According to ABB, the R&D project will test the concept of a flexible, low-emission power network in the district as part of an initiative to lift Helsinki’s environmental profile with a focus on the sustainable and efficient distribution of power.
ABB, Helsingin Energia and Nokia Siemens Networks will develop a variety of platforms based on modern communication, information and energy technologies.
These include platforms to ensure that excess power generated from renewable energy sources in the district itself, for instance from solar panels and wind turbines, can be fed into the power grid; to enable electric vehicles to draw electricity from the grid or feed it back; to store energy; to create easy-to-use services; and to provide flexibility and transparency in the distribution grid.
Bazmi Husain, head of smart grids initiative at ABB, said: “In terms of scale, this is another big step forward in the development of a smarter and more flexible urban grid that can integrate distributed and renewable energy sources and help people to realize the vision of sustainable urban living.”
