(Finance) – Reduce CO2 emissions from activities, limit network losses and adopt circular and low-emission materials and components. These are the cornerstones of Enel’s Net Zero strategy for the grid sector presented today in Rome on the occasion of “Net Zero Grid Day”, event that brought together the stakeholders of the electricity distribution ecosystem. During the event, the company announced the birth of the “Open Power Grids” association destined to share Enel standards for distribution network components with stakeholders in an open source environment in order to accelerate the adoption of new safe, sustainable and efficient technical solutions. In this context, Gridspertise, the Enel company that provides distribution system operators (DSOs) and utilities with cutting-edge solutions for the digitization of electricity distribution networks, has outlined the next step in its growth strategy aimed at encouraging efforts to modernization of infrastructure in the United States.
“Our Net Zero goal for grids aims to accelerate the adoption of the principles set out in the Paris Agreement across the industry in order to facilitate the energy transition and a significant transformation of electricity distribution infrastructures. This represents the first move by a global electricity grid operator to manage emissions upstream and downstream of the infrastructure in an open way, a necessary step if we are to reach the goal of zero net emissions across the sector – he said Antonio Cammisecra, Enel’s Head of Global Infrastructure and Networks -. We have done a lot to identify the best technical solutions for our networks, but to move forward quickly we need to share this challenge with other operators in an open and collaborative environment towards Net Zero networks. “
“We are very pleased to reveal the next step in our growth strategy, represented by entering the large US market with digital solutions designed to increase the resilience and reliability of power distribution networks – commented Robert Denda, CEO of Gridspertise -. We are working to establish partnerships with local utilities in order to support the modernization and digitization plans of the network in an open way, including through the collaborative testing of our innovative QEd (Quantum Edge Device) for digital secondary substations. This digital solution can be adapted to existing infrastructure, allowing for example the integration of electric mobility and decentralized renewable energies without costly grid rebuilds. Gridspertise will be attending the Distributech event to be held later this month in Dallas, where it will release more details. “
The Net Zero Grid Day event organized by Enel follows the launch of Grid Futurability under the pre-COP 26 activities in Milan where the Group unveiled the innovative and customer-centric transformation of its electricity grids into participatory, resilient and sustainable platforms, as part of the € 70 billion investment plan dedicated to electricity grids for the period 2021-2030.
In detail, Enel shared concrete actions to combat direct emissions, adopting more sustainable operations through digitalization, remote operations, electrification of fleets, measures to protect biodiversity and reducing the technical losses of networks. The company is also engaging suppliers, equipment manufacturers and construction companies in its supply chain in order to tackle indirect emissions and implement more sustainable network processes and components such as SF6-free switchgear, vegetable oils for transformers and green cables. o standards for sustainable construction sites. Enel also noted how some of the actions taken to embrace the principles of the circular economy throughout its business, such as the use of recycled materials for new resources such as circular meters, poles or road cabinets or the management of the end of life of components, can produce important environmental and economic benefits.
The stakeholders present at the event they have included leading equipment manufacturers, test and certification firms, engineering consultancy firms, research and design institutes, as well as utilities, among others. Participants shared strategies and actions already in place to support the provision of sustainable networks as a key part of the transition to a low-carbon world and called for greater collaboration.
Through the“Open Power Grids” association, Enel has begun sharing its technical specifications for the main components and devices, including the Building Information Modeling (BIM) design of the Liberty primary cabin, which involves the generation and management of digital representations of physical and functional characteristics. This – explains Enel – is the first constitutive element to promote convergence and co-engineering towards modularity standards, maximizing the creation of shared value through sustainability and safety, as well as cost efficiency and technical performance. For this purpose, through the Enel Open Innovability online platform, the Group also promotes a global competition for the design and architecture of sustainable substations in order to improve the integration of these resources within the urban, suburban or rural landscape.
THE members of the “Open Power Grids” association they can benefit from the global standards already available on the platform that Enel uses for its global tenders and propose the introduction of new standards or the modification of existing ones.