Nine European startups have launched a joint initiative to promote digital solutions for the electricity grid of the future and their benefits. Four companies from Switzerland are involved.
Renewable energy and the growth of electrical appliances and vehicles are causing concern for the electricity grids. This brings more complexity for network operators and regulators. At the same time, there is a great deal of uncertainty about the use of new digital solutions. These solutions, which address current and future requirements of the networks, are currently little known by distribution system operators and regulation.
Market access as a challenge
“In exchange with other smart grid players, we quickly realized that market entry is a major hurdle for most people,” says Oliver Deuschle, CEO of SMIGHT. “Young companies like us are developing innovative, digital solutions along the value chain. By joining forces, we can meet all customer needs and offer tailor-made solutions,” adds Olaf Erber, Sales Manager Germany at depsys.
SMIGHT from Germany and the Swiss start-up depsys are two of the companies that founded the Digital Grid Initiative. Also included are Adaptricity (Zurich), enersis (Bern), envelio (Cologne, D), Greenbird (Oslo, Norway), Gridhound (Aachen, D), Venios (Frankfurt Main, D) and Zaphiro (Ecublens).
Open network
The Digital Grid Initiative sees itself as an open and learning network without a formal form of organisation. “We want to promote the exchange of concrete experiences in planning, implementing and operating new solutions between the network partners and the industry,” says Andreas Ulbig, COO of Adaptricity. The aim is an accelerated transformation of distribution networks in the German-speaking region towards digital network operation.
To this end, the initiative kicks off a webinar series with practical information on new digital solutions. The necessary adjustments in administrative and operational processes are also discussed. The first webinar entitled “Network operation of the future – digital or analogue?” will take place on 09.03.2021.
(Press release /
FR)
