The emergence of electric cars, local generation and heat pumps pose many challenges for the electricity distribution system. The development of the Smart Grid is one of the methods Sibelga has been studying that will help us to face current and future changes.
The roll-out of electric mobility, decentralised production, renewable energy, heat pumps, cogeneration, batteries... Brussels' energy landscape has been constantly evolving in recent years. And this is just the start. All the scenarios that Sibelga has studied forecast an increase in electricity demand and the emergence of renewable energy by 2050.
A balancing act
This constantly evolving energy landscape poses several challenges in managing the balance on our network.
The balance between electricity production and consumption is an absolute must. In simple terms, the quantity of electricity injected into the network by producers must be equal to the quantity of electricity being used by consumers at all times.
Any major imbalance can lead to catastrophes such as power failures or, in the worst-case scenarios, a total collapse of the network - a blackout.
The impact of new uses
The emergence of new uses leads to consumption peaks that can put a strain on the network's capacity.
Electric charging, for example, has been growing exponentially with the gradual adoption of electric vehicles. This leads to increasing numbers of cars connecting to the network to charge at the same time, creating peaks in electricity demand.
Heat pumps have also become more popular thanks to their energy efficiency and low environmental impact. However, they put a heavy burden on the electricity network when they're all working at the same time in a given geographical area.
The challenge of decentralised production
The increasing injections of decentralised electricity into various points across the network adds a new layer of complexity. When electricity was produced exclusively by "traditional" power plants, managing the balance on the network was relatively straightforward. If there were fluctuations in consumption, it was possible to slightly increase or decrease the energy produced.
Today, renewable sources of energy are playing an increasingly instrumental role in electricity production. Yet, we can't demand that the sun shine at night, or that the wind blow just when we need it. In short, these energy sources can fluctuate.
Decentralised energy production poses new challenges for the stability of the electricity grid.
Balance and flexibility
In the face of fluctuating demand, bigger consumption peaks and the constantly rising production of renewable energy, balancing the network is proving increasingly complex, both on a global and a local level.
As a result, we are having to call on the flexibility of the customers connected to the distribution network more and more often. Flexibility is a customer's ability to increase or decrease their normal electricity usage in response to an external signal.
The challenge facing Sibelga is to allow its customers to provide their flexibility services while remaining within the operational limits of the network. To do this, we have to be able to monitor energy flows in real time, to make forecasts for a period of a few days and to take action if the network's limits are reached.
The concept of the Smart Grid
The Smart Grid, or smart electricity network, is a technological development that aims to lay advanced technology over the top of our traditional electricity networks to improve our knowledge of the energy flows and to better utilise the network's capacity.
We have been investing in ways to monitor and control the network in order to make progress in this direction for many years. In addition to the extensive roll-out of optical fiber, smart meters and a new advanced control centre for the network's infrastructure, we have a strategic plan to work towards an increasingly smart network by 2035.
The roll-out of the Smart Grid is a long-term project. Each small step takes us closer to a smart network.
The advantages of the Smart Grid
The Smart Grid allows us to optimise the use of the electricity network, enabling the smart integration of various sources of energy, new uses and all the parameters for managing and controlling the network.
The Smart Grid is helping us to fulfil several of Sibelga's missions.
- Defining actions and strategies to put in place to guarantee the continuity and quality of the electricity supply.
- Integrating the production of renewable energy and new uses into the network.
- Optimising investments in infrastructure.
- Providing access to new services (flexibility, energy sharing, etc.).
Key components of the Smart Grid
Measurement and telecommunications systems are at the heart of the Smart Grid. Thanks to real-time surveillance and the automation of processes, any issues can be detected quickly and often resolved before they even become critical. This means fewer unplanned power cuts, which results in a better quality of life for everyone.
The key principles of the Smart Grid can be summarised as follows:
- Improving our knowledge of energy flows, through direct measurements or calculations;
- Making short-term forecasts through predictive algorithms;
- Identifying potential risk zones;
- Taking direct or indirect action to prevent voltage or overload problems.
The Smart Grid improves our knowledge of energy flows.
A collective effort
The Smart Grid allows us to act on the infrastructure through the dynamic management of the network, but it can't solve everything on its own. Maintaining a balance on the network will require a collective effort both on the part of players on the energy market and users.
While the Smart Grid can identify strategies to put in place to avoid network congestion, users will need to adapt their consumption or production during certain periods. Flexibility services or pricing mechanisms could, for example, spread out the load in line with consumption times and encourage a more responsible use of energy.
The Smart Grid can also help to target the investments needed to ensure sizing adapted to the evolution of demand over the long term.
The Smart Grid is therefore a key element in guaranteeing the reliability of electricity distribution within the context of the energy transition. Although the grid alone is not the solution, it remains an essential tool, allowing us to look to the future with peace of mind and anticipate the challenges ahead.