Wired for Tomorrow
Investing in a better world - Stories and examples from our members
In the face of the EU's ambitious decarbonisation goals, the landscape of energy is rapidly evolving, demanding a paradigm shift towards electrification and digitalisation. Eurelectric, in collaboration with Accenture, has dived deep into this transformative journey, exploring the critical role of digitised Distribution System Operators (DSOs). The resulting study assesses DSOs' digital maturity across Build, Operate, Maintain, and Data-driven capabilities, surveying over 31 DSOs serving 80M+ customers across 21 countries. The analysis, supported by real-world case studies from members, charts a roadmap for how DSOs can leverage digital technologies to bolster grid capacity, efficiency, and resilience, paving the way for a sustainable energy future.
Read about the study’s key insights, which reveal the ecosystem-wide benefits of digitalising DSOs, making it imperative for DSOs as it unlocks advantages for all stakeholders in the market. Regulatory clarity emerges as a powerful driver, with appropriate regulations advancing digitalisation and DSOs' digital maturity. However, challenges persist, notably in integrating Operational Technology (OT) data into IT systems, despite DSOs acknowledging its business potential. A balanced strategy between building-out more grid digitally and using flexibility technologies is crucial, yet both capabilities currently underutilise digital technologies on average. Addressing talent scarcity emerges as a top priority, necessitating specific skills and organisational change for successful digital transformation. Furthermore, the study scans existing technologies, showcasing the availability of ready-to-use tools, offering tangible support for DSOs in their digital journey.
Wired for Tomorrow
Alliander: Capacity Management with Open Source
Dutch DSO Alliander has a long history of digitalisation projects. Faced with limitations to grid capacity, Alliander took a holistic approach to increase effective capacity. This integral approach is being called 'Capacity Management'. Digitalisation was fundamental to this effort and therefore full digitalisation and automation was taken as a starting point for new processes, rather than incrementally digitising existing processes. Without readily available software solutions digitalisation was achieved through in-house agile software development.
CGI: National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) Smart Meter Innovation and Test Network (SMITN) Project
National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) serves 8 million customers in the UK (East & West Midlands, South West England and South Wales). The aim of the SMITN project is to extract additional value from smart meter data by providing more visibility on the low voltage grid connections to customers.
E.ON SE: Introducing low voltage observability and congestion management
Westnetz is the largest electricity DSO in Germany by geographical area with approx.. 7 million customers, maximum load and a number of other parameters. The service area of the 110 kV grid covers an area that is about the size of the Netherlands. With approx. 1,5 million customers Avacon also is one of the largest DSOs in Germany being responsible for another large chunk of the 110 kV grid in Germany and for an area that is characterized by heavy investments in wind.
Enline and Red Eléctrica de España (REE): Dynamic Line Rating
Enline collaborated with Red Eléctrica de España (REE) to optimize power line management in mainland Spain and Ibiza, a highly touristic area with fluctuating energy demands. Facing ampacity challenges due to weather variations, Enline's specialized consulting service, utilizing sensorless Dynamic Line Rating (E-DLR) software, accurately evaluates and quantifies maximum power transmission capacity since 2021. By integrating electrical and meteorological data, Enline empowered REE to optimize energy transmission on the lines without exceeding maximum admissible cable temperatures, ensuring reliable supply despite dynamic demand fluctuations.
Fugro: Digitalisation of Clearance Monitoring to Maintain Regulatory Compliance
Our goal is to help DSOs build and maintain a digital asset library by transforming remote sensing data into a spatial digital twin of the world. This solution is called Fugro ROAMES® and follows the principle of map, model, monitor. Having acquired the Geo-data (map) our solution models the assets in 3D while also modelling the environmental features (vegetation) just like assets, generating analytics about these modelled features. These analytics are converted into insights that will improve monitoring and maintenance programmes across our clients’ network. The DSO we are working with is SP Energy Networks, whose parent company is Iberdrola.
GE Vernova: Automated congestion management
The initiative is already a commercially available product and is deployed, deploying, or in negotiation with DSOs in Northern Europe, Australia and USA. It leverages digitisation and its aim is to automate one of the most pressing use-cases faced by DSOs: congestion management.
RaySun and Urbio: Grid impact of large-scale deployment of Decentralised Energy Systems (DES)
This initiative focuses on the challenges posed by large-scale decarbonization projects and their effects on the power grid, primarily due to the proliferation of Decentralized Energy Systems (DES). Although these systems are crucial for meeting decarbonization objectives, they introduce issues related to grid stability and capacity, especially during peak demand and production periods. The study emphasizes the importance of strategic investment and planning. The goal is to align the deployment of DES with the current capabilities of the electrical grid, aiming to enhance both financial and operational efficiencies.
Siemens: Maintaining grid stability with NXpower Monitor
This case study examines a specific IoT solution provided by Siemens for electrification and automation. Siemens AG is a focused technology company that combines the real and the digital worlds and helps customers to meet the great challenges of our time.
Siemens: Proactive Outage and DER Management
Just like any other DSO in the EU, Elvia is facing tremendous pressure on coping with the speed of the energy transition. The LV grid is increasingly relevant and is becoming a bottleneck for grid management due to the lack of transparency. Elvia needed a software solution that could provide an optimization of grid capacity and take the existing physical grid into its physical limits.
Siemens: Accelerating electric mobility with Intelligent Substations & SICAM Navigator
This case study examines a specific IoT solution provided by Siemens for electrification and automation. Siemens AG is a focused technology company that combines the real and the digital worlds and helps customers to meet the great challenges of our time.