"Schutz- und Leittechnik" 2024 trade fair in Leipzig proved to be a successful industry meeting that brought together industry experts, grid operators and scientists. The presentations and discussions unanimously emphasized that the demand for electricity will continue to rise in the coming years and that the energytransition is unstoppable. ⚡️

• The expansion of the grids faces the challenge of not being able to be realized at the required speed due to the current skills shortage.
• Therefore, the aspect of automation and digitalization is becoming increasingly important in order to close this gap with the help of technology.
• It was emphasized that observability down to the low-voltage grid is becoming increasingly important.
• Targeted grid expansion is necessary, otherwise grid bottlenecks may occur in the near future.
• The rapid use of digital technology in local network substations underlines the increasing relevance of IT security issues, which are not only important but also required by law. The cybersecurity topic was discussed intensively, with one presentation dealing with the early detection of cyberattacks using artificial intelligence. Other speakers presented their findings on the use of AI in protection applications.

➡️ The industry is experiencing a lively exchange and is being significantly supported by new technologies such as artificial intelligence. Some contributions analyzed the influence of inverters on current protection concepts, although many research questions are still open.

Finally, several field reports, particularly on grid faults, supported the practical nature of the event. This open dialog allowed valuable insights to be shared, which can only lead to one conclusion: 

Together we can make the energy transition.

#SchutzundLeittechnik #SUL24