Digital Revolution in Substations
Distribution grid operators need to get their infrastructure ready for the energy transition and fast.
Image for illustration purposes.
The energy sector is undergoing a significant transformation as it prepares for a future dominated by renewable energy sources. By 2030, Germany aims to generate 80% of its electricity from renewables, placing immense pressure on distribution grid operators to modernise their infrastructure rapidly.
A pioneering project at naturenergie netze GmbH, a southern German distribution grid operator, is showcasing how transformer substations can be upgraded more efficiently. In collaboration with software providers Eplan and entegra, the company is developing a digital twin of its transformer substations, a virtual representation that includes data for both primary technology (live components) and secondary technology (control systems).
This digital approach offers several advantages:
1. Faster planning and implementation: The modernisation process, which typically takes 2-3 years, can be significantly accelerated.
2. Improved efficiency: By integrating primary and secondary technology into one digital twin, the project promises substantial time savings and increased reliability.
3. Standardisation: The digital twin allows for the creation of standard concepts and buildings in the 110 kV range, further reducing planning time and resources.
4. Data integrity: Following the ‘single source of truth’ principle, all data is verified and linked to the digital twin, preventing problematic redundancies.
5. Centralised access: The digital twin provides a unified view of all relevant information for the transformer substation.
The project also highlights the benefits of standardisation and ‘industrialisation’ in substation planning, a practice well-established in mechanical engineering but relatively new to the electricity industry. This approach is crucial for meeting the increasing demand for modernisation and new builds resulting from the energy transition.
The collaboration between naturenergie netze, Eplan, and entegra serves as a blueprint for other grid operators facing similar challenges. By openly sharing information, the industry can collectively benefit from these innovations, enabling faster implementation of conversion and new-build projects across the sector.
Source: Automation.com
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