ioSphere connects first electricity transformer to SWARM satellite network
The new Swarm satellite network, which is now owned by SpaceX, has the power to completely transform the management and control of the world’s electricity grids.
The ioSphere team are excited to announce that, in collaboration with Dynamic Ratings, we have successfully connected a large Wilson electricity transformer on the EA Networks grid, in Mid-Canterbury NZ, to the new Swarm satellite network.
Energy networks have billions of dollars invested in critical assets including lines and transformers. Connecting these assets digitally to a ‘smart grid’ system is a major priority for grid operators who need to squeeze maximum performance and reliability from their infrastructure.
However, the deployment of smart grid IoT (and SCADA) technology has been limited by cellular coverage. Huge numbers of the most critical grid assets lie outside of cell networks.
The brand new Swarm, low earth orbit, satellite network, which is nearing full completion, offers a truly economic solution for remote digital grid management. Swarm offers global IoT coverage, with very low latency, at a data cost that makes the connection of any grid asset feasible.
“When we set out to create the best, universal IoT gateway for Swarm, electricity utility assets were high on our list of priority use cases,’ says Stephen Irons, ioSphere’s head of firmware development. “Seeing our new Swarm gateway connected to a huge Wilson transformer, and seeing the asset performance data flowing smoothly over Swarm, a world first, was a really exciting milestone for the ioSphere team.”
The solution, deployed on an EA Networks substation near Ashburton, incorporates an ioSphere IoT gateway connected to a Dynamic Ratings B100 sensor bank, which is connected to the transformer. The system, which is mains powered, returns the transformer’s oil temperature, load current and surrounding ambient temperature, over Swarm, to an online reporting interface.
Having access to data from very remote transformers is hugely valuable for any grid that operates in remote locations. That data can warn the grid of any issues with the asset in plenty of time to initiate critical maintenance. The implementation of digitally driven, condition based maintenance can extend asset life and prevent grid outages.
By deploying the new, lower cost, satellite IoT solutions that ioSphere is able to provide, grid operators can improve the reliability of energy supply to their community while reducing maintenance costs and deferring expensive infrastructure upgrades.
“We really appreciate the help we had from Logic Wireless, Dynamic Ratings and EA Networks in pulling together this important industrial trial of the new Swarm satellite network’, says Donna Henderson, Head of Business Development at ioSphere, ‘The global adoption of Swarm in the utilities sector is likely to be enormous. It's just great to have the first major proof of concept right here in Canterbury”.
ioSphere expect to have their industrial IoT gateways for the Swarm network ready for sale to electricity distributors and other industrial applications in the second half of 2022.
For further information please contact Donna Henderson at donna.henderson@iotec.space