We apply AI and advanced analytics to our processes in order to be more efficient and to make our infrastructures more available, drive the integration of renewable energy and improve the safety of our employees.
To make our processes and technologies more efficient
Active
We developed this project to strengthen and to create efficiencies in the maintenance of overhead power lines by making our knowledge systematic and standardising our remote detection and classification of possible visual anomalies. The project covers the redefinition of current technical practices, information flow and the procedures for handling work in the field.
PMV handles the design, development and proposal for tools to enable us to manage the whole inspection process (capture and process information about the assets so that we can then apply artificial intelligence to detect and flag up visual anomalies and aspects contrary to regulations).
Deployment of the solution and retraining and establishment of new models that arise, such as the preparation and changes to processes that are required to gain efficiencies in comparison with the current model.
To make our processes and technologies more efficient
Completed
Red Eléctrica is deploying a new model for managing the vegetation growing near its power lines. Until now, the plant species were identified manually using photograph interpretation techniques.
This project created a series of algorithms to automate the interpretation of photos of tree species and scrubland using satellite images and those of the National Plan for Aerial Orthophotography (PNOA).
Identify species in the province of Zamora.
Extend the analysis to the rest of the country, identifying species for each region.
We obtained a mapping of vegetation for all corridors along the power lines of the Transmission Grid, enabling us to apply the new process for managing plant growth.
To ensure greater safety for our employees
Completed
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.
Concept and data modelling.
Data collection, ordering and processing.
Data analysis and visualisation of the results.
A foundation is created for applying models for predicting the risk of accidents and issues related to maintenance and construction work.
To integrate renewable energies
Completed
We want to show the feasibility of making an inventory of photovoltaic panels by using very high resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence. To do this we will be running tests in various parts of Spain with different features and variables to extract the guidelines for implementing a precise and operative global service in the future. The goal of the project is essentially to be able to precisely detect the panels automatically and locate them on the ground, distinguishing, where possible, the different types of panels so that we can make a reasonable estimate of their installed capacity.
Create the model for identifying panels (without distinguishing between panel types).
Distinguish between photovoltaic and thermal solar panels and estimate the associated capacity.
Study the technical/financial feasibility of scaling the project up.
Creation of an algorithm for detecting photovoltaic panels and an estimator of their associated capacity.
Automation. Massive calculations, R&D platform
Active
Newton is Red Eléctrica’s calculation programme. It is easy to extend, integrate and maintain. It is state-of-the-art in power flow, linear calculations and other essential functions. Newton’s architecture is designed for the desktop as much as the cloud, capable of massive calculations and integration with AI for the planning and operation of electricity systems.
Minimum Viable Product
Internal adaptation phase
Product conformity phase
Adaptation of the roadmap to detected needs, maintaining the product’s dimension and vision
To increase the availability of our infrastructures
Active
The roots of this project lie in predictive maintenance. It goals to improve the estimates required to improve the quality of condition-based maintenance, which consists of anticipating faults in assets to avoid them becoming unavailable and the high costs of repairing them. In this context, the “partial discharges” are small currents that appear in insulated facilities (cables, insulated GIS sub-station compartments, power transformers, etc.) prior to the failure of the element in question. The goal of the project is to create a platform that does not currently exist in the market that can detect and diagnose “partial discharges” automatically, based on artificial intelligence, to classify them by seriousness and provide information that enables the right decision and maintenance action to be taken.
Minimum feasible product. Demonstrate the capacity to identify the type of phenomenon and the potential of artificial intelligence in laboratory trials.
Product in service in REE and sales. Platform for automatic continuous interpretation of partial discharges in real installations.
We develop the advanced digital connection between devices, systems and services over the internet to achieve efficient and sustainable management of our assets in electrical and telecommunications networks.
To improve the sustainable management of our assets. To make our processes and technologies more efficient. To improve the safety of our employees.
Active
The goal of this project is to develop a platform (C3) for advanced knowledge in REE to make construction works safer, more efficient and sustainable. C3 will process and exploit the data to improve efficiency and create automation and controls for decision-making. This digital transformation initiative offers a decisive advantage in making energy transition and the smart network of the future a reality.
Minimum Viable Product for validating workers supervision use cases.
Minimum Viable Product for validating machinery supervision and advanced analytics use cases.
To improve the safety of our employees
Active
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.
Design and manufacturing of prototype(s)
Validation of prototype(s) in transmission grid elements
Validation of the MVP in transmission grid elements
Industrialisation and integration to third parties
We are working to develop solutions based on our networks and existing platforms as a way of speeding up the decarbonisation of the economy and to build a sustainable future.
To increase power system safety and flexibility
Active
The goal of this project is to develop and test a hybrid device capable of offering the power system various flexibility services, especially in isolated systems such as the Canary Islands. The device includes a statcom, a lithium-ion battery and ultracapacitators, under optimal coordination and management by an advanced control system.
Define the technical and functional requirements.
Develop the control architecture.
Prototype engineering
Develop the central control system for the coordinated operation of various flexibility devices.
Manufacture of equipment, FAT testing and installation.
Operation of the device and evaluation of functions .
Integrate renewable energies
Active
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.
Minimum Viable Product: platform created and integrated with data from manufacturers of inverters (registration and collection of data) and self-supply assets. Enable operations in real time and issue self-supply certificates.
To increase the availability of our infrastructures, ensuring their consistency and making full use of their working life.
Active
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.
Identify needs and design.
Implementation.
Validation.
Consolidation and expansion.
To increase the availability of our infrastructures
Active
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”.
Minimum Viable Product: basic offline implementation (without integrations) and operations.
Satisfaction survey.
To make our processes and technologies more efficient
Active
In the present, sub-station automation systems are distributed systems where specific software is executed in specific hardware. The application of new algorithms is then conditioned by software-hardware equipment of each supplier.
With this project, a software platform executed on diverse hardware, based on concepts of micro-services, will be designed to implement the functions of the sub-station automation system.
Definition of a MVP for one bay sub-station automation system.
Scaling up of the MVP for a complete sub-station.
We apply the automation of processes and the use of virtual and augmented reality, digital twins and drones to boost the smart development and management of assets, to be more efficient, sustainable and safer in our field operations.
Both automation and the virtual replication of services and installations enable us to boost the smart development and management of our assets, to be more efficient, sustainable and safer in our field operations.
To increase the availability of our infrastructures. Improve efficiency
Active
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
use 5G technology to replace the communications between phasor measurement units (PMU) in the sub-stations and a phasor data concentrator (PDC), located in a remote location.
Analysis of 5G communications of line differential protection equipment located at each end of a power line, the sending of digitalised analogue measurements to a remote location, again using 5G to access the communications network.
To improve the sustainable management of our assets
Active
This solution will enable us to recover the SF6 leaked from our GIS installations using absorbent materials (modified or synthesized commercial compounds).
The system developed will make an effective contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere caused by equipment leakages in the transmission grid that use SF6.
Acquire and classify different absorbent materials.
Determine their capacity to absorb SF6.
Assess the absorption of SF6 in simulated conditions of SF6 leaks.
Assess the absorption of SF6 in real conditions of 6 leaks.
We include 5G in our day-to-day This new mobile technology enables us to increase the availability of the elements of our transmission grid and to make the most of our infrastructures.
To make our processes and technologies more efficient
Active
The goal of this project is to validate the electricity infrastructures of Red Eléctrica as vehicles for 5G systems. This will enable the creation of a roadmap with the preparation of various minimum viable products (MVP) to acquire experience in the installation of 5G systems in networks (requirements, special needs, etc.) and to test the possible impact on the environment of the infrastructures.
Installation of 5G antennas in a sub-station.
Installation of solar panels in an electrical base to provide satellite equipment installed in the same base with autonomous power.
Installation of 5G antennas in electrical bases powered via power voltage transformer (PVT) for 5G devices.
Optimised power solution for the 5G devices of various operators.
To improve the sustainable management of our assets
Active
Together with Orange, Huawei and the Red Eléctrica Group, we have developed a pilot project for the remote inspection of facilities using artificial vision in different spectrums and the detection of SO2/SF6 gas (indicator of faults in the sub-station and greenhouse gas leakages) both in electricity sub-stations and the channels within them.
To do this, we deploy a network of specific cameras and sensors, both in fixed and mobile points, with a system for monitoring different wavelengths that makes the detection of faults more efficient, increasing the safety of field operators and enabling us to develop more powerful tools for predictive maintenance.
This proposed use case essentially takes advantage of the multi-connective and ultra-reliable nature associated with 5G technology. The tests are run in the the Morvedre sub-station, close to Sagunto.
To increase the availability of TG elements
Active
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.
The layout of the high-voltage line, along with various Red Eléctrica sub-stations in the Community of Valencia will be the sites selected to run a test that will place special emphasis on the first section of the Morvedre-Eliana line.
As an operator of critical infrastructures, we see cyber security as a key factor that guarantees our mission: the provision of essential services. We focus on boosting development and the safe, smart operation of assets, making our operations more efficient and sustainable.
Coming soon
1 Exploration
2 Conceptualisation
3 Incubation
4 Industrialisation
5 Deployment and sales
