5G enhancements to smart grid technology will enable increased automation across the smart grid.
We investigated this for the European Union’s Service-Oriented Grid for Future Networks (SOGNO) project, and a consortium of 13 companies led by Ericsson developed a scalable and cost-effective automation solution. Teams can leverage 5G, combined with edge computing, to virtualize automation services within a 5G edge infrastructure.
“SOGNO has proven that 5G can support near real-time power distribution automation services,” said Fiona Williams, Ericsson Research Director, in a corresponding case study.
Even without 5G, smart grids operate more efficiently than traditional grids. 5G will further maximize this efficiency. By supporting increased connectivity and automation, 5G will improve smart grid technology, enabling more efficient energy management and enhanced power distribution, saving time, labor, and financial resources. This means greener and more sustainable initiatives for companies.
read more: How 5G WAN offers flexibility and reliability.
Get started with 5G technology
5G deployment is expected to increase rapidly over the next few years, increasing the number of global subscribers from 236 million today to over 3 billion by 2025.
IT leaders who have not yet migrated should first consider the opportunity 5G presents and how to best optimize it for their organization. Start with the basics. Identify your core networking objectives, budget, and timeline (from consultation to implementation). Next, do some thoughtful research. Many providers, including Cradlepoint and Verizon, offer 5G, but they also conduct assessments to assess the strength of an organization’s current network and its ability to grow.
Discover: How CDW can support energy and utility modernization efforts.
5G use cases in the E&U industry
5G has a wealth of E&U use cases such as smart grids, augmented reality, and predictive maintenance. These can be broadly divided into his three main types of connectivity services:
- Enhanced mobile broadband: 5G eMBB focuses on high-speed transmission of end-user data and system capacity. In other words, 5G technology provides users with a faster and more reliable experience, whether it’s quickly transferring files to a secure location or maintaining a clear, real-time connection during a virtual conference call. It also connects a variety of applications that may not have been technologically possible before the advent of 5G.
- Mission-critical communications: 5G technology provides highly reliable, low-latency communications that are essential for mission-critical applications, ensuring that messages are delivered quickly and completely, even in situations of network congestion and interference. Additionally, 5G supports private networks and network slicing. This is a network configuration that allows you to create multiple independent virtual networks on a common physical infrastructure.
- Large-scale Internet of Things: The 5G standard for large-scale IoT can support up to 1 million connected devices approximately every square kilometer. This is one of the reasons why 5G-based IoT connections are expected to reach 116 million worldwide by 2026.
With the enhanced speed, capacity, and coverage documented in these use cases, 5G is poised to become the go-to first choice for many E&U enterprises and users.
