It’s time for a new era of low voltage grid management

Siemens has introduced a new product, LV Insights® X, to support utilities to manage their low voltage grids more effectively and make much more effective decisions by leveraging data.

Global decarbonisation efforts have led to the exponential growth of distributed energy resources (DERs) – such as roof top solar panels, and e-chargers. By 2030, it is forecasted that the number of DERs will have grown sevenfold.

This will require additional capacity, predominantly in low voltage grids to accommodate the increased electrification of everything. Herein lies the challenge – only a few low voltage grids today provide valid insights to understand the limits of the grid, and where investments should be made.

With smart technologies, it is possible to gain transparency and insights on critical segments. For Distribution System Operators (DSOs), such technology can enable them to become leaders in low voltage grid management and trailblaze the path to net-zero.

Introducing LV Insights® X

LV Insights® X, the latest addition to the Siemens Grid Software Suite, creates the essential foundation for a flexible, adaptable and scalable low voltage grid management. Unlocking full transparency of low voltage grids based on existing instrumentation, the software enables DSOs to reduce outage times by up to 30% and increase grid capacity by identifying critical segments.

Developed as part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio, LV Insights® X can be seamlessly integrated into an existing landscape. It is easy to implement and intuitive to use, thanks to its user-centric design.

Breaking down silos

One of the biggest benefits for organisations is that LV Insights® X helps to break down data silos across departments, stakeholders and systems.

DSOs can easily create a digital twin (network model) for their low voltage grid by integrating already available data from various sources (e.g. GIS, MDM, ADMS) in one up-to-date grid model. The software thereby reduces data handling efforts by up to 80 percent, while reducing the time required for grid model maintenance by 50%.

Squeezing more out of the grid

DSOs will benefit from detailed insights and more efficient outage management, enabling them to perform safe and efficient operations and reliably run grids closer to their capacity limits.

The complete grid topology and all information on the near-real-time grid status become visible and can be monitored at any time via a browser-based user-centric graphical interface – even via mobile devices outside of the control room.

With outage zones being visualised in a map, grid operations engineers can identify outages much faster, while an integrated ping function allows them to quickly check the impact of faults. With significantly decreased outage times SAIDI can be reduced by 5 to 12%.

Based on the information generated by LV Insights® X, DSOs can also improve their planning accuracy, optimise their entire planning activities, and increase the effectiveness of their investments.

All in all, LV Insights® X brings grid operators closer to their customers, supports them in coping with rapidly changing requirements and unpredictable grid conditions, and provides a major step in accelerating the energy transition.

Read more about Unlocking the full value of low-voltage grid transparency

About the company
Siemens Smart Infrastructure (SI) is shaping the market for intelligent, adaptive infrastructure for today and the future. SI provides customers with a comprehensive end-to-end portfolio from a single source – with products, systems, solutions and services from the point of power generation all the way to consumption. Headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, the business has approximately 72,700 employees worldwide.