#36: How Can We Prepare Our Energy Grids for the Future?

Younès Belarbi: Hi, Ivy. I'm Younès, an industrial business consultant at Dassault Systèmes in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry with a focus on the utility segment. 

Ivy: So, I was watching my favorite show the other day and suddenly the TV switched off. My mom said it was a power outage. Why would that happen when we have all these new forms of energy?

Younès Belarbi: It's a great question, actually, and you're right. Nowadays, there are lots of methods of producing energy, especially renewable energy. In fact, because of new technology and deregulated energy markets, we even see homeowners producing and selling power alongside big energy plants. Amazing, no? 

Ivy: Wow, that could be a real game changer. Are there any downsides to all these new energy sources?

Younès Belarbi: This energy mix is great, but it comes with some drawbacks. Much of the energy is intermittent, often built in remote areas that need us to build long-distance transmission infrastructure, and we currently struggle to store any excess energy produced.

For example, RTE, which is the transmission system operator in France, is planning nearly 100 billion of investment to modernize and expand its network. As part of this plan, around 40,000 kilometers of high voltage lines will undergo major works, with 60% renewed and 40% reinforced or newly built to support renewable energy integration and system flexibility.

Ivy: That sounds like a significant change. Why is all this renewal necessary?

Younès Belarbi: Our energy grids are incredibly complex and often outdated, designed for the one-way flow of power from large centralized power plants, meaning they just can't handle all these new sources.

Additionally, the big growth and consumption driven by growing cities and new technologies like data centers for AI. According to the International Energy Agency's net zero scenario, global electricity demand is expected to rise by over 50%, driven by electrification and the growth of digital technologies. We need to address this issue in our network if we want to meet future energy demands and use new renewable energy sources as much as possible.

Ivy: So, what changes need to be made? What will the grid of the future look like?

Younès Belarbi: Well, our current infrastructure is aging. We need to adapt to renewable integration and evolving regulations. So, how do we go about doing this? We must update our utility network so they can meet both evolving demands and deal with loads of new sources of energy, providing differing amounts of power. As I said before, our infrastructure is aging and must evolve to integrate renewables. New solutions like vehicle-to-grid will turn electric cars into distributed storage, while large-scale systems such as battery energy storage systems and pump storage hydropower will help stabilize the grid when wind and solar energies fluctuate.

Also, with decentralization and a distributed network of multiple sources, the grid now relies on thousands of small contributors from rooftop solar to wind farms and other distributed generation, all injecting power at different times. This makes the system more dynamic and complex, requiring smarter coordination to stay reliable.

Ivy: Do we have a solution for this?

Younès Belarbi: Smart grid technologies give operators real-time visibility of what is happening across the network. With tools like AI forecasting, automated control systems and digital twin, the grid can dynamically balance supply and demand, optimize power flows and maintain resilience even when renewable production fluctuates.

Ivy: So, what are the smart technologies could we use to help with the digitalization of the energy grid?

Younès Belarbi: Well, Ivy, virtual twin solutions can help bring digital solutions to the real-world problems of managing energy grids. Firstly, by creating a common data environment, we can improve traceability and collaboration between stakeholders, from energy producers to transmission system operators and energy suppliers. It provides a single source of truth from which the necessary information can be easily accessed by multiple internal and external teams.

Secondly, by standardizing the data model and engineering information that describes the grid equipment, utilities can ensure that all assets are represented using the same structure, rules and semantics. This common data model creates a shared understanding of the network, making it easier to design, plan and operate the grid consistently across teams and systems. As grid complexity increases with renewable, decentralized and new types of loads, a robust and standardized data model becomes a key foundation for scalability and long-term control.

And finally, by adopting a model-based approach to reviewing and understanding assets, teams can share a clear common view of the grid at every stage of its lifecycle. This strengthens coordination, improves transparency and reduces the time spent performing impact analysis to help the whole ecosystem anticipate challenges as the energy system evolves.

Ivy: So everyone can make sure we get electricity where we need it, and I won't have to worry about missing my favorite show! Thank you so much, Younès, for speaking with us today.

Younès Belarbi: Bye Ivy! It was lovely talking to you, and I hope it is clear to you now what the grid of the future would look like.

Ivy: It sure is! Back to you, Yani!

Narrator: Thank you, Ivy and Younès for that insightful conversation. I'll be interested to see how our cities and infrastructure adapt to a new age of energy.

Want to hear more? Tune in to Disruptors Unleashed to hear from other Infrastructors on the biggest challenges impacting our infrastructure and cities. ‘Til next time!

Disruptors Unleashed is produced by Dassault Systèmes. For more episodes, follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, or your nearest audio streaming platform. To learn more about Dassault Systèmes, visit us at 3ds.com.