Iberdrola Startup Challenge: Substation Control Room Automation

The challenge is launched within the new Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub framework. Iberdrola will make the Hub a worldwide grid benchmark, through open collaboration and co-working between i-DE technicians, suppliers, startups, and different organizations worldwide. This challenge is also open to proposals that do not fit this case study. Such solutions will also be analyzed, provided that the competitive advantages of the proposal for a specific type of site are clearly explained.

Finally, i-DE has developed a platform on AWS that acts as an IoT device manager, runs AI algorithms, manages a digital twin of facilities, and more. This platform, known as “SmartPoint“, aims to abstract the data captured from the manufacturer/sensor that provides it to avoid information silos derived from the use of the manufacturer’s platforms, generating a “place” with the ability to “mix” data from different sources for decision-making. Potential automation systems have to consider “SmartPoint” since it will have to communicate with this platform, if necessary.

The Challenge

• Iberdrola operates more than 4,400 Substations (ST) in the United States, Brazil, the UK, and Spain. These are high-power installations that form the backbone of a network that provides high-quality and reliable service to a total of 31 million electricity supply points.
• Substations have buildings or control rooms that contain electronic and other equipment, such as batteries, that are part of the control, protection, and telecommunications systems. This equipment is sensitive to environmental conditions and some, in the event of a failure, could cause gas emissions, excessive heat, and more.
• The substations have elements that guarantee the correct ergonomics or safety of the same: lighting, heaters, air conditioners, security cameras, sensors, extractors, and more. However, these elements are not always optimally controlled, either based on sensors or automation.
• In these circumstances, the automation of systems that affect the condition of sensitive equipment contributes to maximizing the useful life of equipment, while detection systems prevent incidents, constituting an important contribution to the safety of people, the environment, and facilities.

Focus Areas

• This challenge aims to solve the following aspects:
  • Climate Control
    • Such as the temperature of electronics, batteries, and equipment, condensation due to humidity, etc.
  • Equipment Monitoring
    • Such as air conditioning consumption, equipment aging and wear and tear due to excessive use, etc.
  • Detection Solutions
    • For example, inadequate gas extraction, lights on without presence, intrusion of humans, animals, and especially, rodents.

Why Join?

• Winning this Challenge will award you with signing a collaboration agreement for the development of a Proof-of-Concept (PoC). The PoC will be developed in collaboration with the technical specialists from Iberdrola Networks. Additionally, PERSEO covers the costs of the pilot activities and provides you with the necessary technical support, giving access to infrastructure and real data to test your solution.
  • Pilot Project
    • Sign a collaboration agreement with Iberdrola and/or PERSEO. The project costs are covered & you will get full technical support to test your solution.
  • New Clients
    • If the pilot project succeeds, Iberdrola and/or PERSEO will add your solutions to its service territory and relevant companies within the group.
  • Scaling
    • If the pilot succeeds, Iberdrola and/or PERSEO may offer you the opportunity to scale up your solution by means of commercial agreements.
  • Possible Investment
    • PERSEO, the risk capital vehicle of Iberdrola, might consider investing in the winner’s solution as well.
• Your solution will also be included directly in the Global Smart Grids Innovation Hubs registration process, as a collaborator and able to benefit from the services, activities, and resources that the GSGI Hub makes available.

Eligibility Criteria

• Candidates taking part in this Challenge (the “Participant/s”) may be individuals or entities.
• In either case, the Participants and/or team members must be at least 18 years old, be of legal age and have full legal capacity in the jurisdiction where they live.
• If you take part in the Challenge through a team or a legal entity, the proposal must be presented by a representative who will be the only valid interlocutor during the Challenge and they will be empowered to represent the team and will be liable vis-à-vis the team or legal entity.

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