Elia Grid International (EGI) and Xtensible will be providing consulting services and technical assistance to support in the implementation of an energy vision to be the first at-scale, fully integrated and stable utility with 100% renewable energy at the lowest comparable cost for a utility company in the middle east.
To provide cheap renewable electricity long-term different technologies including bulk generation from solar, wind power and integrated solutions such as solar facades and rooftop integrated solar will be considered. The high-level design concept of the grid will need to incorporate the right balance between innovation needed for the primary design functions while still having sufficient proof-of-concept security in the chosen designs and technologies.
The energy vision includes defining the Control Room of the Future (CRoF), to include capability definition, OT and IT model, SCADA, advanced data integration and control hierarchy. Functional and system architecture will be determined for both transmission and distribution. Due to the green field nature of this initiative both short-term and long-term progress will be accomplished via parallel workstreams. An initial control center will be commissioned, and later transitioned to the fully autonomous CRoF.
Based on their operational experience EGI will be focusing on high level strategy and concepts. Xtensible will further expand and advance the work by adding detail through a standard and semantics-based approach for the initial control center while at the same time setting the foundation for the CRoF vision.
A main challenge will be to assess CRoF vendor offers in context of functionality today and assessing their future roadmap. The vision includes a desire to utilize cutting edge technologies such as for digitalization, for embedded security, and preparing for AI and Machine Learning. The project when complete will embody pioneering ideas and will exceed boundaries.
About Elia Grid International
Elia Grid International (EGI) is a global consultancy company specialized in complex power system challenges. Their multidisciplinary team of experts offers strategic, technical, and regulatory advice in all fields related to power transmission, as well as a range of specialist solutions. They have been delivering projects in over 20 countries worldwide. EGI is part of Elia Group, one of Europe’s top five transmission system operators and a key player in the European energy market and interconnected electricity system. Elia Group is also an industry-renowned specialist in building interconnectors and integrating renewable energy generation.
About Xtensible
Xtensible, is a leading global provider of semantic-based integration and information management consultancy services and products to the utility industry worldwide and is also a driving force behind the development and implementation of open standards, such as CIM, MultiSpeak, OpenFMB, etc., that underpin current and future interoperability initiatives. With offices in the USA and South Africa, Xtensible has served its global client base for 25 years.