
20 April 2023
New initiative to secure critical infrastructure for electricity supply
Luleå University of Technology has started a collaboration with companies such as Hitachi Energy, Vattenfall, Ericsson, Telia, Metrum and IETV. The aim is to research and demonstrate how 5G technology can be used to increase the operational reliability of critical infrastructures.
By using technologies such as 5G and automation, it is hoped to simplify the construction and maintenance of power systems and create smart grids that are more flexible and adaptable. Smart grids can optimise the distribution of electricity, reduce the risk of interruptions, and support a higher share of renewable energy, which is crucial for a more sustainable energy transition and future.
"We will combine the latest from IT, telecommunications, and the energy sector with groundbreaking research. The collaboration is an important step in developing new application areas for 5G technology and strengthens Sweden's position on a global level" says Karl Andersson, Professor of Pervasive and Mobile Computing at Luleå University of Technology.
Peter de Bruin, a leading researcher at Ericsson and one of the parties to the project, emphasises the benefits of 5G networks:
"With 5G comes the opportunity to create local solutions for secure and fast data transmission. 5G offers high security, high reliability and low latency, enabling a completely new environment for application development in local clouds or clouds at the edge of the communication network," he says.
Math Bollen, professor of electrical power engineering at Luleå University of Technology, is involved in the project.
"We are now planning the experimental work, which will first take place in Luleå at Luleå University of Technology and then move to Älvkarleby in Vattenfall's newly established 5G test environment, which Telia has built with technology from Ericsson," says Math Bollen.
The initiative for more reliability in critical infrastructures is taking place as part of the VISA /5G project, Vendor Independent Substation Automation over 5G. Substations in particular are crucial for the distribution of electricity and are an important part of the power grid. With the help of 5G and automation, substations can be monitored and controlled more efficiently. You can collect data in real time from different parts of the power grid and optimise operations. This way you can quickly identify and solve problems, which increases operational safety and reduces the risk of interruptions.
Vinnova is the main financier, and the project has a budget of SEK 14.8 million. For more information, visit www.visa5g.se
Contact
Karl Andersson
- Professor tillika ämnesföreträdare, Dekan
- 0910-585364
- karl.andersson@ltu.se
- Karl Andersson
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