5G will accelerate the development of smart grids by filling three major shortcomings

The importance of electricity to human beings is self-evident. Whether in daily life or production, electricity is almost indispensable. Based on this, the construction of power grids as a key carrier of electricity has always attracted much attention. In the past, when the infrastructure was not yet perfect, people generally cared about whether the power grid was "usable"; but now, with the continuous improvement of facilities and the continuous upgrading of demand, people's focus is on whether the power grid is "easy to use".

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Whether it is easy to use or not, there are several specific indicators to measure it: first, whether the power supply of the power grid is stable and lasting; second, whether the power supply process is accurate and safe; third, whether the operation of the power grid is energy-saving and environmentally friendly. In recent years, with the continuous emergence of new energy, new users, and new scenarios, the challenges and opportunities of power grid operation and power supply have become prominent, and the needs of all aspects have also ushered in important upgrades and changes. In order to make the power grid easy to use, it is necessary to solve problems and meet needs.

So, how to meet the new demands of power grid construction such as stability, durability, precision, safety, energy saving, and environmental protection? How to promote the new development and upgrading of power grids? Undoubtedly, it is necessary to rely on various technologies to build smart grids, transform traditional extensive power management into refined management, replace traditional manual operations with unmanned equipment, and solve various problems in traditional power grids. Previously, AI and robots have demonstrated their strength, and now it is 5G's turn.

5G has great potential in empowering smart grids

Smart grids are no strangers to everyone. Specifically, they refer to the use of various intelligent technologies to achieve economic, efficient, safe and clean development of power grid operation and management. The launch of 5G commercial use and the development of base station construction and applications play a key enabling role in smart grids. If AI, the Internet of Things, and robots have made my country's smart grid construction initially effective, then the emergence and empowerment of 5G is expected to further accelerate the maturity of smart grids.

With the characteristics of high efficiency, low latency and large capacity, 5G can play a significant role in empowering the power grid. Whether it is in the power generation end, transmission end, substation end, distribution side, power consumption end or emergency communication, 5G can participate in the operation. Under the direct influence of 5G, not only the power grid transmission can become faster and more stable, the power grid fault monitoring and load control can be more accurate, and the power consumption information collection and power metering and management will also be easier and simpler.

In addition, 5G can also enhance the intelligent operation and maintenance of power grids by combining with intelligent equipment such as robots and drones. For example, 5G+robots/drones can be used in the field of power inspections. By replacing manual inspections, traditional inspection methods can be upgraded to be safer, more efficient, more accurate and less expensive. These are also of great significance to the rapid development and full maturity of smart grids.

The integration and development of both sides need to make up for the shortcomings

However, although 5G has obvious value in enabling smart grids, 5G is still in its early stages of development and has many limitations and problems. Its integration with smart grids is also hindered by many obstacles. In this context, if 5G wants to penetrate the power grid field and accelerate the development of smart grids, it needs to make up for its shortcomings. Smart Manufacturing Network believes that the shortcomings of 5G that are currently in need of urgent improvement are mainly the following three points:

One is the construction of 5G private networks. As we all know, due to its own characteristics, 5G has a high demand for the number of base stations. At this stage, although my country has built the world's largest 5G network and infrastructure, it is still not perfect in the construction of private networks. 5G-enabled electricity requires special base station facilities to meet the demand, but the current 5G private network construction technology is relatively high, the cost is high, and it needs to overcome restrictions such as terrain and environment, so it is not easy to build.

The second is 5G application security. After the power grid is connected to the network, although the digital and information management has brought many benefits to the power operation and maintenance, it also exposes the security of the power grid to danger. Especially after 5G access, the possibility of power grid information data being invaded and leaked has increased significantly, which will bring major security risks to the power grid operation and maintenance and application, resulting in economic losses. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen security precautions while introducing 5G.

The third is the 5G industry standard. Whether for 5G or the power industry, the cooperation between the two sides is unprecedented, so it is a problem in standard construction. Formulating a standard that applies to both 5G and the power industry is not only a key prerequisite for the integrated development of the two, but also an important guarantee for future mature development. However, at present, since 5G is still in its early stages of development, it is not easy to formulate standards, and continuous exploration and experimentation are needed.