The smart grid paradigm poses new challenges to communication networks requiring a flexible and orchestrated network, slicing, and millisecond-level latency. In order for today’s power distribution grids to be transformed into ‘evolved’ smart grids that feature online monitoring data and to enable efficient, fast, and secure operation, power distribution companies need new tools that will allow them to monitor and operate the distribution network and to maintain and increase reliability and Quality of Service (QoS). To tackle these problems, Smart5Grid identifies the following high-level requirements for the communication network that will allow building innovative and high performance smart grids: (i) very high device density for connecting thousands of energy metering and power electronic devices in one location, (ii) very high bandwidth to allow massive data flows from multiple devices simultaneously, allowing remote maintenance and substation monitoring, and (iii) ultra-low latency for fault detection, network isolation, and operation of recovery devices within one power cycle (i.e. 20ms for the 50Hz frequency used in electric current).
To achieve these ambitious goals, the main novelties and technology features of the project are listed below:
Smart5Grid MEC platform,
5G Core Service Based Architecture for the energy-specific vertical domain,
Open 5G platform for smart grids and third-party experimentation,
Open Network Application repository for third parties,
DevOps approach for energy specific Network Application development and deployment and
Network Slicing (Enhanced Mobile Broadband – eMBB, massive Machine-Type Communication – mMTC, ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications – uRLLC).