Tech Talk | CINELDI to SecurEL – How Norway is approaching the energy transition
Image: SINTEF
Norways’s CINELDI initiative has wrapped up after eight years with its extension in the new SecurEL eight year programme.
CINELDI (the Centre for Intelligent Energy Distribution) was established in 2016 by the Norwegian Research Council as a ‘research centre’ with the aim to bring together researchers, TSOs, DSOs and technology providers to build the knowledge for transitioning to the decentralised, renewables-based grid of the future.
Wide ranging with 30 partners and a total budget of NOK369 million ($32.7 million), it was divided into six research areas – smart grid development, smart grid operation, DSO/TSO interaction, microgrids/local energy communities, flexible resources and grid scenarios and transition strategies – with pilots in four thematic areas, i.e. fault handling and self-healing, sensing and digital monitoring, the application of meter and grid data and flexibility.
Over 20 innovations are detailed as having emerged. For example, Nordic metering supplier Aidon, one of the participants, has highlighted in a posting the development of a flexibility market enabling a more dynamic distribution of energy where it is needed at a time as one of the main focus areas.
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Another example quoted is the methodology and technology to provide more grid capacity, optimising physical cable usage by new algorithms and sensor technology in a dynamic operation of the grid.
Aidon also cites one of its own projects with the southern Norway grid company Lnett piloting earth fault detection and automation of the fault handling utilising smart meter data – a solution now implemented in Lnett and to be made available as a general offer to other DSOs.
CINELDI 2040 outlook
The final report from CINELDI states three principal conclusions that are believed to be crucial to achieving the necessary transition of the electricity grid in the period 2025 to 2040.
First, widespread digitalisation and automation are necessary to gain insight into and enable control of the power grid for its optimal utilisation.
Second, flexibility in the consumption, generation and storage of electricity is needed to connect as much consumption and new generation as possible and achieve better utilisation of the power grid.
Third, as security of electricity supply may be compromised by extreme weather, cyber threats, increased operating loads and increased complexity of the power system, it must be handled differently.
Roadmaps are offered in each of these areas with broadly the suggestion to further develop methodologies and tools in the respective areas in the period 2025-2030 for introduction in the period from 2030 to 2040.
By 2040 it is envisaged that the industry uses a common established data format and high quality data, with a high degree of interoperability and standardisation.
Grid operation is automated using active grid measures and digitalisation and automation is widespread throughout grid operations.
The DSO uses tools to detect where there is need for flexibility and the grid is better utilised with flexible resources coordinated and optimised across grid levels.
The industry also maintains a good overview of the risk associated with security of supply, with risk based planning, operation and maintenance as standard.
The report states that achieving the objective for 2040 is a major, complex task, with the key to achieving it effective co-operation between the parties involved.
“We expect this will require DSOs, technology providers, authorities and research scientists to participate in development, adaptation, prototyping, laboratory testing and piloting,” it continues.
It also notes CINELDI’s transition strategy as forming the basis of close co-operation between all the participants in the future, among other things in spin-off projects involving research, development and piloting.
SecurEL project
The most significant of these is another 8-year ‘research centre’ initiative, SecurEL, which launched on 1 January 2025, very much in line with the requirements set out in the roadmap in the CINELDI report.
In particular SecurEL is aiming to address the increased unpredictability, complexity and uncertainty of an active distribution system with digitalisation and distributed energy resources through investigation of suitable regulations and practices to actively manage these challenges and the testing of technology and solutions.
Specific topics for the project include security of electricity supply, grid operation and development, the utilisation of the power system and components and the related risks, and societal aspects and regulatory policies.
Jonathan Spencer Jones
Specialist writer
Smart Energy International
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