networks including smart metering projects, smart grids, street lighting and other IoT applications.

Wi-SUN Alliance member companies based in India include Cisco, Renesas, Silicon Labs, Texas Instruments, Exegin and CyanConnode.

Though the ‘edge’ has been talked about for years, it is increasingly taking central stage as more and more homes and businesses take up solar and battery systems, switch to electric vehicles ((EVs) and heat pumps and instal the smart appliances that are advertised as bringing more convenience to life.

In broad terms the edge is where the utility and customer meet and is effectively represented by the meter – the utility side in front of the meter and the customer side behind the meter.

With this growth of decentralised resources and the increasingly complex and unpredictable power flows, some of the risks include the likely emergence of hyper-local capacity constraints and that ageing infrastructure can be put at risk.

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But there has been what Itron has termed a ‘control gap’, with the challenge that whereas a typical SCADA manages approximately 1,000 assets per million customers and a typical advanced distribution management systems 10,000 assets, that to the point of service is a further two orders of magnitude greater at around 1 million points.

But that is changing, with the evolution of IT and other technologies opening the way for a variety of new products and services to provide visibility and control to address the challenges of the evolving grid.

Itron’s grid edge intelligence portfolio

A pioneer of edge intelligence in the energy sector, Itron has consolidated its offerings into a cloud-based edge intelligence portfolio combining connectivity, analytics and applications with intelligence for AMI operations and optimisers for the low and medium voltage grid, DERs and EVs, coupled to a central datahub.

To simplify the process the Itron Enterprise Edition has been made available in the Microsoft Azure marketplace, also opening the way for integrating the Azure OpenAI generative AI solution for users to expedite and improve visibility on data and operations.

Among the new solutions launched are Active Transformer Load and Voltage Monitoring (ATLM/ATVM) applications to enable visibility on transformer loading and voltage statistics in real-time along with configurable threshold-based alarms.

Key for broader uptake of the solutions is partnerships with other providers with these opening the way for Itron’s grid edge intelligence solutions to be integrated into Schneider Electric’s digital grid solutions and to GE Vernova’s new GridOS Data Fabric alongside the GridOS apps.

A further partnership is with the Mobility House as part of its Fast & Flexible Interconnect (FIX) programme for charging of EV fleets in constrained distribution systems.

Don Reeves, senior VP of Outcomes at Itron, reports that customers have advised that the company’s Grid Edge Intelligence portfolio can enhance grid capacity by approximately 20% through the optimisation of existing grid assets.

“Utilities are operating in a more complex environment than ever before and there is a real sense of urgency that change is needed to ensure grid reliability, resiliency and sustainability and improve the customer experience.”

Landis+Gyr and Span partnership

Landis+Gyr has announced a partnership with home electrification technology developer Span, with the first joint product combining their respective solutions to deliver a grid edge solution with circuit-level billing-grade metering, DER visibility and controls.

Describing the co-innovated solution as “a whole-home multi-asset virtual power plant (VPP)”, Werner Lieberherr, CEO of Landis+Gyr, says: “The partnership not only expands our flexibility management platform but also helps [utilities] reduce costly grid infrastructure investments required for electrification. We’re particularly excited to bring SPAN’s service upgrade avoidance capabilities and intuitive app experience … to drive energy efficiency and flexibility.”

While full details of the solution are still to be released, the companies promise to evaluate it in pilots with US utilities starting later in the year.

Siemens Gridscale X

Siemens has launched Gridscale X as a modular software to scale grid capacity and handle the complexity of DERs.

A key component of Gridscale X is DER Insights which is designed to unlock visibility over the distribution grid, with features including the location and behaviour of DERs, grid impact identification and digital grid mapping and modelling.

“With the electrification of everything and the exponential growth of DERs, there is an urgent need for increasing grid capacity fast,” says Sabine Erlinghagen, CEO Siemens Grid Software, pointing to the use of such software as enabling utilities to focus on critical infrastructure upgrades and reducing the impact and occurrence of grid equipment failure, outages and technical debt.

Users of these or similar softwares are invited to contact us with case studies.

Jonathan Spencer Jones

Specialist writer
Smart Energy International

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To support the decision-making process, Microsoft has launched a guide on the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC CIP) standards, which play a crucial role in ensuring the security and reliability of the electric grid.

Updates to NERC CIP guidelines

As of January 1, 2024, significant changes have been implemented, allowing the storage of medium- and high-impact Bulk Cyber System Information (BCSI) in the cloud, subject to specific requirements.

By embracing cloud technologies, while adhering to NERC CIP guidelines, power and utilities leaders can enhance operational efficiency, promote sustainability, and ensure grid reliability.

As the energy sector evolves, proactive engagement with NERC CIP standards will be pivotal in shaping a resilient and interconnected future.

1. Cloud Adoption and Security
   • The recent changes permit power companies to leverage cloud infrastructure for storing BCSI. While this opens up new possibilities for scalability and efficiency, it also introduces security challenges.
   • Organizations must carefully evaluate cloud service providers, ensuring compliance with NERC CIP requirements. Robust encryption, access controls, and continuous monitoring are essential.
     
2. Benefits of Cloud Adoption
   • Cloud-based storage offers flexibility, enabling seamless data sharing across geographically dispersed teams. It promotes collaboration and accelerates decision-making.
   • Scalability allows utilities to handle increasing data volumes, especially with the proliferation of smart meters and IoT devices.
   • Cost savings result from reduced on-premises infrastructure maintenance and operational expenses.
     
3. Challenges and Mitigation Strategies
   • Security Concerns: Cloud adoption introduces potential vulnerabilities. Companies must implement robust authentication mechanisms, intrusion detection systems, and regular vulnerability assessments.
   • Compliance: Organizations must align cloud practices with NERC CIP requirements. Detailed documentation, audit trails, and incident response plans are critical.
   • Data Residency and Sovereignty: Address legal and regulatory aspects of data storage locations.
   • Third-Party Risk: Evaluate cloud providers’ security practices and contractual agreements.
     
4. Future Outlook
   • The evolving landscape of cybersecurity necessitates continuous adaptation. Companies should actively participate in shaping future NERC CIP standards.
   • Collaboration among industry stakeholders, regulators, and technology experts will drive innovation and resilience.

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Since the deployment began in October 2022, Vodafone Spain has already connected more than 250,000 meters to its NB-IoT network and the initial target is to complete connections to over 1 million water meters during the first 5 years of the contract.

Aqualia’s goal is to offer remote meter reading and other services to its over 3 million customers in Spain in the coming years.

Daniel Barallat, director of IoT at Vodafone Spain, says the control and management of water use in Spain is a constant and vitally important challenge today.

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“With this contract, we put our most cutting-edge technology at the service of Aqualia to actively contribute to the better conservation of natural resources and more efficient water management.”

The initiative is being undertaken as part of the government’s Strategic Project for Recovery and Economic Transformation (PERTE), which is aimed to modernise the urban water systems to improve efficiency, reduce losses in the distribution systems and improve the wastewater treatment infrastructure.

Vodafone’s Water Meter solution for homes, businesses and public institutions includes the digitalisation of the meters and the reading and analysis of the data.

In a pilot currently underway in the city of Vigo, Aqualia and Vodafone are investigating the use of the remote meter read data for detection of fraudulent activities such as tampering and reverse flow and for leak detection with hourly water balance analyses, with the aim to develop a comprehensive solution.

It is also intended to provide the data to customers to enable them to become aware of their consumption and to use the data for the prediction of consumption patterns to improve water management and broadly make the cycle more sustainable.

For example, with optimised pumping in turn the energy consumption is optimised and stresses on the network reduced, which also should reduce the risk of breakage and leaks and the loss of non-revenue water.

NB-IoT is the preferred communication for water meters in Spain as many are underground or in other outdoor locations.

Understanding that the energy market is complex and costly due to many stakeholders, Nikolopoulos notes that artificial intelligence is the key to enabling a green transition for all stakeholders.

“Artificial intelligence together with machine learning, and advanced algorithms, come into play to simplify and orchestrate all these stakeholders towards a common goal.”

He adds that AI will accelerate the transition towards a green sustainable goal.

Avokado Energy AI goes beyond conventional energy efficiency offerings by providing a comprehensive portfolio of AI offerings that accelerate the green energy transition of cities, businesses, and households.

It combines key Energy AI ingredients, such as Machine Learning for Energy, Geolocation AI and Generative AI, into ready-to-run Energy AI offerings for energy optimisation.

Key offerings include:

• AVOS™, a universal Operating System inside energy storage batteries
• Avokado AI™, the Energy API suite that enables flexibility in markets
• AVOX™, the Digital Experience platform that combines Energy AI, Location AI and Internet of Energy

Avokado offerings use patented proprietary ML models and scientific algorithms.

Watch the full video interview below with Vassilis Nikolopoulos, co-founder and CTO of Avokado.

This interview was filmed in November 2023 at Enlit Europe in Paris, France.

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The objective of the ODEON (federated data and intelligence Orchestration and sharing for the Digital Energy transitiON) project is to create “an inclusive ecosystem of stakeholders characterised a mesh of data, intelligence, service and market flows”, the project brief reads – and thereby jointly enabling the resilient operation of the energy system under increased renewables integration and distributed flexibility.

Specifically, the project aims to introduce a federated technological framework, i.e. a cloud-edge data and intelligence service platform, and the corresponding federated energy data spaces and smart data/AIOps orchestrators for the delivery of a range of services in a system operating with a high degree of flexibility from distributed assets.

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Project goals include promoting connectivity, interoperability and seamless data exchange between the different stakeholders in the sector, prioritising privacy and data protection and enabling transparent energy transactions through tailored marketplaces.

The project’s innovations are planned to be validated in five large-scale demonstrators in Greece, Spain, France, Denmark and Ireland involving a diverse range of energy sources, networks, IoT infrastructure, systems and assets implemented across multi-climatic, geographic and socio-economic conditions from vulnerable customers to prosumers and local energy communities.

With this, lessons are expected for replicability and market uptake across Europe.

The ODEON project has a budget of €22.56 million ($24.3 million), of which the EU Horizon Europe contribution is €17.87 million.

The project coordinator is Spanish IT services and consultant organisation Etra and the project consortium is comprised of 34 participants from thirteen European countries.

With a four-year duration, ODEON runs to the end of December 2027.

2G/3G network sunsetting is one of the biggest challenges the IoT industry faces, and energy is one of the sectors that could be impacted by the switch-off.

A consumer affected by a cellular technology change would probably upgrade their device or opt for a new SIM. However, when it comes to IoT applications, the volume and complexity of devices in the field mean this can be far more challenging.

Even if 2G will be around for several more years, the 3G switch-off is imminent and businesses need to respond quickly. In the UK, Vodafone communicated its final phase in January, EE is aiming to have closed its 3G services by the end of March 2024 and Three is targeting the end of 2024.

Companies impacted by the switch-off will need to design new planned deployments with an alternative technology in mind. As they do, they should consider how secure, resilient and flexible they can make their installations.   

While the switch-off may bring about some challenges for the sector, smart metering, through IoT connectivity, offers benefits for customers and suppliers. It helps with accurate energy consumption recording and data transfer to energy suppliers.

Cellular connectivity for smart meters means there is no need to provide communications infrastructure, and it offers scalability for providers continually adding to their IoT estate.

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2G/3G sunsetting and smart meters

For homeowners and facilities managers, smart metering means greater control of energy usage and therefore costs. For energy firms, it supports accurate bills and the ability to optimise energy distribution when and where it is needed.

However, a recent Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report found that the smart meter rollout in the UK has been too slow, and the government has been criticised for moving deadlines back and not gaining enough public support.

To add further to these challenges, it is estimated that seven million communications hubs, which form part of the electricity smart meters, will need replacing because they will lose functionality when 2G and 3G networks close.

Connected smart meters support energy management

Smart meters change how consumers and organisations use energy, for the better.

The green agenda has raised awareness and made consumers more conscientious of unnecessary wastage and high energy appliance overuse. Smart metering equips consumers to make informed decisions to reduce consumption and play a role in saving the planet.

Meanwhile, energy companies need to address the dynamic demand for power. By investing in smart meters, they enhance grid resiliency, help reduce the risk of energy blackouts and grid failures. Data from smart meters enables them to monitor, analyse and control energy production and detect and resolve anomalies faster.

Alternative connectivity solutions

IoT solutions are becoming more widespread in the energy sector as it transitions to a modern era of intelligent energy production and management. Smart meters are an example of this. Cellular is a logical choice to connect solutions reliably as it doesn’t need on-site communications infrastructure and is scalable as companies continue to rollout smart meters.

For companies grappling with network sunsetting, there are a number of cellular technology alternatives to consider. Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technologies use very low power to provide long-range cellular connectivity, using a small portion of the mature and reliable LTE bandwidth to connect devices that rely on battery technology.

Protocols like LTE-M and NB-IoT enable cellular IoT modules to not only save power when not in use, but also to transmit relatively small amounts of data with minimal power usage. They are designed to offer years of operation from a battery-driven power source.

Since data throughput is limited, but often more than enough for small data usage, simpler signal modulation schemes and less complex radio modems are needed, hence diminished power requirements. Advances in wake/sleep modes on modern hardware also contribute to these benefits.

Building a ‘smarter’ future

To build a smarter future, the security of energy networks is paramount.

Energy networks are critical national infrastructure and are often targets for cyber criminals. As new and additional devices are deployed, they could present more pathways for potential cyberattacks. That is a significant risk and safeguards are therefore needed to protect against unauthorised access to devices, networks, management platforms and cloud infrastructure. Any weaknesses in any of these is a security problem.

Given this, and the ever-present threat of cyberattacks, connectivity providers play a fundamental role in securing the connections of energy infrastructure. They must authenticate device identities and connect to grid infrastructure, IT systems and cloud destinations securely.

Cellular IoT connectivity solutions can offer flexible, reliable and scalable connectivity to meet the demand of diversified, distributed energy provided they are designed to defend against, detect and react to cyber threats.

In a cellular IoT context, security begins with the SIM, as the root of trust to authenticate devices using ‘IoT SAFE’, and extends to secure two-way communication and data through, for example secure private access point names (APNs) and encrypted virtual private networks. Security AI and automation are likely to feature heavily with capabilities such as automated anomaly detection to identify and isolate security breaches should they occur.

Next steps and considerations for smart meter companies

As well as network technology, smart meter companies should also think about the long-term, smooth running of their installations. They may need to change network operator in time, or need a more reliable network due to poor coverage or performance issues. eSIM technology enables this, offering  flexibility with remote SIM provisioning so that ‘over-the-air’ profile changes can be performed if required.

Energy companies affected by legacy network sunsetting should work with their connectivity partners to understand the alternative technologies and their suitability for smart meters. At the same time, they should assess their security provisions, resilience and level of flexibility. Energy infrastructure is transforming to provide intelligent, connected systems and cellular IoT supports this so that companies and customers can make informed decisions to optimise usage and supply. 

About the author

Paul Bullock is the chief product officer of Wireless Logic, managing the strategic partnerships across their global network.

With over 20 years of experience in the communications and internet of things (IoT) space, he has worked across a number of respected brands, including the likes of EDJX as its director of Business Development and ARM, the connectivity and device management specialists.

The system, a first for Romania, involves the development of a set of AI-based algorithms that draw on data from sensors throughout the building to develop energy consumption patterns.

With the project driven by sustainability concerns, Electrica reports, ultimately the aim is to identify effective solutions that can support this.

Alexandru Chiriță, CEO of Electrica, commenting that the project acronym AI-AE sounds like an exclamation of success, said that energy is among the fields that are gaining enormously from AI-interpreted data.

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“We strongly believe that those companies that rely on innovation and effective data collection and interpretation systems will succeed to offer the best products and services. The system we are applying for the first time in our headquarters is another proof of the fact that we respect our commitments and want to be at the forefront of technological developments.”

Electrica is developing the project in partnership with researchers from the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca and the technology startup Renergia.

In addition to the algorithms, the project involves the creation of a cloud-based infrastructure to collect and store the data and a dashboard tool for easy access to the data.

Electrica also is proposing the creation of a strategy to replicate the solution for the entire heritage of buildings in Romania.

The Technical University of Cluj-Napoca has implemented a building automation laboratory in partnership with the KNX association.

Renergia, which is affiliated with the University, has developed the first mobile sustainable app in Romania that generates a personalised home energy balance sheet and energy efficiency measures for users.

The HEDGE-IoT project (Holistic Approach towards Empowerment of the DiGitalization of the Energy Ecosystem through adoption of IoT solutions), newly launched with Horizon Europe support, is proposing a standardised framework for the adoption of IoT solutions to enhance the resilience of the grid.

Specifically the HEDGE-IoT project aims to deploy IoT assets at different levels of the energy system, from behind-the-meter up to the TSO level, to add intelligence to the edge and cloud layers through advanced AI/ML tools and to bridge the cloud-edge continuum introducing federated applications governed by advanced computational orchestration solutions.

With this, the HEDGE-IoT approach is planned to upgrade the renewables hosting capacity of the system and unleash previously untapped flexibility potential as well as create new market opportunities.

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“HEDGE-IoT aims to revolutionise the digitalisation of the European energy systems by exploiting the advantages of IoT technologies through an interoperable and standardised digital framework,” explains project coordinator Nikos Bilidis, a Greece-based R&D project manager at IT service provider European Dynamics.

“The bridging of the edge-cloud continuum, through computational orchestration and federated learning traits, lies at the centre of our activities,” he continues, adding: “The kick-off meeting of our project marked the start of a long and challenging journey and we are delighted to work with this multi-disciplinary and highly skilled consortium.”

The HEDGE-IoT framework is based on four pillars, i.e. technology facilitation to exploit computational sharing by offloading applications on the grid edge, interoperability to leverage on leading-edge interoperable architectures, standardisation to enable the involved platforms, systems, tools and actors to seamlessly communicate and exchange data, and digital energy ecosystem enablement to ensure the aims are met.

The project, which kicked off in January and runs for 42 months to the end of June 2027, is to be delivered by a consortium of 44 participants from across Europe, with coordination by European Dynamics.

Some of the outcomes envisaged as the project unfolds include the development of innovative solutions, contributions to standards and shaping the future of IoT, digital twin and smart energy.

Scalability and replicability studies will be performed and connections with innovators and SMEs also are intended.

The total project cost is €22 million, of which €18 million is being contributed by the EU through the Horizon Europe funding scheme.

This is according to the latest report from ResearchAndMarkets.com, which shows private 5G/4G cellular networks – also referred to as NPNs (Non-Public Networks) in 3GPP terminology – are rapidly gaining popularity across a diverse range of vertical industries.

The utilities sector is no exception to this trend and the report forecasts global spending on dedicated cellular networks to grow at a CAGR of 15% over the next three years.

The utility networks range from wide area 3GPP networks – operating in 410 MHz, 450 MHz, 900 MHz and other sub-1 GHz spectrum bands – for smart grid communications, to purpose-built 5G and LTE networks aimed at providing localised wireless connectivity in critical infrastructure facilities such as power plants, substations and offshore wind farms.

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The report lists notable examples of adoption:

American utility companies have made substantial investments in acquiring 900 MHz and 3.5 GHz CBRS PAL (Priority Access License) spectrum within their service territories. Ameren, Evergy, Hawaiian Electric, LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority), SCE (Southern California Edison), SDG&E (San Diego Gas & Electric), Southern Company and Xcel Energy are among the growing number of utilities that are implementing 3GPP-based private wireless networks in support of grid modernisation programs.

450connect is rolling out a nationwide 450 MHz LTE network for the digitisation of energy and water utilities as well as other critical industries in Germany.

Using its 410 MHz spectrum holdings, ESB Networks is implementing a national private mobile network to meet the wireless connectivity needs of smart grid applications for the control, protection and management of Ireland’s utility assets.

French multinational electric utility group EDF is deploying private mobile networks to bring secure cellular connectivity to its nuclear power plants.

Enel’s global private communications platform leverages a multi-national secure MVNO service for connectivity across the Italian energy giant’s global footprint and end-to-end private LTE/5G networks to provide localised wireless coverage for reliable communications in business-critical areas.

Following the conclusion of pilots, pre-implementation testing and procurement contracts, PGE (Polish Energy Group) is implementing a 450 MHz mission-critical LTE network for the wide area operations of electricity and gas DSOs (Distribution System Operators) across Poland.

Bahrain’s EWA (Electricity and Water Authority) has deployed a 410 MHz private LTE network as part of an effort to modernise, digitise and automate its distribution infrastructure for improved grid efficiency, performance and security.

CSG (China Southern Power Grid) relies on both LTE-based private cellular systems and end-to-end 5G network slicing over commercial mobile operator networks to fulfill the wireless communications needs of its smart electric power grid.

SGCC (State Grid Corporation of China) has deployed a private 5G NR-U (NR in Unlicensed Spectrum) network – operating in license-exempt Band n46 (5.8 GHz) spectrum – to support video surveillance, mobile inspection robots and other 5G-connected applications at its Lanzhou East and Mogao substations in China’s Gansu province.

KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation) has implemented private 5G network infrastructure – operating in 4.7 GHz and 28 GHz spectrum – at two of its substation sites to enhance real-time monitoring and control capabilities through digital twin technology, 5G-connected wearable cameras and autonomous robots.

Kansai Electric Power is using a local 5G network and 5G-connected drones at the Eurus Akita Port wind farm in Akita (Tohoku), Japan, to enhance the maintenance and inspection of wind turbine blades.

Edesur Dominicana relies on a custom-built 2.3 GHz LTE network to connect critical grid assets that require high availability close to 100%.

CPFL Energia has set up a 250 MHz private LTE network in Sao Leopoldo (Rio Grande do Sul), Brazil, to facilitate the automation of devices in distribution and transmission networks.

Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “The world is beautiful, but has a disease called man”. Activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation or poor industrial, livestock and agricultural practices contribute to carbon dioxide emissions, which reached a new global record of over 40 billion metric tons in 2022.

Consequently, global warming continues to intensify. The surface of the oceans is warming 24% faster than a few decades ago, resulting in coastal erosion and more severe storms. The last seven years have been the hottest since 1940, reducing the amount of land available for agriculture, making access to water more difficult, and increasing the risk of wildfires, which are becoming increasingly devastating.

All of this has a social and global economic impact, such as food shortages and the resulting increase in prices, mass population movements caused by natural disasters and increasing poverty in countries that are less able to adapt to the effects of climate change.

The role of AI in energy transition

Achieving carbon neutrality in Europe by 2050 to combat climate change requires societies, governments and businesses to commit, with energy companies playing a key role in meeting this challenge. Energy transition, as a vector of decarbonisation, implies a profound transformation of the energy model and technology. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a great ally along the entire energy value chain to help tackle this challenge.

In power generation, AI optimizes renewable energy production, avoids outages thanks to predictive monitoring and can even paralyze a wind farm to avoid harming protected species passing through it.

In industrial facilities, it identifies areas for energy efficiency improvement and helps to plan more effective production strategies and prevent environmental risks by detecting abnormal behaviour patterns in real time.

It opens up the electricity markets to an increasing number of players, providing flexibility to the electricity system and helping it to become more sustainable.

And it helps to optimize grid management by streamlining its extension demands, predicting demand, contributing to the early detection of faults, optimising the management of distributed energy resources and storage, and even protecting the grid environment by highlighting risks such as fire outbreaks and raising alarms that trigger actions to mitigate them.

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Challenges of implementing AI

However, there are also challenges associated with implementing AI globally, because if AI systems are trained on biased or insufficient data, they could make unethical or unsustainable decisions.

Furthermore, the automation of tasks could lead to a reduced demand for certain jobs. An over-reliance on AI could result in system vulnerability in the event of technological failures or cyber-attacks, and the implementation of this technology can be costly, potentially creating inequalities when it comes to its adoption.

Environmentally, its implementation requires large servers that may call for the intensive extraction of natural resources. Operating AI models is energy demanding and the rapid evolution of technology can lead to rapid obsolescence of equipment, thereby increasing e-waste.

Strategic measures for implementing AI

Maximising the benefits of AI while mitigating potential risks involves collecting relevant and quality data, ethical training of algorithms, implementing cybersecurity measures, and maintaining active and constant human oversight to make ethical and responsible decisions.

Additionally, a collaborative and regulatory framework must be established that enables R&D to ensure more comprehensive approaches, the recruitment and training of expert professionals, as well as the responsible adoption of AI.

And finally, powering infrastructure with renewable energy, encouraging the R&D of more energy efficient models, implementing recycling programs and conducting life cycle assessments of AI solutions to lessen their environmental impact.

Companies must be committed to exploiting all the possibilities offered by AI, being accountable for how they use it and establishing the mechanisms that allow them to scale and evaluate its true impact. Therefore, it is essential to have a comprehensive governance framework that helps align the AI strategy with the corporate strategy and that covers the entire AI lifecycle. Companies must also build trust among their customers based on explainability while adapting to new regulations that will ensure safe, secure, impartial, ethical and transparent AI.

About the author:

Sandra Cuadrado Ares is the Head of Utilities Spain. She is an agricultural engineer from the UPM with more than 20 years of experience in Information Technologies for sectors such as Telecommunications, Industry and Energy, especially in the commercial field and the promotion of high-value Offering. She currently leads the Spain Utilities Unit, promoting solutions that respond to the transformation challenges of the sector.

About Minsait

Minsait, an Indra company, is a leading firm in digital transformation and Information Technologies in Spain and Latin America. Minsait possesses a high degree of specialisation and knowledge of the sector, which it backs up with its high capability to integrate the core world with the digital world, its leadership in innovation and digital transformation, and its flexibility. Thus, it focuses its offering on high-impact value propositions, based on end-to-end solutions, with a remarkable degree of segmentation, which enables it to achieve tangible impacts for its customers in each industry with a transformational focus. Its capabilities and leadership are demonstrated in its product range, under the brand Onesait, and its across-the-board range of services.

About Indra

Indra is one of the leading global technology and consulting companies and the technological partner for core business operations of its customers worldwide. It is a world leader in providing proprietary solutions in specific segments in Transport and Defence markets, and a leading firm in Digital Transformation and Information Technologies in Spain and Latin America through its affiliate Minsait. Its business model is based on a comprehensive range of proprietary products, with a high-value, end-to-end focus and with a high innovation component. In the 2022 financial year, Indra achieved revenue totaling €3,851 billion, almost 57,000 employees, a local presence in 46 countries and business operations in over 140 countries.

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eSIM technology is built to reduce metering manufacturing costs and scalability issues. IoT enhances smart meter deployments by supporting reliable continuity of data service with end-to-end security from chip to cloud.

Kigen is an Energy Web partner – read more news from Energy Web

In this webinar, we’ll explore:

• The value of eSIM in electric, gas and water smart metering
• Impact of increased connected devices on security and the utility infrastructure
• Profile customization of devices before leaving the factory
• Choosing the right cellular IoT technology and swapping connectivity provider remotely

Meet the speakers:

Paul Bradley, Regional VP Solutions Sales | Kigen

Allan Nielsen, Project Lead IOT Connectivity | Kamstrup

Andy Haig, M2M – Smart Metering and Smart Grid Business Development Manager | Vodafone

In the Netherlands, an increase in energy use in the last few years has been sped up by a goal to reduce carbon dioxide. The shift from gas to electrical as an energy source has put a strain on existing electrical cables and transformers.

The challenge

Stedin, a sustainable energy provider, needed to deploy large numbers of smart meters for Automatic Meter Reading and Smart Grid purposes to manage its grids smarter while avoiding an increase in labour and budget.

Through automation and data disclosure of their mid-voltage transformer stations, Stedin could manage energy flows and maintain the grids in a smarter and more efficient way. Several major hurdles stood in the way, however. First, Stedin needed a solution that eliminated vendor and technology lock-in, as well as being compliant with Dutch Smart Metering standards and new telecoms legislation for utilities.

Additionally, the lifecycle of these devices can last up to 20 years, which left the technology exposed to network sunsets and legacy carrier restrictions. As it stood, Stedin had roughly 1 million meters operating on 2G network technology, which is slated to sunset in 2025.

From a time-constraint perspective alone, Stedin needed to reset telecom devices at 25,000 transformer stations in order to set up chains from sensors and actuators in the field to their centralised headend systems. The thought of having to physically swap out SIM cards was too costly and time consuming to consider. Not to mention that traditional SIM cards also left the company more open to security breaches,
something they couldn’t afford as a critical business.

Stedin needed a future-proof plan – not just for the immediate future – but even further beyond. Their grid capacities would continue to see strain as electric options continued to be adopted. The solution needed to be able to address current strains but also find a way to shave peak usage, since continuing to expand the grid would cost the company too much. Stedin prides itself on offering sustainable, affordable energy to consumers, and having to pass down overhead costs to customers was not an option.

KORE is an Energy Web partner – read more news from Energy Web

The solution

KORE provided Stedin with a future-proofed eSIM solution. KORE eSIM is a global, multi-networked connectivity solution that meets the needs of any application right out of the box. With auto-provisioning capabilities, eSIM can be remotely and automatically optimised to local networks, as well as cut through the global headache of roaming fees. With a single, ruggedised SIM, devices will never face network shutdowns, meaning the eSIM lasts the entire lifecycle of a device for a maximum ROI.

Just as important is a carrier-independent interface with the implementation of a customer-specific profile that guarantees the ability to fully transfer services without the need to change the physical SIM. With an Over-the-air (OTA) interface and multi-IMSI SIM, the eSIM allows for remote management to add, remove, or overwrite IMSIs in bulk.

The SIM management platform supports Stedin in managing the SIM base and during its large-scale roll-out, the solution was configured to host Stedin-specific IMSI range to become its own Mobile Network Operator.

Stedin will not be locked in at the operator level anymore, thanks to the KORE eSIM solution.

The result

Using eSIM, Stedin was able to shift towards a data-driven grid operator that is more efficient. Stedin has had success in rolling out more than 1.7 million smart meters and will continue until they reach their goal of 2.2 million. The company is now in the process of shifting from a 2G technology meter to an LTE-M, due to the 2G network sunset.

Two powerful IoT applications that Stedin have been able realise start with the application of fault indicators. Instead of employees trying to identify the location of a short circuit, mechanics can see directly which cable was short-circuiting. The ability to pinpoint issues in the grid saves Stedin money and reduces the outage time for customers.

Secondly, Stedin is tackling fraud detection with enhanced IoT security. Illegal electricity tapping costs Stedin millions in financial losses each year. This fraud also causes overheated wiring and short circuits that can lead to domestic fires. Through IoT automation, fraud is now easily detected, driving cost savings, increased efficiency, and less risk.

About KORE

KORE, an Energy Web partner, is a pioneer, leader, and trusted advisor delivering transformative business performance. KORE empowers organizations of all sizes to improve operational and business results by simplifying the complexity of IoT. KORE has a deep IoT knowledge and experience, global reach, purpose-built solutions, and deployment agility to accelerate and materially impact customers’ business outcomes.

About Stedin

Sustainable energy for everyone. Stedin works on achieving this goal every day. So that its over two million customers can reside, work and live in the most urban and industrial regions of the Netherlands: the Province of Utrecht and the largest part of the Province of South Holland. Stedin is also the grid operator in the regions Kennermerland, Amstelland and North East Friesland.

To get started with future-proof connectivity, contact us to request a free eSIM starter kit.

The company already has 2,500 charging stations covering all Brazilian states. The client portfolio includes, Porsche, Volkswagen Trucks, Unilever, among others. GreenV is responsible for installing the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles of several automotive industries, as well fleet companies.

With a focus on distribution, installation of chargers for electric vehicles and technology for electromobility, GreenV uses KORE connectivity to communicate data at the time of charging with the management platform. This enables the adjustment of the charging rate according to the needs and electrical capacity of each vehicle.

To make this process smart and secure, it relies on KORE’s IoT technology to ensure customers have information on consumed energy, an individualised payment system and remote control of the recharge operation.

GreenV’s CEO, Junior Miranda, explains that the company uses technology to serve businesses in various segments, such as: fleet, retail chain, transportation company or even malls, hotels, and hospitals. Having to deal with several suppliers and technologies would be difficult, which led GreenV to KORE, where they find diversity of technologies and national connectivity coverage from a single vendor.

“When I say technology, I mean it broadly: the hardware, which is the charging equipment, and the software, which is the application made for those who use an electric vehicle. With it, connected to KORE, it is possible to identify the recharge points compatible with the vehicle in a specific route and be able to charge it appropriately. We also have a solution that manages all the recharge points, that is, the assets”, he details.

KORE is an Energy Web partner – read more news from Energy Web

Some charging points do not have any type of connectivity, so GreenV developed a “plug and play” device that makes them smart, and the partnership with KORE was essential to connect those chargers. “KORE’s solution was developed with the customer need in mind and allows us to scale the project with efficiency and quality. So, that is precisely why we consider this partnership to be very important”, said Miranda.

Another KORE differentiator is the solution offered to monitor charging points. David Souza, Technology Director at KORE, explains that, “Using this tool, it is possible to identify if any equipment has crashed or is transferring too much data. This allows the customer to analyse and make any necessary adjustment. In addition, it is possible to update the system remotely”.

GreenV is working towards doubling its revenue by the end of 2023, “It is a very promising and aggressive growth, backed by the market. No doubt, we can count on the KORE partnership with this challenge”, concluded Miranda.

About KORE

KORE, an Energy Web partner, is a pioneer, leader, and trusted advisor delivering mission critical IoT solutions and services. We empower organizations of all sizes to improve operational and business results by simplifying the complexity of IoT. Our deep IoT knowledge and experience, global reach, purpose-built solutions, and deployment agility accelerate and materially impact our customers’ business outcomes.

For more information visit eu.korewireless.com

About GreenV

GreenV, are a startup that was born to become the biggest reference in Electric Mobility Technology in Brazil. With a focus on distribution, installation of chargers for electric vehicles and technology for electromobility, always seeking to innovate and bring to this segment the excellence and quality expected in all aspects of our business.
For more information, visit www.greenv.com.br/

The demand for electrical activation in pay-per-use applications such as EV charging stations, marinas, campgrounds, and laundromats has sky-rocketed in recent years. The global market for self-service technology is anticipated to reach a valuation of $57 billion within the next five years.

And as a cashless society, the ability to request and pay for services on demand, and in remote locations is no longer aspirational, but essential. Competitive forces have required many companies to create seamless experiences for their customers that allow always-on service availability. This use case has driven service companies to adopt innovative shared-use applications.

The challenge

Breaking the chain of transactional habits, that can be dated as far back as the first coins produced nearly 3000 years ago, is clearly something that is no simple feat. The overall experience, largely void of human interaction and completely reliant on remote technologies, presents a number of potential service gaps. However, in order to displace the traditional transactional method, the customer experience and stability of the overall solution needed to be completely seamless and strong.

The challenges to achieving these objectives through IoT technologies are clearly achievable but require first and foremost a stable and secure connection with the device. With devices located in remote areas (i.e. campgrounds) or within concrete buildings (i.e. laundromats), a cellular footprint that can handle the coverage diversity required for such an application become paramount.

Additionally, the nature of remote services inherently presents associated security risks. By assessing the technical requirements, business objectives, and operational tasks, it was clear that a deeply integrated and experienced IoT partner was needed to overcome the challenges to truly disrupt the current model of power activation.

KORE is an Energy Web partner – read more news from Energy Web

The solution

Ease2pay, a Dutch-based company, is an innovator in IoT smart activation and transaction systems. The company provides an integrated billing and payment system that enables service providers to develop and improve shared-use utilities and services.

With customers that range from laundromats to EV charging stations, Ease2pay understood the power that comes from connectivity. Providing real-time transactional capabilities to remote services in an agnostic way has allowed Ease2pay to support a wide range of solutions, saving service providers from having to develop custom solutions for themselves. Customers of Ease2pay include providing utility provisioning to the following use cases:

• Laundromats
• Shore Power for Inland Ships
• Campground/RV Parking
• Market/Festival Stands
• EV Charging Stations
• Share Facilities
• Common Area Lockers

In order to provide a solution that is capable of application diversity in remote environments, Ease2pay required a partner that possessed a wide set of expertise around connectivity, device management, operational logistics, and security.

KORE was identified early on as a leading candidate. Its position as a trusted IoT advisor allowed Ease2pay to leverage the following capabilities and services:

• eSIM – The remote nature of many of Ease2pay’s customers created a need to consistently achieve the best coverage and strongest broadcast signal.

• Private APN – Security is of the highest priority and being able to partner with someone that can provide private APN capabilities allows Ease2pay to have confidence and visibility of the security of
  their network at all times.
• Integration and Logistics – From assistance in connecting into the AWS cloud to managing the process of delivering preconfigured modems, KORE was a true partner at every step in the journey.

The results

The partnership between Ease2pay and KORE has connected nearly 4,000 activation points across Europe, leading to more than 50,000 users to complete more than 600,000 transactions. The Ease2pay solution has been able to deliver 24/7 service across a variety of industry verticals. Bringing innovation to life through connectivity has allowed businesses to grow by accessing the power of self-service without losing visibility.

About KORE

KORE is a pioneer, leader, and trusted advisor delivering transformative business performance. We empower organisations of all sizes to improve operational and business results by simplifying the complexity of IoT. Our deep IoT knowledge and experience, global reach, purpose-built solutions, and deployment agility accelerate and materially impact our customers’ business outcomes.

For more information visit eu.korewireless.com

About Ease2pay

Ease2pay offers an IoT smart activation and transaction platform complete with an integrated billing and payment system. Ease2pay assists its providers with the development and improvement of shared-use services and enables the development of brands. The platform can be linked to upgrade existing shared-use facilities or applied to new facilities, saving service providers from having to develop a platform themselves.

From the progress global organisations are making on their digitalisation journeys to guidance on how to adopt circularity to reduce the total cost of ownership and improve sustainability by extending the lifetime of power distribution assets, ABB’s reports explore the key challenges facing the sector and outline potential solutions.

Stuart Thompson, President of ABB Electrification Service said: “The global geopolitical landscape has failed to stabilise in 2023, with continuing volatility impacting financial markets, supply chains and energy security. At the same time, the UN is calling for urgent action to accelerate the climate transition before it’s too late.

“In response, businesses need to focus on reducing capex, improving operational productivity and maximising the assets they already have. In 2024, we expect this to result in an increased adoption of connected digital technologies, retrofitting and circularity. When done right, this can lead not only to cost and energy efficiencies, but also set business on an accelerated path to decarbonisation.”

Where are global industrial businesses on their digitalisation journeys?

The first report, ABB’s digitalisation white paper, See the potential of digital faster, provides an overview of where industrial organisations are in their digitalisation journey and how they can scale the adoption of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology.

Based on research of more than 300 industrial decision makers across seven markets and nine industries, including utilities, data centres, renewable energy and transport infrastructure, 93% of organisations have started implementing IIoT technologies such as sensors and monitoring software to cut costs and improve operational and energy efficiency.

However, while many organisations have embarked on their digitalisation journey, the report revealed that the majority are still in the early stages. While 78% say IIoT is delivering business value, 7% have not started their IIoT journey, 31% are just getting started, 41% are starting to scale and only 21% are mature. This means most businesses still stand to gain the long-term benefits of digitalisation, such as full visibility into operations and reduced energy consumption.

The report goes on to explain how organisations, including utilities and other industrial players, can overcome barriers to deployment and develop a comprehensive digitalisation roadmap to determine where technology should be deployed and in what functions to demonstrate the true value of IIoT.

Antonio Martinez-Reina, Utilities & Renewables Global Leader from ABB explained: “Rather than seeing digitalisation as adding complexity to a system which is already working, digitalisation must be embraced as a means to reducing complexity, minimizing disruption and costs and ensuring greater visibility, interoperability and sustainable operations.

“Achieving digitalisation at scale requires sound planning and investment; and potentially targeting under-exploited areas for competitive advantage, such as being among the first in digitalising electrical systems.”

How circularity can improve sustainability and drive new levels of operational efficiency

The digitalisation of electrical infrastructure is explored further in ABB’s second report Tackling Throwaway Culture – a guide to embracing circular economics. This approach is particularly useful in extending the life of power distribution assets, which, when maintained, upgraded, and eventually decommissioned effectively, can deliver significant cost savings and help minimise environmental impact by avoiding emissions.

The guide offers a range of practical ideas for implementing circularity in asset management, from optimising predictive maintenance and condition monitoring to adopting a ‘component-only’ approach to retrofitting and upgrades, as well as covering decommissioning of systems, responsible end-of-life disposal and future market developments in the circular asset management space.

Thompson concluded: “Using circular economics to avoid operational emissions is an increasingly popular way of doing business sustainably for those managing power distribution assets. Thanks to advancements in technology and a more granular understanding of the role industries must play in circular economics, there is now a wealth of tools and techniques to make circularity easier to achieve.

“Our guide covers these and gives customer examples that demonstrate them in action.”

To find out more about the digitalisation and sustainability trends shaping the energy transition and how to overcome barriers to deploying IIoT and implementing circularity, the reports are: Tackling Throwaway Culture and See the potential of digital faster.

About ABB Electrification

ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimise how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB’s ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. www.abb.com

Electrifying the world in a safe, smart and sustainable way, ABB Electrification is a global technology leader in electrical distribution and management from source to socket. As the world’s demand for electricity grows, our 50,000+ employees across 100 countries collaborate with customers and partners to transform how people connect, live and work. We develop innovative products, solutions and digital technologies that enable energy efficiency and a low carbon society across all sectors. By applying global scale with local expertise, we shape and support global trends, deliver excellence for customers and power a sustainable future for society.

go.abb/electrification.

For more information please contact:
Media Relations
Eva Ford-Murphy
Phone: +61 439 341 812
Email: eva.ford-murphy@au.abb.com

Enlit Europe 2023 is setting a new record with the number of new technology developments being launched, including new meters, multiple new standards demonstrations and new insights on circularity and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

New electricity, hydrogen and water smart meters

Gridspertise, Enel’s joint owned innovation company, is launching a new electricity smart meter offering multiple communication options to enable the most appropriate to be selected in the field by DSOs.

Among these are Hybrid PLC and RF, Cellular LTE and Cellular NB-IoT. The new smart meter also is interoperable with third-party vendor solutions, allowing backward compatibility and integration with existing installations.

The offer also includes head end and meter data management systems as well as a pool of technical services and support activities in a metering-as-a-service approach.

Have you read?
Digitalisation of district heating and cooling an essential technology – report
Emma Pinchbeck: driven by a passion for people in the energy transition

The Italgas group is unveiling a new hydrogen ready next generation smart meter – more details of which are to follow.

Janz, a company in Italy’s SIT group, is introducing the SmartIO ultrasonic water meter using patented technology with multi-protocol LoRaWAN and wMBus for walk-by or drive-by applications and offering a measurement accuracy up to R1000.

The meter, which is intended for residential applications, is aimed initially at the Italian market, where new developments are emerging with water losses approaching 40% as the infrastructure ages. Recent analysis by SIT company MeteRSit found that in one year in Italy there were 29 tenders with a total value of approximately €250 million ($273 million).

Via the eREGISTER and MyWater application, the new meter offers demand alarms for leaks, bursts, backflows, etc.

Staying with water metering, SM Factory is presenting adaptable smart electronic heads as a fast and easy to implement option to transform mechanical water meters into smart devices.

The heads use Sigfox technology for communication and are adaptable to different water meter types.

DLMS and LoRa standards advance

The DLMS User Association has been particularly active of late with new agreements with EPRI and the National Electrical Manufacturing Association (NEMA) in the US to advance the adoption of the DLMS protocol in that country, and with the PRIME Alliance to align the PRIME companion profile with DLMS specifications.

Extending these activities at Enlit Europe 2023, the DLMS UA is launching Generic Companion Profiles (GCPs) as standardised solutions to provide seamless data exchange between specific devices such as smart meters, remote displays and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations – these use cases mark the initial phase, with additional GCPs under development for gas and water metering and grid edge computing.

The GCPs are agnostic to hardware devices, communication technologies, cloud solutions and consumer data exchange protocols.

Among the DLMS demonstrations taking place, Wirepas and Meter&Control are showcasing Wirepas 5G Mesh technology and DLMS interoperability.

The combination is aimed to enable utilities to benefit both from DLMS’s security and bidirectional support to push and receive messages as well as from the security of network transmissions enabled by Wirepas 5G Mesh based on the publicly available spectrum around 1.9GHz in Europe.

The LoRA Alliance also has been active with updates to the LoRaWAN standard in the utilities market.

Among these is the validation by the European Committee of Normalization (CEN) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) of LoRaWAN for smart metering for electricity, water, heat and gas.

Specifically, the CEN has standardised the M-Bus adaptation layer for LPWAN especially M-Bus over LoRaWAN under series EN13757-8, while the IEC has standardised the DLMS profile for LPWAN under new part IEC 62056-8-12.

Among demonstrations at Enlit Europe 2023, the LoRa Alliance will have a device wall with more than 30 gateways and LoRaWAN-certified end-devices and sensors from member companies designed for use in metering and utilities.

IoT and circularity

Last but not least ABB is releasing new industry reports on two key topics of interest currently – the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and circularity.

ABB has found that the majority of industrial organisations have started their digitalisation journeys to improve their operational and energy efficiencies but most are still in the early stages and have yet to experience the long-term benefits.

The second report is intended as a guide for companies to embrace circular economics in today’s throw away culture, which is expected to be a key focus for global businesses in 2024.

For power distribution assets the approach could be particularly useful as when maintained, upgraded and eventually decommissioned, significant cost savings can result alongside helping to minimise the environmental impact by avoiding emissions.

With the construction of new power systems, medium and low voltage distribution networks are coming up against increased obstacles when it comes to supporting open and interactive service scenarios, including system operations, production technology and marketing.

With many sites to keep track of, distribution networks have to deal with numerous faults and laborious inspections. Therefore, it is imperative to build an intelligent power distribution network to put digital power distribution to work.

Communication is vital to power distribution network services

Power distribution communication networks are the foundation for digitalising power distribution. The traditional power system is mostly used in power distribution scenarios of 10kV or lower. Due to poor communication, most power distribution networks are controlled and adjusted blindly.

However, the new, real-time power system features stable, reliable, efficient and distributed performance, and enables massive access. Building a safe and reliable power distribution communication network with simplified O&M is the key to ensuring the stable running of power distribution services.

The system provides ubiquitous access to power distribution devices via fibre and mature 3G/4G/5G wireless communication technologies.

The network architecture and coverage of distribution networks vary greatly in different scenarios, so selecting the right technology for the secure and stable operations of distribution communication networks is crucial for industry customers.

With more than 20 years of experience in ICT and electric power fields, Huawei continues to make efforts in the optical fibre and wireless fields. Huawei offers four networking modes for the power industry: the industrial switch ring network, FTTM (Fibre to the Mobile) ring network, wireless public network, and wireless private network.

In deployment, power companies can select one or more modes based on local conditions to meet the varying network construction requirements of different phases and services. All the networking modes support future evolution.

Huawei’s power distribution communication network solution supports multi-scenario access

Generally, core urban areas that require large-capacity transmission and high-speed communication like central business districts have high requirements for power supply quality and reliability. Core urban scenarios also have concentrated power facilities and massive amounts of service data. Therefore, high-bandwidth network access is required.

Since fibre pipelines have already been deployed in most urban areas, optical fibre laying is easy and the cost is low. As a result, optical fibres can be used as the main communication solution in urban areas, with wireless technologies as a backup.

In large suburban areas or old towns with scattered network devices, wired network construction may involve toilsome cable trench excavation and high cabling costs. In this case, technologies like wireless public or private networks are preferred.

Huawei has developed a power distribution communication network solution that delivers multiple communication modes, including that of optical fibre and wireless. This solution can lay a solid communication foundation for digital and intelligent power distribution services, promote the integration of marketing and distribution services, and facilitate service extension from the medium voltage side to the low voltage side.

Based on optical fibre links, Huawei’s power FTTM ring network solution uses the optical service units (OSUs) of the latest native hard pipe (NHP) technology to build a high quality communication network with simplified O&M for power distribution networks. One network can carry services in multiple zones. For instance, services like distribution automation and metering are carried on one network, and services in the production system are physically isolated.

Based on optical links, Huawei’s industrial switch ring network solution for the power industry uses CloudEngine S5735I-S-V2 DIN series switches. Based on the active optical network, the communication coverage and the number of communication network nodes are not restricted by optical power attenuation. This achieves a long-distance power distribution communication coverage of over 20km. Flexible GE access and GE/10GE uplink ports are provided. The ERPS protection protocol is used, and the self-healing time of a single-point failure is less than 50ms. The switches support an industrial grade operating temperature range as well as surge protection, and can be installed in outdoor cabinet environments even in harsh conditions. They also support guide rail installation, saving time and economising on space.

Huawei’s electric power wireless private network solution uses the mainstream 3GPP spectrum and features low latency, wide-coverage, multi-purpose networks, easy deployment and maintenance, open collaboration, and 5G-oriented evolution. The solution carries services such as distribution automation, precise load control, station environment monitoring, power quality monitoring, and video surveillance. This meets the security, reliability, latency, and access capacity requirements of intelligent power communication networks.

Huawei’s electric power wireless public network solution uses NetEngine AR630/AR502H series router gateways designed for industrial scenarios. These gateways integrate multiple functions, including routing, switching, VPN, security and wireless access. They support 4G and 5G access, which is ideal for power distribution facilities in remote areas. In addition, in the 5G public network area, 5G slices (such as dedicated UPFs and 5GCs for electric power) can be used to construct a 5GtoB power private network on the public network.

Scenario-based, phased construction of power distribution networks

In addition to selecting the best network construction solution for each set of circumstances, the construction of the distribution network should be done in phases. During the first phase, dual-operator radio links should be used in active/standby to quickly build networks, and IPsec should be used for security encryption and service isolation.

In the second phase, more reliable optical networks or wireless private networks should be deployed in core areas and those with insufficient carrier network coverage. In addition, smooth network evolution in the future must be considered to protect primary investments and reduce repeated expenditure. For example, the evolution from 4G to 5G must be considered during wireless private network construction. The CPE connected to carriers’ public networks must meet the requirements for fiber or private network access as forecasted down the line, not just for current standards.

Since the network construction cost is so high, it is recommended that customers develop value-added services to increase revenue. Customers should consider developing power bandwidth operations services and integrating distribution networks and home broadband services. This would mean that one optical fibre could transmit distribution network services and FTTH (Fibre to the Home) services simultaneously. As a result, the AMI and xTU of the power distribution network are interconnected, reducing capital expenditure. Home broadband service revenues will also help reduce investment pressure. Customers who are incapable of developing power bandwidth operations services can choose to cooperate with local ISPs.

In addition to deploying FTTH with the help of ISPs, they can lease optical access services from ISPs. They can access SFP-based ONUs and OLT slicing services through routers to obtain optical access services. In addition, routers use IPsec and bidirectional NAT to ensure security and isolation. Capable power companies can even share optical fibre resources with ISPs to build independent networks and select optical resources from multiple ISPs to protect links, deliver better service experiences, and cut optical fibre deployment costs.

Currently, power distribution communication network technology based on optical fibres and wireless networking is mainstream in the industry. Huawei’s power distribution communication network solution, which has been successfully deployed worldwide including in China, Indonesia, Türkiye, Spain, Colombia and Paraguay, builds upon and broadens the scope of this classic structure.

Looking into the future, Huawei will continue to help power companies build a reliable foundation for future-oriented, automated power distribution. In doing so, Huawei will pave a digital road to global energy transition and carbon neutrality.

Read more:
How IoT transforms power distribution management
Power communication networks critical for grid of the future – white paper
PLN, Indonesia’s power company and Huawei accelerating the digital transformation

About the company

Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. The company is committed to becoming the best transition partner for the global electric power industry. Laying a digital platform and establishing an ecosystem of industry partners — a strategy coined as platform + ecosystem — Huawei integrates innovative Information Communications Technology (ICT) and digital power platforms with best industry practices to build its solution system for the electric power industry. Up to now, Huawei has deeply cooperated with more than 190 power companies around the world and jointly built over 40 scenario-based solutions with ecological partners to pave a digital way for global energy transition and achieving carbon neutrality goals.

Visit the Huawei Electric Power platform here

About the Author

King Jinjin Qian, Senior Industry Solution Manager of Huawei Electric Power Digitalization BU, has more than 10 years of experience in ICT telecommunications and has held various roles, including R&D PoC engineer, IP solution sales in the public sector, CEB business and network solution director.

Italgas, the main distributor of gas and water in Italy, anticipates the solution to deliver over 90% savings through reduced field visits and improved service level agreement controls, the company has reported.

The Ativa solution is designed to provide real-time visibility and control over an IoT network.

With this Italgas is enabled to quickly identify the root-cause of any issues and monitor the reliability of the three service provider networks connecting its nationwide network of smart meters.

Have you read?
Toscana Energia takes next step in gas network digitalisation
Why monitoring and control systems could transform renewables

Italgas also can integrate its own cloud-based business intelligence systems to the Ativa platform. With its multi-tenancy capabilities the platform can also enable expansion to the other international markets in which Italgas operates.

“The challenge of managing a network of over 8 million IoT devices is significant – but even more so when you add the regulatory requirement for every one of these devices to be connected and providing daily meter readings,” comments Diego Vola, Telecommunications Project Manager at Italgas.

“The ability to quickly identify and resolve the root cause of a problem is critical to both the customer experience we deliver and the service level agreements to which we are accountable. The cost savings from deploying Ativa are expected to be over 90%, and we are excited to be working with Infovista to look at extending these operational efficiencies to all our markets.”

In addition to mainland Italy, Italgas is active in Sardinia and also has a presence in Greece’s gas distribution sector.

Italgas’s presence in the water sector also is growing, most recently with the completion of the acquisition of Veolia’s concessions in Italy’s water sector.

With these, Italgas is serving either directly or indirectly some 6.2 million people, or about one tenth of the country’s population under the new business name of ‘Nepta’.

A key focus will be on water loss reduction, targeting below 20% from the current more than 40%.

Infovista’s Ativa solution was deployed and integrated within a period of three months.

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The pilot, which was launched in August with the installation of the first smart water meters in West Perth, is aimed to enable the company to understand what the future of smart meters will look like for both customers and the business.

The Water Corporation has been using smart meters for over 10 years, particularly in larger commercial properties to help with water efficiency practices and in regional areas where it can be difficult for meter readers to access properties safely.

Now the intent is to take advantage of technological advances to improve the safety, reliability and efficiency of meter readings while providing customers with a better online service.

Have you read?
Smart water metering a key for Britain’s future water sector
Energy Transitions Podcast: Smart water at the heart of sustainable cities

In addition the smart water meters are expected to offer benefits such as leak identification – critical with water becoming increasingly scarce with Western Australia having seen an average 20% reduction in rainfall since the 1970s with a corresponding reduction in dam inflows.

The properties that have been selected for the pilot are intended to represent the broader Perth population. They include those with a mixed ground topography in the hills and on the coast, a mix of business and residential customers and properties with meters located in boxes or behind fences.

LoRaWAN IoT solution for 5,000 smart water meters

As part of the pilot, consultancy Enzen and its group company NNNCo have announced the deployment of a LoRaWAN IoT connectivity solution for more than 5,000 of the smart water meters.

Dileep Viswanath, CEO of Enzen Australia, comments that water scarcity is one of the most critical challenges facing communities in Western Australia.

“Our work will help create a best practice solution that will enable the utility and its consumers to manage this life essential in the most sustainable way.”

Rob Zagarella, CEO of narrowband network company NNNCo, adds that through its telecommunications carrier license and commercial agreement with Western Power, it can access the utility’s infrastructure across its Western Australia service territory.

“This means our LoRaWAN network can be built close to Water Corporation’s smart meters, without needing to access its assets, further reducing cost.”

For over three decades, Elvaco has set industry benchmarks, providing an extensive suite of products and services that cater to utilities and real estate companies worldwide. They have pioneered solutions for district heating, water, real estate, electricity, and gas sectors, boasting a global network connecting over ten million metering devices.

The challenge of new type of devices communication

Elvaco was driven by a mission to expand their product offerings, meet their client’s diverse needs, and optimize costs. Their focus turned to creating solutions for low-powered battery-driven devices with LwM2M protocol capabilities. After an eight-month in-house development project using an open-source solution, Elvaco turned to Coiote IoT Device Management Platform to streamline their operations, address resource constraints, and focus on the core business. 

Successfully implemented IoT cloud connectivity and device management by AVSystem

Since implementing Coiote IoT Device Managament Platform, Elvaco has achieved remarkable results. Christian Haraldsson, Head of Digitalization & Product Manager, Elvaco notes: “Since switching to the Coiote platform, we’ve achieved more while investing less. The platform offers a wide range of features that would have taken us much longer to develop on our own. Additionally, the transition from our own system to the Coiote platform was smooth and seamless.The level of customer service we receive has really exceeded our expectations. AVSystem’s support team is superb, and any problems we encounter are quickly resolved.”

The list of benefits and achievements of this implementation is outstanding:

• Elvaco achieved a shortened time-to-market, harnessing the platform’s power within just two weeks, which allowed them to concentrate on delivering added value to their customers.
• They gained a competitive advantage by seamlessly integrating battery-driven devices, expanding their product range and solidifying their market position.
• Elvaco, with over 50,000 LwM2M devices managed under the Coiote IoT Device Management Platform, is actively working on plans for further scaling.
• The outstanding support provided by the AVSystem’s team is crucial for ensuring Elvaco’s platform reliability and customer satisfaction.
• Coiote IoT Device Maanagement Platform’s LwM2M standardization has been instrumental in providing valuable insights into device health, enabling real-time monitoring to support informed decision-making.
• The platform’s flexibility, allowing for customization and adaptability, ensures that specific project requirements are met effectively.

This partnership positions Elvaco to meet the evolving needs of their customers, ensuring operational efficiency, cost savings, and superior customer value.

Read more news from AVSystems

About Elvaco:

Elvaco, a global leader with almost 40 years of experience in the field of metering solutions, offers an extensive suite of products and services that cater to utilities and real estate companies worldwide, spanning various industries such as district heating, water, real estate, electricity, and gas. Renowned for its visionary approach, Elvaco specializes in wired/wireless M-Bus, LoRaWAN, and NB-IoT network protocols, seamlessly connecting over ten million metering devices across the globe.

About AVSystem

AVSystem excels as a leading provider of comprehensive IoT device management solutions, leveraging the robust LwM2M protocol to empower businesses across diverse sectors.

Established in 2006 with origins in telecommunications, the company has evolved into a trusted partner for IoT deployments offering comprehensive solutions for prototyping and managing IoT devices. By leveraging open LwM2M standard, hardware and cloud services integrations, AVSystem enables businesses to rapidly build end-to-end IoT solutions, efficiently manage and monitor their vast fleet of devices, ensuring seamless connectivity, optimal performance, and facilitating data federation.

The latest generation smart meters provide data to both the customer and the grid operator. Coupled with data from other grid-edge and grid-centric devices, smart meters are paving the way for a dynamically managed energy system for a net zero world.

But for system security, both the devices and data must be similarly secure, with protections against bad actors with criminal or worse intent.

Understanding how industry players are addressing smart grid security for distribution system operators, smart meter manufacturers, system integrators and other players, Smart Energy International talked to embedded software engineer Antoine Thomas, Product Line Manager for Mobility and Cybersecurity solutions at Thales.

Why is trustworthy data the essence of a successful smart grid?

Smart grids are a critical infrastructure and are now a key component of our societies globally and we need to have them secure and to have trust in the data they provide for many reasons, economic, public safety and more. For example, utilities need to ensure that the data collected from smart meters is correct, pertains to the correct customer and is billed correctly.

Grid operators who must ensure the balance between supply and demand need to ascertain that a fault or attack on a portion of the grid does not lead to a system-wide shutdown. They also need to have the trust to operate the grids remotely and that it is safe, that the equipment is ‘on’ when it is supposed to be, and that the data being received is trustworthy.

There is this double notion around the economic aspect but also the critical infrastructure element that the grids can be attacked and must be protected from such attacks. They can be damaging and put a country and people at risk.

“Smart grids are a critical infrastructure and are now a key component of our societies globally.”

What are the main standards and regulations for cybersecurity?

There are guidelines around the Internet of Things (IoT). In Europe and the US, institutions and governments have been putting in rules and recommendations around IoT in general, and, in some cases, regulation around critical infrastructure.

The European Commission has been extending its recommendations around IoT within Europe, specifically critical infrastructure security. I expect North America to follow, although the region is somewhat more complicated with the higher fragmentation among distribution companies.

In Europe, we also have the GDPR for personal data because of the collection of personal data when dealing with cybersecurity on smart meters. Another programme is the European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection (EPCIP).

All these bodies issue regulations and recommendations, and on top of that, there are different regulation bodies country by country potentially adding to the cybersecurity requirements, for example, BSI in Germany and ANSSI in France.

Therefore, we must follow certain sets of rules and regulations; however, our approach at Thales is to be ahead of the regulations. While it’s important to comply with security standards and practices, being pushed by regulation will always give a tough deadline to meet and implementing a strong cybersecurity system on a smart grid is not something one can do overnight.

As an example, quantum computing technologies potentially could break certain algorithms that are in use today but at Thales, we are already working on post-quantum algorithms and will have them ready to counter these threats.

What are the four main threats for an AMI/the four main principles for data security?

Firstly, only authorised entities can read the data. In other words, the ecosystem is composed only of devices that one knows and trusts so that only authorised data is fed in. For this one can put in place mutual authentication, which will ensure that all the equipment is trustable.

Then there is the need to trust in the source of the data, so one needs to have a strong device identity and well-diversified private keys. These will ensure that the security between the device and the system is not compromised, and the equipment is not tampered with, or the data intercepted.

“[…] implementing a strong cybersecurity system on a smart grid is not something one can do overnight.”

The third is the security of the data exchange between devices so the data must be encrypted. There also is the standard for metering data, the DLMS standard, which we are following to ensure that all the data is secured correctly.

The fourth is the updating of the algorithms and of the firmware of the devices in the field. A system is needed that is secure, trustworthy and convenient to use where there is a desire to push updates. With lifetimes of 20 years or more, if the system is too complex then the whole infrastructure would be exposed to vulnerabilities.

Why is lifecycle management so important in this ecosystem?

The lifecycle approach starts with manufacturing, and one needs to ensure that the way the keys are injected is highly secure. The diversification from one device to another is also important as one doesn’t want to use one key for a set of devices. If one key is compromised then the whole ecosystem is compromised.

Thereafter, the activation of the device needs to be managed.  When a device leaves the manufacturer’s factory it will have a set of keys but when the utility activates the device it may rotate the keys or load new keys so the security may not be the same in operation.

Then once in the field, the keys should be updated to avoid using the same keys in the same device for too long.

Finally, when the device is decommissioned, one needs to ensure that it is not updated again and if it becomes compromised it won’t impact the ecosystem.

The lifecycle of devices in the smart grid is very important, with updates at each stage of their life. In the case of smart meters already in the field, these usually have a set of keys and a system to update them but if they have a minimum level of security they can be provisioned on the Thales Trusted Key Manager platform.

What future proofing is enabled?

We know that cryptography is evolving fast and the phrase that is making the most buzz in the ecosystem today is ‘post-quantum’, which I mentioned earlier. Quantum computers are enhancing very much the cryptographic capacity of computers and most of the security algorithms that are in use today will be easily breakable so cryptographic researchers have been working on new algorithms that will be resistant to this type of computing power.

Theoretically, we are already able to update the cryptography we use for generating and securing certificates and keys using certain of these algorithms, as some are not yet fully implemented and more will be coming later.

The advantage of using a platform like ours is that utilities would be able to rotate and update the keys to update the security level in their devices with whatever new cryptography will be issued in the market.

Today it is post-quantum and maybe in the future there will be another leap in terms of computing power or cryptography, but we always try to ensure that we are at the forefront to meet the demands across the energy industry.

We leverage our hardware devices, using a hardware security module (HSM)-based approach to secure many cloud-based solutions and can offer the latest cryptographic innovations to our utility customers.

Can the solution be extended to other edge devices or other systems?

We have deployed the platform so far in smart metering, but it was developed for the IoT in general and can be used for securing any type of device in any IoT ecosystem.

But there is also the need for similar levels of cybersecurity on the transmission and generation sides where the equipment tends to be both numerically smaller but more complicated.

To date, these businesses appear to have been less prone to attacks but it’s only a matter of time before people find out how to attack anything.

Can you describe any specific deployments?

We have several deployments in Europe as well as a few in Asia, where we are deploying the solution for advanced metering infrastructure.

In many cases, our solution is being deployed at the head-end system where we add the security layer to this device management platform. We also are integrating platforms from different smart meter vendors, and our solution was developed to meet this interoperability requirement.

A country in Eastern Europe has issued a new national regulation that all the utilities there will need to have their smart metering infrastructure secured in a certain way and following certain standards by 2026 and they have been focussing on updating the infrastructure and the security into this.

What is the future outlook as cyber attacks appear to be becoming both more frequent and more sophisticated?

We certainly see more and more cyber attacks coming but whereas up to now they have tended not to be publicised, we expect to hear about them more and more as people become increasingly aware of the potential political and other conflicts that they can bring.

That doesn’t mean that an individual company must report an attack but it can be communicated through a group or increasingly the attacker may report it.

With the types of attacks and the sizes and surfaces increasing, securing the ecosystem properly is the only way to try to stay ahead of the game in terms of cryptography.

View the latest Thales whitepaper:
How trusted key managers can protect smart meters from cyber attacks

Thales will be attending Enlit Europe in Paris from 28-30 November 2023, where you can connect with the team in person. Register for your free event pass here.

With 2G and 3G on their way out in many countries around the world, 4G cellular technologies are set to become more widely used for the IoT and other markets such as smart meters.

Avanci’s programme offers a single license covering the 4G, 3G, and 2G essential patents of the current 39 licensors in the programme as well as those of any that join in future, at a one off fixed rate of $3 per meter.

Excluded are smart meters that communicate solely using the NB-IoT and/or LTE-M subsets of the 4G standard, as are the next-generation 5G smart meters.

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“We are delighted to launch our latest IoT programme,” said Marianne Frydenlund, Vice President and head of IoT licensing at Avanci, welcoming EDMI as the first 4G smart meter licensee.

Roy Kirsopp, CEO at EDMI, comments that the company joined the programme to assure customers and partners that “EDMI takes its licensing obligations seriously. An Avanci license gives us authorised, licensed access to a broad range of 4G technology patent owners in a simple and efficient manner.”

Avanci’s programme, the first of its IoT offerings and aimed at meter manufacturers and grid operators, is based on its 4G vehicle licence programme, which now has more than 145 million connected vehicles by 50 licencees and 57 licensors covered by a single licence.

Avanci also has a 5G vehicle licence programme in place, as well as an aftermarket programme, and says that at this stage it is exploring the potential for a 5G smart meter programme.

The idea behind the programmes is to reduce the complexity and transaction costs of licensing and thus improve predictability for all parties.

In a statement, Avanci quotes analyst firm Transforma Insights as forecasting more than 15 million 4G smart meters to be sold in 2023 and over 160 million during the next 10 years.

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The Device Language Message Specification (DLMS) protocol has been a longstanding standard within Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), providing a robust framework for efficient data communication and device management.

In contrast, the Lightweight Machine-to-Machine (LwM2M) IoT protocol represents a new dimension in energy management, streamlining data exchange and device communication to meet the contemporary demands for efficiency and agility in utility systems, particularly in the realm of IoT in utilities.

DLMS/COSEM: reliability and data accuracy for billing

DLMS, the preferred choice for utility applications like electricity, gas, and water metering, streamlines data collection and energy grid management.

DLMS focuses on ensuring efficient, reliable, and secure data collection, crucial for accurate billing and utility management. It guarantees data integrity, allowing precise readings and control for utilities. Its strength lies in its intricate data model, COSEM, tailored for utilities, enabling a detailed representation of metering values and events. This granularity is invaluable for utilities seeking precise readings and control. Furthermore, its ability to operate across different communication media is noteworthy.

However, its detailed structure, primarily designed for the complexities of utility metering, can be somewhat heavy for battery-powered or constrained devices.

LwM2M: minimal power consumption and effective utilization of network

In contrast, LwM2M offers an expansive scope that extends far beyond utility applications. It excels in device management and data communication for a diverse range of IoT applications, not limited to metering. Beyond mere communication, it embeds robust functionalities, such as device diagnostics, configuration, and even remote firmware updates. It’s not just about talking to devices; it’s about comprehensively managing them. LwM2M’s security architecture is commendable as well, ensuring encrypted, secure communications right from device bootstrapping.

LwM2M is recognized for its efficient use of network resources and minimal power consumption, making it suitable for an array of IoT devices, whether they are stationary or resource-constrained devices.

DLMS and LwM2M: Efficient Data Management in Utilities

The paper, “Data Interworking Model and Analysis for Harmonization of Smart Metering Protocols in IoT-Based AMI System,” pioneers an approach to optimize data exchange in utility applications through DLMS and LwM2M integration. It introduces a novel data interworking model for converting data between smart meters and the AMI head-end system, aiming to harmonize IoT and smart metering protocols, like DLMS, and enhance data management efficiency.

DLMS and LwM2M: The paper’s primary contributions include proposing the data interworking model based on resource management similarities between DLMS and LwM2M, enabling efficient metering data collection and reduced network data traffic, as well as demonstrating packet transmission efficiency and delay through simulations, offering valuable insights into packet overhead management.Efficient Data Management in Utilities

How does it work?

DLMS defines a structured data model for detailed organization of utility meter data, including attributes like energy consumption and event logs. LwM2M, as a lightweight communication protocol, efficiently transmits this structured data between IoT devices, preserving DLMS’s detailed model – COSEM. This ensures accurate data collection and management while keeping communication lightweight and suitable for constrained IoT devices, such as smart meters.

Read more news from AVSystem

Final thoughts

In conclusion, rather than choosing between DLMS and LwM2M, companies can harness the advantages of both. DLMS ensures precision in utility data management, while LwM2M offers lightweight versatility for broader IoT applications. Combining these protocols optimizes data collection and data management efficiency offering a comprehensive solution that enhances utility operations in today’s ever-evolving landscape. It’s not an either-or choice but a harmonious fusion that maximizes utility potential.

About the company

At AVSystem, we pride ourselves on being a trusted and reliable partner for IoT deployments. We understand that proper device management is crucial to the success of any IoT project, which is why we have built our reputation on providing best-in-class solutions to ensure that our clients achieve scalability, interoperability, and security.

The startup’s solution, a project in collaboration with Spanish TSO Red Eléctrica and tech platform Elewit, aims to improve insights into how and why trips occur in substations through real time data.

This, in turn, aims to improve connectivity and provide valuable information for the operation, maintenance and planning of the electrical grid.

Currently, when a trip occurs, technicians study the variables that characterise the state of the protection element and determine what has happened based on the data recorded at different points in the substations.

Based on this data, mitigation and correction plans are designed if necessary, so the network is reviewed and adjusted more precisely for each of these events to maintain its operation.

However, states Elewit, technicians require tools that allow them to analyse these events in a more agile way and in real time.

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Barbara IoT’s proposed solution will focus on the design and development of a tool to provide insight into these events.

Their solution is a small device that, once attached to the corresponding protection element, allows the behaviour of the voltage and intensity of the element to which it is connected to be displayed in a web application.

This small device, states Barbara IoT, is capable of graphing the three-phase current of the element with a sampling frequency of 0.25 milliseconds, 80 times the frequency at which the network oscillates.

With this speed, it will be possible to identify and analyse what may have triggered the trip.

The project aims to meet the needs of substation technicians since they will be able to have the data for both monitoring and analysis.

Barbara IoT and Elewit in a release detail some of the ways such a solution will improve grid operations:

• Improved system reliability: If the causes of a trip are identified, measures can be taken to prevent future failures and improve the reliability of the entire electrical system
• Predictive network maintenance: By analysing trip events, maintenance strategies can be implemented on components before failures occur
• Optimisation of substation operation: The information provided by the study of trip events can be used to optimise the operation of substations and improve efficiency in power transmission and distribution

The solution, according to Elewit, is based on edge computing, a type of in-situ computing that collects and processes data from the same hardware rather than sending it to the cloud for computation, as most IoT-based devices with a more passive character do.

The main advantage offered by edge computing is its nearly instantaneous processing and monitoring capabilities. This negates the need for post-processing in subsequent programmes when conducting analyses.

According to Elewit, the project has successfully passed laboratory tests and is in the process of validation to study its implementation in Red Eléctrica’s systems.

New energy resources in the form of renewables, new loads such as electric vehicles, new energy storage technologies and the new integrated service models to accompany these are characterising the evolving power networks of today.

However, with the rapid growth of these developments, new challenges are emerging both for power supply and distribution network management, particularly at the medium and low voltage levels where many new connections are being made.

With the intermittency of wind and solar PV and a transition from centralised to decentralised systems, grids worldwide are unprepared to accept and balance all generation. They lack the capacity, flexibility, as well as visibility of operators.

Infrastructure development such as energy storage is lagging, with the need for options ranging from millisecond response to seasonal timescales, as are new business and technology models such as vehicle-to-grid integration and microgrids.

Generation curtailment and increasing congestion and inertia deficits are among the challenges with grids that are inflexible and were not designed or built for these resources.

In some regions, low levels of reliability have resulted from ageing infrastructure and limited investment ability.

An edge-cloud IoT solution for power distribution network management

The response to these many challenges has been to bring more intelligence to the grid to optimise and better manage the power flows. The focus has shifted to the edge of the grid to manage the increasing volumes of data more efficiently and deliver real-time functionality without the need for control centre intervention.

To respond to these challenges, State Grid Shaanxi developed in collaboration with Huawei and over 20 utility partners, is the power distribution IoT solution with functions including data awareness, edge processing, and smart applications.

Intended to form the digital foundation for the intelligent networks of the future and meet the application requirements of different power distribution scenarios, the solution is built with a ‘cloud-pipe-edge-pipe-device’ architecture.

Features include:

At the ‘device’ level, there are a large number of devices, and the number is increasing year by year, including smart meters on the user side, branch leakage protectors on the branch side, master meters and incoming/outgoing breakers on the transformer district. With the widespread promotion of green energy and the large-scale popularization of new energy vehicles, the number of distributed photovoltaic and charging piles is increasing rapidly.

On the next layer – ‘pipe’, the high-speed power line carrier (HPLC) and high-speed radio frequency (HRF)are introduced to enable intelligent connectivity for multiple ‘devices’ and in turn enable measurable, adjustable, and controllable LV power distribution networks. Without re-establishing networks, power companies can use the existing power lines to collect data, like current and voltage data, at high frequencies. The efficient identification of transformer district topology relationships supports power companies to accurately localize faults, while the feature of proactively reporting power-off/recovery events improves power supply reliability.

On the ‘edge’, smart distribution transformer terminals (SD-TTs) with built-in high-performance core components are deployed to intellectualise the edge and other grid devices.

With edge computing, self-governance for transformer districts is enabled. With data aggregating from connected grid and end-user devices such as transformers, breakers, protectors, distributed generation, and meters, the SD-TTs effectively form a system platform with apps that can be installed on demand and delivered as a service.

Also, software-defined terminals are used to analyze line loss within minutes. Household PV modules can be connected to power grids safely and efficiently, while EVs can be charged in order.

Then moving to the ‘pipe’, which is an essential component in ensuring the online availability of the SD-TTs and their connection to the cloud orchestration platform. Both private and public wireless network options are suitable, with the solution offering multiple communications options, including fibre optics and public wireless based on a simplified architecture and easy O&M.

The private network option provides a safe and reliable dedicated LTE network, with low latency and large capacity to allow for future terminal expansion. Public options include 3G, 4G and 5G providing high levels of reliability and IoT convergence.

In practice, Huawei recommends that in core urban districts requiring high power supply, quality, and reliability, either of wired or wireless options are suitable. However, in suburban or older urban districts where optical fibre installation is challenged and the distribution terminals are widely distributed, a wireless network approach is recommended.

The final layer is the ‘cloud’, with the cloud orchestration development platform deployed. Through visualized and drag-and-drop programming empowered by MessageFlow app development technology, the development threshold is significantly lowered, greatly shortening the app development cycle from months to days. It guarantees that application development capabilities are handed over to power companies, and expert experience is accumulated as component assets.

Besides, the apps can be deployed across terminals from multiple vendors. With their feature of fast remote upgrades and a high success rate, power companies are allowed to respond quickly to changing distribution network requirements. “In the distribution IoT scenario, technical and business personnel from network owners, industrial companies, and ecosystems are deeply involved, working closely together to reach the business goals so that the owners can use both the industry and cross-border capabilities,” comments David Sun, Vice President of Huawei, and CEO of Huawei Electric Power Digitalization BU.

Meanwhile, based on the multi-source data convergence capability of Huawei’s Graph Engine Service and Data Warehouse Service, partners can build a dynamic distribution network map. The map integrates static information like the geography, topology, and asset information of lines and devices, and dynamic information including transformer district electrical, environmental, and state parameters. This makes transformer district information transparent and supports on-site operations, improving O&M efficiency.

Power outage awareness and response

Up to now, the average time for restoration of power supply following detection of an outage is over 4 hours, due to the labour-intensive and time-consuming task of troubleshooting onsite. Now, with the IoT solution, the utility company could detect and locate the incident within minutes and potentially achieve restoration within 25 minutes.

From passive management to active management

In the past, managers of transformer districts needed to wait for the notifications of fault generations and then travel to the sites for repair. Now, managers can set different warning thresholds for different transformer districts to detect onsite operating conditions in advance and handle potential risks promptly, reducing faults and improving power supply reliability.

Protecting power grid assets

Based on the physical topology of the transformer district, the SDTTs collect and calculate the current and voltage data of the transformer district meter and branch meters in real-time. An anti-power theft app-based online losses by branch and segment has been developed to monitor the transformer district in real-time and to accurately determine the power theft point within the district and thereby protect the power grid assets.

Successful practices in Shaanxi

To date, the power distribution IoT solution has been successfully deployed in many provinces in China, including Shaanxi, Shandong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. In Shaanxi, based on MessageFlow’s app development technology, smart distribution transformer terminals are fully integrated with the power generation, distribution, and marketing sides. This changes the status quo of transformer district O&M without real-time data support and enables data penetration at three levels: power plants, transformer districts and users. The panoramic view of transformer districts meets the service requirements for power system operation, power consumption information collection, customer service and lean management.

The distribution network status monitoring platform, which is the solution in practice, has access to over 100,000 distribution transformer districts covering 1,357 power stations and 5,401 10kV lines in 11 municipalities in Shaanxi Province, enabling power station directors and managers to receive abnormal information on transformer districts in their stations promptly. It improves the digital management level of distribution substation equipment and the safe operation of the distribution network, thus improving users’ satisfaction with electricity consumption.

It promotes the development of the electricity market, supplementing the intelligent IoT system of the local power company, and providing a demonstration of the development of IoT apps to boost the digitalization of the electric power grid.

Leveraging its strengths in the digital transformation of the electricity sector, Huawei is furthering the application of power distribution IoT, improving lean management and helping build an intelligent power distribution network help build an intelligent power distribution network with innovative solutions developed together with its partners and customers.

Read more:
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Next-generation transmission line inspection – security and efficiency with intelligence

In the short term up to 2025, the highest impacts on DSOs are expected to come from cloud computing, drones and artificial intelligence, while the lowest are from advanced communications and virtual and augmented reality.

Then looking to the medium term up to 2030, solid state batteries, hydrogen and microgrids are expected to have medium to high impact, while a high impact is anticipated from digital twins, vehicle-to-grid, generative AI and new storage technologies.

At the same time, several technologies also are starting to become transformational. These include the Internet of Things, quantum computing, LV self-healing, local energy optimisation and in particular edge computing, which is evolving as new technologies such as AI bring new data analysis capabilities and emerging business models such as IoT as a service enable new innovative offerings.

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Longer term by 2035, innovative charging for emobility, DC networks and superconductors are emerging, but their impacts are anticipated to be only medium or medium to low.

On the other hand by that time low inertia networks are set to become transformational, with the large scale deployment of renewables leading to a decrease in the share of synchronous rotating machines in the system.

This will demand that coordination between TSOs and DSOs becomes fundamental but also that DSOs must undertake an R&D programme to find solutions to operate a low inertia electrical system with the level of reliability and resilience required.

In its description of the technology radar, E.DSO points to the current technological landscape being very uncertain, marked by numerous and rapid developments and possible disruptions, particularly in the energy and IT sectors and with potentially significant impact on DSOs.

The technology radar is intended to assist with preparing for these and the plan is to update it regularly.

The technology radar was developed by a dedicated task force organised within E.DSO’s Technology & Knowledge Sharing Committee with experts from a set of European DSOs.

With advanced technologies integrating renewable energy sources, the approach to energy distribution is undergoing a revolutionary shift.

However, alongside these advancements come challenges, from diverse infrastructures to the essential need for predictive maintenance.

In this article, we explore the complexities of this landscape and delve into the role of open protocols like LwM2M in unleashing the full potential of IoT-based predictive maintenance.

Challenges with developing smart grid IoT applications

The DSO (Distribution System Operator) model, which is implemented, will maximise the integration of renewable energy sources and accelerate the decarbonisation of the economy, providing improved benefits to customers.

Smart grids play a crucial role in this transition, employing various measures like advanced metering infrastructure, load control switches, smart appliances, renewable energy resources and energy efficient technologies, among others.

However, this progress is not without challenges. The smart grid landscape faces hurdles in terms of diverse infrastructure, devices, and protocols, as well as scattered knowledge about their functioning. Additionally, a rapidly changing market of IoT standards and protocols further adds complexity to the mix.

To ensure successful smart grid IoT applications, the need for truly smart infrastructure management becomes evident. Predictive maintenance, which assists in determining live equipment conditions for timely maintenance, emerges as a key requirement to meet the growing demand for efficient uptime and rapid service reactions.

Requirements for building IoT-based predictive maintenance

Energy utilities require a comprehensive solution to overcome challenges and harness the full potential of IoT-based predictive maintenance.

The solution should include:

• Seamless and secure process for remote firmware over the air updates (FOTA) to IoT devices
• Secure and streamlined device provisioning
• Extensive device bootstrapping functionalities
• Multi-component OTA updates
• Robust device fleet management with real-time health monitoring
• An IoT operation centre supporting end-to-end lifecycle management
• Business logic automation capabilities.
• Necessary integrations with existing infrastructure.

Implementing such a comprehensive solution empowers energy utilities to unlock the full potential of their operations. It enables them to optimise equipment uptime, significantly reduce maintenance costs, and elevate their overall operational performance to new heights. 

On the other hand, neglecting IoT-based predictive maintenance can have serious repercussions. It may lead to non-compliance with legal regulations, escalate infrastructure maintenance costs and erode their competitive edge. Furthermore, if not implemented correctly, it could result in a closed solution with vendor-lock, leaving no room for innovative suggestions for existing devices, and lacking uniformity across their entire device fleet.

What IoT data can you use for predictive maintenance?

In a smart grid predictive maintenance use case, LWM2M plays a crucial role in tracking essential telemetry and device data, including real-time energy consumption, power quality parameters, equipment health and status, fault logs, load profiles and battery health for energy storage systems.

Utilities can implement proactive maintenance strategies by collecting and analysing this data. Machine learning algorithms can identify potential equipment failures, enabling utilities to schedule maintenance activities proactively, minimizs downtime, reduce repair costs and optimise overall smart grid performance.

Example of possible architecture

A practical example of a smart grid IoT project involves integrating legacy devices with limited functionality and new LwM2M devices, offering complete functionality. LwM2M enables seamless interoperability and device management, integrating with the application enablement layer. Integration with the HES allows remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, and optimized performance of energy assets, resulting in reduced downtime and enhanced customer experience through proactive fault detection and efficient energy resource utilisation.

The key benefits of this comprehensive solution include:

• Complete knowledge of device availability and service quality.
• Individual assessment of device condition and population analysis.
• Analysis of network and application factors.
• Performing operations on devices.
• Utilising reusable components.
• Flexibility for expansion on each layer.

With these advantages, the solution empowers energy utilities to enhance device management, optimise operations and drive efficiency across their infrastructure.

Conclusions

In conclusion, IoT-based predictive maintenance, powered by open protocols like LwM2M, offers a transformative opportunity for energy sector decision-makers. Adopting proactive maintenance strategies optimises efficiency, cuts costs and advances sustainability.

Embracing this approach empowers utilities to strengthen their position as pioneers in a greener, resilient energy ecosystem.

About the author

Rafał Kupis, an accomplished IoT professional, brings over 15 years of expertise in home and building automation. From system integrator to presales, he empowers construction, industrial, utilities and smart city domains.

About the company
At AVSystem, we pride ourselves on being a trusted and reliable partner for IoT deployments. We understand that proper device management is crucial to the success of any IoT project, which is why we have built our reputation on providing best-in-class solutions to ensure that our clients achieve scalability, interoperability, and security.

https://www.avsystem.com/coiote-iot-device-management-platform/  

Anjay IoT SDK: https://www.avsystem.com/anjay/ 

Coiote IoT Device Management Platform: https://www.avsystem.com/coiote-iot-device-management-platform/

The briefing, which was prepared by Beecham Research, indicates that out of 174.7 million LPWAN chipset shipments in 2022, 65.9 million were LoRa, while 22.4 million were NB-IoT, 45.4 million were LTE-M and the balance a combination of others including Sigfox and Wi-SUN.

By 2027, with growth expected of almost 20% per annum, shipments are projected to reach 424.8 million. Of these, 148.4 million are LoRa, 61.8 million NB-IoT, 107.1 million LTE-M and 107.5 million others.

(To give a broadly global picture, these numbers exclude China, which has adopted NB-IoT as the standard for massive IoT applications, whereas elsewhere a mixture of NB-IoT and LTE-M is offered by mobile operators).

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“Choosing the right connectivity technology for a use case is the most important decision an end-user will make,” states Donna Moore, chairwoman and CEO of the LoRa Alliance.

She comments that without the in-house expertise, solutions providers can help find the right-fit technology.

“Solutions providers analyse use cases, provide education on available technologies and allow project managers to envision the full scope of an IoT deployment. System integrators bring those ideas to life by integrating IoT sensor data into a platform that consolidates data from numerous end-user platforms.”

The briefing reviews the key features of LoRa as a long range, low power technology, initially developed for utility application, with the ability to penetrate concrete and steel and provide connectivity underground, but also finding application in smart building and smart city IoT use cases, particularly where low latency is not a key requirement.

As a result approximately 35-40% of all LoRaWAN deployments are estimated in the utility sector but the other sectors are increasing rapidly.

The briefing also reviews IoT use cases in the three sectors, with its use in the utilities sector for smart gas and water metering to improve the control and measurement of these commodities.

Current example projects cited include an over 3 million LoRa water meter digitalisation by Veolia and subsidiary Birdz in France and a Middle East utility harnessing low Earth orbit satellites with LoRaWAN to gain visibility on its approximately two million smart meters.

Smart building trends include an increasing emphasis on safety and comfort, with IoT applications such as HVAC and lighting control and air quality monitoring.

In cities, IoT applications include smart parking and street lighting, water and waste management and environmental sensing.

While the benefits of this kind of computing capacity are tremendous, the risks are just as great if malicious actors get access to that same quantum capability. It is vital that the providers of all mission-critical networks prepare for that eventuality now.

What is quantum computing?

Conventional computers are based on the binary concept that electrical signals can be either on or off, which is traditionally expressed in 1s and 0s. From the earliest computers that ran programs off physical punch cards to today’s smartwatches, they have all used coding languages based on binary computations.

Quantum computers are based on the principles of quantum mechanics, which allow for many states between on and off. We are not even limited to one state at a time. This means these computers can not only perform their tasks much faster than conventional binary computers, but they can carry out multiple processes at once, increasing their capacity and speed exponentially.

This offers great opportunities for mission-critical industries. Mining, oil and gas companies can quickly and accurately determine the best places to drill, reducing costly and invasive exploratory excavations. Power utilities can better understand weather patterns and the impact of climate change and make usage predictions to prepare the grid in advance to avoid disruption. The aerospace industry can make major breakthroughs faster, being able to perform highly complex analyses at unprecedented speed. Defence organizations can use quantum sensing for deep-sea navigation, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Emergency services organisations can vastly improve preparedness due to more accurate advance notice of natural disasters. Research and Education Networks, dedicated to solving some of humanity’s biggest challenges from climate change to disease and world hunger, can make calculations that are impossible today and accelerate important breakthrough innovation.

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Who is using quantum now?

Today’s quantum computers are highly specialised equipment that demand precise calibration and extreme cooling. That puts them out of reach for most organizations. The few quantum computers that have been built so far are owned by companies like IBM or large government entities. The capacity of today’s quantum computers is used for scientific and research purposes.

However, as demand for quantum computing increases in the private sector, more companies are likely to buy or rent capacity through an as-a-service model. Some innovators are also producing quantum annealers — smaller machines that are less powerful than full-scale quantum computers, but still offer much of the functionality companies are looking for.

Since 2021, Japanese manufacturers Toyota, Mitsubishi Chemical and ten other organizations have been sharing costs and using quantum computing to solve advanced problems, innovate materials for industrial applications and run autonomous vehicle scenarios as we prepare for the next generation of mobility. Mercedes-Benz is using quantum computing to accelerate battery performance for future electric vehicles.

Banks in the United States are running advanced financial computations. Researchers at Fraunhofer and the Cleveland Clinic are sequencing the human genome faster than ever before. Quantum has even been used to accelerate the study of COVID-19 treatments. And CERN, the European Council for Nuclear Research, is using quantum computing to analyse data from the Large Hadron Collider and accelerate our understanding of how the universe works.

Hacking at quantum speed

Today’s encryption mechanisms used to protect in-flight network data were developed to safeguard against an adversary using a conventional computer. Until now, these mechanisms were deemed strong enough to protect sensitive data because these computers cannot break the encryption within a practically useful timeframe.

It would take thousands of years to try every possible key combination. But with a quantum computer, a brute force attack can break most encryption ciphers, within minutes. Just as quantum computers can calculate at speed, access to the technology in the wrong hands means bad actors can also hack at quantum speed.

To launch such an attack requires a Cryptographically Relevant Quantum Computer (CRQC): a quantum computer large enough and equipped with the software required to break the asymmetric ciphers typically used in encryption today. The good news is that no such computer exists… yet. But it’s only a matter of time before a CRQC is developed. That moment is referred to as Q-Day — and while some experts believe its arrival to be most likely by 2030, based on recent developments many experts predict it could arrive sooner.

The potential for disaster when Q-Day comes is substantial. With standard encryption protections rendered useless, all networks will become vulnerable to attack. Malicious actors could cripple the world’s mission-critical networks like power grids and water utility systems with life-threatening consequences, in seconds. Financial markets could be tampered with, sending economies into turmoil. Vital medical systems and research could be impacted, causing irreparable damage to medications, vaccines and other life-saving treatments, setting advancements back to the drawing board.

But the risk does not start on Q-Day. Bad actors can “harvest” encrypted data now — even if they can’t do anything with it — and simply hold onto it until they can decrypt it with a CRQC. It is imperative that we start protecting mission-critical data against quantum hacking now.

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Is it even possible to protect networks from quantum hacking?

Yes. Fortunately, quantum-safe networking technology exists right now.

A symmetric, centralized Classic Key Distribution Network (CKDN) is a way of sharing strong keys separately from encrypted data, making it harder for hackers to acquire both pieces required to access the data. This technology has been in use for several years and is an important element of quantum safety. But it is only effective for certain types of network connections and needs to be complemented by other tools and technologies.

To expand quantum security, it will take a multi-faceted approach. Quantum keys, utilising quantum mechanics as the key material source and transmitted through a quantum key distribution network (QKDN), are currently in development and will provide another layer of security.

Cryptographers are also working on post-quantum asymmetric ciphers, designed to withstand quantum attacks. A future quantum-safe ecosystem will include all three of these elements: CKDN, quantum keys and post-quantum ciphers, as well as other technologies that have not even been thought of yet. The goal is to always stay one step ahead.

The quantum threat cannot be ignored and outdated networking technologies or the mindset of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” just won’t fly. Modernized networking technologies with built-in quantum-safe mechanisms will help. Nokia has been at the forefront of research on quantum-safe optical networking, embedding CKDN into our solutions for years. We are currently the only network vendor to offer a quantum-safe solution for our customers — and we are continuing to work with partners around the world on QKD trials and other innovations to ensure that when Q-Day comes, your mission-critical networks are ready.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

James Watt is Vice President and General Manager for the Optical Networks Division at Nokia. Prior to this, James was the Vice President and General Manager for the Services Business Unit, IP/Optical Networks, at Nokia and its predecessor in Alcatel-Lucent, President of the Optics Business Line in Alcatel-Lucent and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the Alcatel-Lucent Carrier Product Group. Until 2008, James held the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Alcatel-Lucent’s IP Business Division and had previously held the role of Vice President Network Strategy for Alcatel. James joined Alcatel in 2000 as Chief Technology Officer of the Carrier Internetworking Division through the acquisition of Newbridge Networks, where he was Assistant Vice President, Access and Network Management Strategy. During his 15 years with Newbridge, James held a variety of positions within the research & development, product management and marketing organizations. James holds multiple patents, primarily in the areas of traffic management and Internet Protocol. He received a B.SC. in Electrical Engineering from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario in 1986.

Chris Johnson is Senior Vice President and Global Head of Enterprise at Nokia. A veteran sales and business leader, Chris focuses on delivering critical network solutions for the world’s most essential industries. He is a passionate champion of industrial digitalization for enterprises and government organizations, with a deep understanding of how innovative and intuitive digital technologies can bring resilience, productivity, efficiency and sustainability to any operation. Drawing on his experience defining business strategies, developing teams, executing initiatives and driving profitable growth, Chris helps Nokia Enterprise customers harness the exponential potential of networks to unlock new business models and build capacity for long-term success.