Industrial Automation in the Age of Electrification

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Electrification is the process of replacing technologies powered by fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas – with technologies that use cleaner sources of energy.

Depending on the resources used to generate electricity, electrification can, among other things, reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from transportation, building and industrial sectors. But such a transition carries challenges, such as how to deploy renewable energy across all energy-consuming sectors for all end-use applications.

Another challenge: How can these renewable resources be balanced and distributed efficiently to fulfill the needed demand? This is where sector coupling comes in. It manages the balance.

As renewable energy becomes more mainstream, more of that energy can sometimes be produced than a network can handle, meaning that renewable generation has to be paused or even disposed of, wasting the effort used to generate that energy. In other cases not enough renewable energy is generated, meaning fossil fuels such as coal or gas must be used to supplement available power and thus defeating the whole effort to utilize clean energy.

This is where sector coupling can be beneficial. Sector coupling is designed to segment life and work energy needs. This process is intended to interconnect and integrate energy-consuming sectors (i.e. residential, commercial and industrial) with the power-producing sector.

Sector coupling relies on reliable networking and data transmission. Different sectors first need to be electrified, then networked together. Once linked, data about energy supply and demand can be exchanged throughout the entire system. Each sector produces the necessary data for balancing energy consumption.

Sectors can be controlled intelligently through the automation of the various smart sectors – creating smart industry, smart energy, smart mobility, smart infrastructure and smart buildings. The result is a system that has enough energy to effectively manage and distribute, without the challenges of too much or too little supply.

Networking with 5G Broadband
Reliable networking is the basic requirement for sector coupling. Fifth-generation (5G) broadband technology enables wireless communication within and between all sectors. This means 5G, as an industrial standard, promises bandwidth in the gigabit range, high numbers of participants and very low latency rates in sector coupling applications. Industrial 5G also has high scalability and adaptability.

For industrial purposes, 5G provides the ability to build private networks and control their properties and reliability. The advantages of a private network are that companies can track, store, analyze, direct and configure data traffic to suit their requirements in a private network, a key advantage over previous wireless solutions that use license-free frequency bands.

Data Transmission with Single Pair Ethernet
Sector coupling requires resource-efficient and high-performance data transmission, which can be achieved with Single Pair Ethernet (SPE). One example is the data gleaned from modern buildings, which can include photovoltaic systems on the roof, a combined heat and power plant in the cellar and charging stations in front of the door. These sources must be automated via systems or sensors so they are always ready for use.

Standardized SPE interfaces are ideally suited for efficient data transmission in factory and process automation. SPE enables seamless Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) communication up to the field level. Also, SPE is resource-efficient because it reduces cabling. SPE transmits at rates of 1Gbps from the sensor to the cloud over a single twisted pair of wires rather than traditional Ethernet, which requires two to four pairs of wires for transmission rates up to 1Gbps.

SPE has pin connector patterns for single and multi-ports, which enables high packing densities. Finally, SPE is efficiently cabled with plug-and-play features, and easily integrated with male and female versions for established inductive sensors and flying leads.

Benefits of Electrification
Electrification is the movement to shift away from fossil fuels toward clean electricity that delivers climate, health and economic benefits.

For climate change, the challenge is to meet consumption needs while simultaneously addressing the challenges of climate change. Technical innovations in relation to renewable energy sources will play a crucial role in tackling these issues.

Electrification is a key part of the solution for climate change and reducing emissions. To meet deep decarbonization climate goals, electrification is the only established way to eliminate carbon pollution from gas furnaces, water heaters and other fossil fuel-powered devices in cities, factories and homes.

Electrification helps communities develop economically, provides better transportation options and innovative technologies across a spectrum of community infrastructure and services.

Empowering the All-Electric Society
Sector coupling helps balance demand and supply by enabling renewable energy to be used across a wider range of applications and by managing the conversion and/or storing of renewable energy so that it can be used later.

This, in turn, empowers the all-electric society. The idea of an all-electric society is a work in progress and we can get there through comprehensive electrification, networking and automation of all relevant areas of life and work.

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