The energy industry is poised to undergo a dramatic transformation in the coming decade, making it particularly difficult to predict its future. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s GRIP Program has set aside budget to provide more resiliency and capacity for the U.S. power grid system, with improved ability to handle Distributed Energy Resource (DER) power integration, and capacity to further increase electric vehicle (EV) adoption. These improvements will vastly change the future of the energy industry.
One area that is primed for significant growth and innovation within the energy sector is the communications infrastructure required to support these innovations. In the past five years interest in a hybrid network topology for IoT supporting cellular and mesh connectivity, has increased by 10 percent. This growth reflects an increased technical awareness of the technology options available and their respective benefits, showing a maturing approach to IoT network planning.
Mesh network technology, based on interoperable open standards can help to revolutionize the way we manage and distribute energy. From efficiency and reliability improvements to greater security and customer satisfaction, mesh networking and open standards should be considered critical elements of a growing and improving power grid system.
Let’s look at seven reasons why mesh networks using open standards will make waves as they are integrated into the power grid in the coming decade:
1. Increased Reliability: According to a recent survey of utility professionals at Distributech 2023, 83% noted that the need for proven security and reliability for smart utility networks is ‘very important’. Mesh networks offer a more robust and reliable communication network than networks using a star topology. Mesh networks comprise multiple interconnected nodes with a choice of connection paths, forming a web of connections that can maintain communication through the network even if one or more nodes fail.
This redundancy makes the grid more resilient to outages and disruptions. For example, energy providers can use pole-tilt sensors to identify when lines are down (or anticipate when they might be). Whether energy companies are fighting outages due to atmospheric rivers in California, or still wrenching from the impact of freezing temperatures in Texas two years ago, the increased reliability that mesh networks can bring is tremendous.
2. Improved Efficiency: Open standards enable different devices and systems to communicate and share data with each other. This interoperability can lead to improved efficiency and more effective use of resources. Mesh networks can be self-healing, driving efficiency as data can be rerouted in the event of an outage. Transmissions are usually made over a shorter distance, too, resulting in higher performance and power efficiency for utility companies.
3. Lower Costs: Like any business, managing costs is critical in the energy sector. The self-healing nature of mesh networks built on open standards discussed above also means that energy companies identify and address malfunctioning parts of the network, which can reduce costs associated with power loss due to faulty devices, or in improved efficiency identifying and repairing faults.
Additionally, mesh-based field area networks (FANs) can also support voltage/VAR optimization (VVO) to reduce energy waste. Energy companies can monitor VVO devices, measure voltage and reduce it as needed to prevent waste (further driving down costs).
4. Better Integration of Renewable Energy: Energy companies are investing in renewable sources as a means of reducing the cost of energy production to the planet. Mesh networks can enable better integration of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power into the grid. Because renewable energy sources can be less stable in terms of energy production, mesh networks can help energy companies gain better control of their grids by taking advantage of edge computing on their distribution networks.
Additionally, by allowing for more accurate measurement and management of energy use, mesh networks can help balance supply and demand, ensuring that excess energy generated by renewables is not wasted.
5. Increased Security: Since we’ve talked about edge computing, it’s important to note that this type of infrastructure requires heightened cybersecurity is built into the devices that operate on it. The aforementioned survey by Wi-SUN Alliance, revealed 79% of energy professionals have a high interest in IoT deployments focused on energy security. This is where open standards come into play; a standards-based communications environment means that all devices support and follow internationally recognized security best practices.
Mesh network technologies based on open standards which support best-of-breed-security such as certificate-based authentication and strong encryption, are essential provide a more secure communication network to support emerging power grid applications.
6. Improved Customer Service: The fact that we are connected to our phones 24x7 means that our expectations around customer service have increased over time. We can order food, a car or even conduct a medical appointment all from the palm of our hand. Today’s consumers expect this same quality of experience from their energy providers.
As we have discussed, mesh networks that follow open, interoperable standards are highly reliable, allowing data to be re-routed if devices lose contact with one another. Today’s energy companies understand the value this offers in terms of providing detailed and accurate information about energy use to customers, enabling them to make more informed decisions about their energy consumption.
7. More Innovation: Open standards can encourage innovation by allowing for the development of new devices and systems that can communicate with each other. This leads to the creation of new products and services that can improve the efficiency, reliability, and security of the power grid.
The use of mesh networks based on open standards have been proven and have the potential to revolutionize the energy sector in many ways. These technologies can improve reliability, efficiency, security, and customer service while lowering costs and enabling the integration of renewable energy sources. As the power grid becomes increasingly digitized and connected, mesh networks and open standards will play a critical role in ensuring its success in the coming decade.