Red Eléctrica is implementing a new vegetation management model for its power lines. Until now, the identification of vegetation species was done through manual photo-interpretation techniques.

Through this project, alongside our partner Overstory, we have created a series of algorithms that automate the photointerpretation of tree and shrub species from satellite images and images from the National Aerial Orthophotography Plan (PNOA).

Enables the budgeting and planning of investment projects in the Transport Network using all the information available and specific to each project. These are feedback and automatic learning models to be applied during the life cycle of the projects.

Objective: to improve management of the investment activity of the company and decision-making in the DC and DGT based on the use of the information generated in the activity of the projects.

The goal of this project is to switch from a reactive/preventive model to a predictive model in the area of occupational health and safety. We make use of the traceability and digital footprint of the data and information provided by the management tools and applications of the Red Eléctrica Group to make analyses with descriptive (what happened), predictive (what could happen) and prescriptive models (what can we do to stop it happening) The first goal of the project is to use Artificial Intelligence methods to create a probability indicator of the risk of accidents and issues associated with any maintenance and construction work.

The CONPP project aims to develop a methodology for forecast probability intervals calculation, combining the intervals of the individual predictors of the suppliers with the best accuracy, which provide the hourly demand and production forecast curves at the level of each system. The main objective of this work is the development of a procedure for the construction of prediction intervals associated to forecasts obtained as combinations of independent model and supplier predictors.

The CounterCraft company has a cyber deception platform that consists of recreating realistic virtual environments to deceive potential attackers and extract as much information as possible about them. The CounterCraft pilot had a twofold objective: on the one hand, a mock-up of a power substation connected to the internet was created, emulating the data traffic and accessible functionality as if it were a real, physical substation.

The CounterCraft tool monitored this mock-up to obtain information and profile the attackers (locations, IPs, tools and scripts, vulnerabilities, etc.). On the other hand, the information emulated by the mock-up was collected to extend this tool and thus facilitate the deployment of new realistic virtual mock-ups while Countercraft completes its range of solutions. The project was successfully completed and has provided relevant information that will undoubtedly increase the resilience of the systems, leading to further proofs of concept.

The objective of the SLISE project is to mitigate the vulnerabilities that the new virtualization technologies adopted massively at the core of the 5G architecture (and which are already part of the technical drafts of the sixth generation) have dragged into the new paradigm of communications as a service. Specifically, research into new algorithms is proposed: incident analysis, encryption, radio attack detection identification and automated response; in a more flexible context to face the risks inherent to virtualization technologies: Network Function Virtualization (NFV), Software Defined Networks (SDN) and Network Slicing (NS). All this will be studied, defining demanding indicators that broadly cover these objectives, in a set of use scenarios that present different protection priorities and that include the use of communications in the context of critical infrastructure management, as well as the use of communications in the manufacturing industry.

The Kymatio project is a web-based training program for professionals, dedicated to the cyber-awareness and the assessment of their alertness in an unattended and personalized way, while providing a risk management tool associated with the human element with metrics, evolution over time and action plans.

The project aims to develop a transmission grid based on local and remote monitoring and sensors, operating with transmission categories calculated in real time. These capacities are calculated using a thermal model of the line and data obtained from the monitoring of immediate atmospheric conditions and/or the physical parameters of the installation along its full length. This will enable us to access the capacity that has so far been blocked by the circuits, giving us better knowledge of their real conditions. The result is more flexible and safer operations.

Implementation of Process Mining for the analysis and identification of inefficiencies such as bottlenecks, degree of automation, rejections, approval flow times, and opportunities to optimise the business processes of the company. The incubation project will test different Process Mining tools and will design and optimise the application flow of this type of techniques in corporate processes.

Objective: To optimise business processes in the sales/purchasing areas in order to reduce costs.

At #Elewit, together with Accenture, we are developing a pilot project to predict the capacity of lines in future time horizons, as the calculation and prediction of the capacity of overhead electricity lines (DLR) is key, among other things, to improve the safety of the lines, to minimise the damage caused by breakdowns and failures and to contribute to guaranteeing supply and the balance between demand and generation.

Current automatic substation systems are distributed systems in which the software is associated with specific hardware. Therefore, the possibility of innovating with new algorithms is conditioned by the existing software-hardware assemblies.

Through this project, we intend to create an executable software platform on general hardware platforms, applying Edge technology concepts and microservices, creating a virtualised environment capable of implementing the functions of the automatic substation system and with a high capacity for integrating new functions into the system.

Project carried out together with partners NEARBY Computing, CIRCE, ZIV Automation, Indizen and INDRA-Minsait.

Its goal is to see the real level of small-scale self-supply (P <1MW) because there is no plan for real-time measurements or metering for the amount generated. The information, however, is available in the IoT and the cloud. The platform makes monitoring possible in real time, enabling us to estimate production in the system and to make forecasts.

This project is intended to ensure the safety of people and facilities in discharge operations, removing situations of risk for operators associated with their work in protected zones and accompanying tasks, as part of the Red Eléctrica Group’s strategic goal of “zero accidents”.

Strategos is a calculation tool that enables the optimisation of the portfolio of investment projects for the development and maintenance of the electricity transmission network. Through the implementation of Machine Learning techniques and Redeia's own know-how, the tool optimises decision-making when executing a set of investment projects.

In addition, it allows to simulate and estimate the risks associated with the implementation of projects, thus helping decision-making.

Barbara is developing a tool based on edge computing to obtain a real-time representation of the status of different elements at an electricity substation when an incident occurs (typically a short circuit). Therefore, technicians will be able to access the data for both monitoring and analysis more quickly than they can now.

Edge computing is a type of on-site computing that relies on collecting and processing data from the hardware itself rather than sending it to the cloud or somewhere else for analysis, as do most IoT-based systems (Internet of Things), which are more passive in nature.

The objective of this project is to validate the electricity infrastructures of Red Eléctrica as a suitable site for 5G systems. In this way, a roadmap is established with the implementation of several minimum viable products (MVP) with which to accumulate experience on the installation of 5G systems in the networks (requirements, special needs, etc.) and to check the possible impact on the environment of the facilities themselves.

Together with Orange, Huawei and the Red Eléctrica Group, we are working to develop a pilot that can analyse the potential of 5G technology for protection, control and automation systems. The pilot will show the potential of 5G for these systems: they will become independent from the means of access to the communications network (fibre optics or 5G), which makes it possible to make new designs and optimise the infrastructure required, making it suitable to the needs, criteria and philosophy of the different agents. There are 3 different scenarios proposed to replace usual communications via fibre optics with 5G radio solutions:

• 5G for WAMPAC
• 5G for line protections
• 5G to deploy the process bus outside the sub-station
• Replace the line protection by its digital twin

Together with Orange, Huawei, Arbórea Intellbird and Hispasat we are implementing 5G technology to make real time analyses of accident scenarios in critical infrastructures, enabling us to carry out inspections of critical aspects of our infrastructures using remotely controlled and robotic systems.

This will improve our response time by incorporating inspection processes and the analysis of critical infrastructures, increasing their safety. It is also proposed to include communication satellites as backup for the terrestrial 5G network via Network Slicing in different situations.

A network of cameras with different vision spectrums has been implemented at the Morvedre converter station, attached to the Morvedre-400kV substation, to inspect the state of the different elements of the substation, detect SF₆ leaks, identify and record partial discharges and identify and control hot spots in any element of the installation.

The images captured are analysed and processed by the Edge Computing located in the same installation, applying artificial vision algorithms to report data of interest for the operation and maintenance of the substation to the different users in real time and without supervision.

To minimise the camera network, all of them are motorised with pan-tilt and some are located in fixed locations while others are housed in AGV robots to facilitate the inspection of elements that are more difficult to access. 

Development of a real-time interface able to reliably identify the open/closed/intermediate status of the disconnector and to deliver all the disconnector data to a VR platform, allowing the technician have an overview of the status and minimise the visual inspection time of the disconnector, reducing costs and man-hours of this activity.

Objective: To achieve predictive maintenance of the disconnector, controlling all its variables, minimising and even eliminating the local operating costs associated with disconnector operations.

Solution benchmark (2) and service models for submarine cable sensing via optical fibre. Calibration and characterisation tests will be performed in a real environment and then a benchmarking period of approximately 2-3 weeks will be initiated with each solution.

Elewit is working on a project that consists, on the one hand, in the implementation of a sensor that identifies the presence of sulphur hexafluoride and quantifies its concentration in ppm in the high voltage compartment isolated with SF6 gas, while, on the other hand, it is also developing and validating the electronics necessary to adapt the signal obtained from the sensor to a quantifiable measurement in engineering units, as well as the communications circuits to facilitate its transmission and thus improve predictive maintenance.

In this project, low-cost IoT devices that are minimally invasive are developed, in order to monitor the dynamic response of safety elements and detect unsafe behaviours when carrying out work on transmission grid elements.

The use of fibres in concrete is becoming more and more widespread. But can we go further? How about obtaining these fibres from recycling?

The main objective of the project is to define, obtain and extrude polypropylene fibres and perform different tests with these additives in concrete, so that they can improve the physical characteristics of the concrete, identify the advantages and disadvantages, as well as assess which fibres are the most suitable for REE (in form and dosage, or mixed with non-recycled fibres) for construction and to contribute to sustainable development.

Project for the collection of atmospheric water (condensation of water contained in the air) and the application of renewable energies.

Objective: To achieve self-supply of water for the electrical substations, thus avoiding dependence on external supplies or connection to municipal supply networks.

Project for the design of support and efficient node-based assembly system for Overhead Electricity Transmission Lines.

Objective: Compactness, Cost Reduction and Sustainability in overhead line supports.

In this project, a hybrid device has been developed and tested, capable of providing different flexibility services to the electricity system, especially in isolated systems such as the one in the Canary Islands. The device integrates a statcom, a lithium-ion battery and supercapacitors, optimally coordinated and managed by an advanced control system.

The PLATEA RENEWABLE project aims to provide a renewable power supply system for auxiliary services in a substation as an alternative to the use of a generator set.

Its main objective is to reduce environmental pollution by means of a hybrid generation system (photovoltaic+batteries) and to make the system portable for use in other locations.

The purpose of the project is to develop a hybrid storage system equipped with a grid-forming monitoring system. Therefore, firstly, the functional requirements that the system should provide were specified and PSCAD models were developed incorporating the controls developed. These models have been used to check, through simulations, the fulfilment of the functional requirements. Laboratory tests are currently being carried out to try to replicate the behaviour of a real electricity grid in order to study the behaviour of the device in response to different events. The project is being carried out in collaboration with HESStec and IBERDROLA.

The objective of the project is to provide a full-scale demonstration of the benefits and services that uncontrollable renewable energy plants in combination with dedicated storage systems could provide to the system. Therefore, a series of capabilities to be provided have been established by the generation and storage plant, specific models have been developed, and techno-economic studies have been carried out to determine the optimum size and degree of hybridisation (batteries + ultracapacitors) for the experimental plant in Barasoain, owned by Acciona, where the tests are being carried out. The last phase of the project is to carry out tests in a real environment where the slow and fast response capabilities will be tested. The testing of the former is currently nearing completion.

SafeDelimit is a hardware product for safe area delimiting at industrial environments. Thanks to its LiDAR capabilities, it is able, once programmed, to warn the technician or operator that he is entering an area of the installation in which, for safety reasons, he must not be. This solution won the DESPEGA intra-entrepreneurship program held in Redeia.

Based on technologies such as internet of things, artificial intelligence and data analytics, ASUMO aims to improve procedures and activities related to maintenance, engineering and construction areas in order to optimise and automate transport network infrastructure development processes, as well as in-service asset management.

The Virtual Synchronous Compensator (ViSynC) project is a crucial initiative on the path towards the ecological transition and the integration of renewable energy sources in the electricity system. Its relevance lies in the growing need to increase energy storage capacity in Spain to meet ambitious energy and climate targets. ViSynC addresses this challenge by developing a hybrid storage system combining lithium-ion batteries and ultracapacitors, managed in synchronous grid-forming mode, which allows maintaining grid stability and improving the integration of intermittent renewable energy sources.

ViSynC is an example of how Elewit is at the forefront of the energy transformation, leading the way towards a cleaner and more sustainable future. In this project we work with other companies, such as: Redeia, Red Eléctrica, Hesstec, CEN Solutions, S2 Grupo and CERE.

The ViSynC project is supported and funded by the following institutions:

The Ergonomic Grounding System Project (SERPAT) is an advanced solution for achieving the objectives of zero accidents and incidents in our activities. This project comprises a set of two devices designed to place and remove portable grounding safely and ergonomically, thus minimizing the inherent risks of this activity. Ignoring the implementation of a proper grounding process can have serious consequences in terms of safety for people, assets and the electrical system.