GRID RESILIENCE

As renewable resources are starting to dominate the energy mix, a holistic approach would provide flexibility that can support grid resilience with zero operational cost. the vice president of ABB - Electrification Distribution Solutions for Gulf & Pakis

by regulating the electricity generated at centralised power plants, which will eventually reduce the environmental impacts of centralised generation.

Grid modernisation is needed to build resilience and avoid outages. Grid operators can leverage long-established and newer technologies to meet this challenge with a focus on reliability and resilience.

A high level of renewables in the energy system requires reliable backup capacity. As the topology of most grid designs is based on a centralised generation, utilities need to invest and change the system’s topology to provide a reliable energy supply as cities are moving to a decentralised system.

However, the challenge can be addressed from a different perspective by increasing the interconnection capacity of the grid or investing in energy management/storage to balance demand and supply. This will mean a stronger focus on digitalisation and digitally enabled products, specifically in the lowvoltage (LV) and medium-voltage (MV) part of the network, which ABB is driving with a wide variety of digital solutions with ABB Ability™.

How are the latest digital solutions helping to enable a resilient and smart grid?

We offer a wide range of state-of-theart digital solutions to drive performance, productivity, efficiency, and safety gains in each cycle stage, improving electric power quality and reliability while strengthening grid resilience through automation.

With ABB Ability™ enabled digital products and solutions, our customers can unlock the full potential of their electrical systems.

For example, the application of digital

communication buses using IEC61850 to its full extent vertically and horizontally helps digital switchgear provide real-time data to SCADA and asset management systems.

Applying current and voltage sensors in the digital switchgear rather than a traditional transformer further increases reliability and flexibility to react faster to changes in energy demands. Other technologies like centralised protection and control in a substation further enhance capabilities for resilience.

For example, having smart/digital MV switchgear “UniGear Digital” connected to the cloud where all information is gathered at a single point of contact will make the operation, monitoring and control of substations more effortless while increasing operational efficiency exponentially. Digital switchgear is also easier to install than conventional gear, occupies a smaller footprint, and can save up to 30% on operating costs.

What is ABB’s approach toward grid resilience, and what technologies can support this approach?

Today, there is a fundamental change in how businesses operate and deliver value to their customers, leveraging and integrating digital technology. ABB offers a wide range of technologies and solutions to bring a direct return on investments with clear value adds to customers’ different processes.

Such systems include:

• MV/LV digital switchgear that uses current/ voltage sensors

• Digital communication

• Gateways for edge computing/data transfer

• A digital ecosystem/platform system such as ABB Ability™

Explain what a holistic approach toward grid resilience looks like.

A holistic approach would provide flexibility that can support grid resilience with zero operational cost.

Variable renewable energy sources are expected to dominate the energy mix shortly, and the usage of green electricity will allow the replacement of fossil fuels in sectors such as heating, cooling, industrial processes, and transport. Thus a combination of digitalised protection and control bundled with condition information that predicts condition changes and maintenance needs enables grid operators to understand energy demands and flow and act quickly on any identified threat.

How has the concept of centralised protection and control progressed over the years, and how is it important today?

Having protection and control functionality centralised in one single (or redundant) device in the substation offers complete smart substation control and protection, which can provide superior solutions to utilities and industrial customers for cost optimisation and higher energy efficiency consumption. Such techniques have progressed rapidly in the last couple of years owing to the importance of usage and direct implementation in different applications.

ABB is offering a superior solution of SSC600 as centralised protection that can view and monitor processes at the substation level, and can combine a wide range of functionality from several software packages to meet specific power system protection requirements.

As grids become smarter with the integration of digital solutions, what are the best cybersecurity practices that need to be adopted?

Cyber security for distribution solutions has gained traction, specifically for critical infrastructure and utilities. By understanding market conditions, customer needs and the cyber environment in the private sector and utilities, ABB helps to achieve the required levels of cyber security without compromising operational performance. In addition, our solutions reduce business risk and enable compliance with standards and legal requirements.

What significant challenges hinder grid modernisation, and how can they be overcome?

Grid modernisation is needed to meet increasing energy demand and integrate more distributed energy resources. Electrification means physically expanding the infrastructure to handle bigger loads and extensively deploying innovative smart grid technologies to free data flow and allow monitoring and control of the operation.

New innovative technologies must not compromise systemic resilience because consumers cannot tolerate interruption to the energy supply. Therefore, creating more flexibility must be done while simultaneously improving the robustness and reliability of the grid to ensure it meets the demands of today and tomorrow.

What are key trends likely to shape the future of the grid, especially in the ME?

System resilience is of growing importance, and we now have the technologies available to realise such platforms, including 5G, virtualised real-time computing, machine learning and artificial intelligence. With such platforms, the grid benefits from improved systemic energy efficiency, flexible demand and peak shaving, and efficient and highly effective predictive maintenance capabilities.

Harnessing this technology through strategic investments in digital substations/solutions, centralised protection, energy management and predictive maintenance will be critical requirements for the future of grids in the Middle East.

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LOOKING AT YOUR PRODUCTION OUTPUT, WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU HAVE REACHED OR ARE REACHING THE PEAK OF OFFTAKE FROM DOMESTIC AND REGIONAL CLIENTS?

We have made Ducab as progressive as possible by maximising production of our products, and this comes in line with our current growth plan, ultimately contributing to achieving ‘Operation 300bn’, the UAE’s industrial strategy. Ducab plays an important role in enhancing the country’s industrial scene and aligning with the nation’s goals by providing clean energy solutions, and driving industrial innovation.

With more than 60% of Ducab Group products exported from the UAE, the company is now one of the world’s leading end-to-end energy solutions provider, delivering best-in-class solutions and products to over 45 countries across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, and the Americas.

It is also a major global exporter of UAEmanufactured products, contributing widely to the diversification efforts that are driving economic growth across the UAE.

Ducab continuously aims to expand and diversify its business sectors and geographies both regionally and globally. Having worked on

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previous phases of the MBR Solar Park project, Ducab HV supplied and installed high-voltage cables for Phase 5 of the park.

We also provided solutions for Bannerton Solar Park in Australia and Dhofar Wind Farm in Oman. We eventually aim to maximise our current output from our existing products, grow, and expand our operations and markets.

DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOUR NEXT GROWTH HAS TO COME FROM OVERSEAS?

We have an advantage of being both in the cable and metals businesses; there is always demand for our products. We have developed a strong,

20 and diverse portfolio that addresses the specific requirements of several essential industries, as well as offering premium quality products that cater to various sectors.

We anticipate growth to come from the domestic market as much as it does from partners in the regional and global markets. As always, we are committed to diversifying our entry into new markets.

Overall, our exports outside the GCC region grew from 11% to 22%, as we currently export “Made in the Emirates” cable and metal products to more than 45 countries while continuing to grow in the UAE.

WILL IT BE EUROPE THAT CAN PROVIDE THAT KIND OF BALLAST ON ORDERS? IS IT THE CASE THAT OFFTAKE FROM ASIA HAS SLOWED?

Europe is, without a doubt, an exciting and new market that has considerable growth and opportunities for Ducab, especially with the ongoing demand for both aluminium and copper with energy transition being the biggest driver for this.

We are keen on exploring new possibilities within Europe as well as elsewhere in the world, though it should be noted that Asia remains a growing key market for our products. Our focus

is as much on our current partners and future growth potential in Asia as it ever has been.

BUILDING MATERIAL AND OTHER CATEGORIES HAVE SEEN SIZEABLE PRICE INCREASES - HAVE YOUR RAW MATERIALS NEEDS BEEN GOING THROUGH THE SAME RISE?

I think it’s safe to say that price increases have been seen across the board with the current global inflation, whether you’re talking raw materials, building materials, or fuel. In the UAE, our prices have increased by 8 to 10%, and our international prices have increased by 15 to 20%, all of course are due to raw material and freight price increase.

However, we have been able to maintain supply chains despite global disruptions by working with our partners to ensure stable operations. By leveraging long-term relationships with our suppliers, economies of scale and innovation, we ensure that our prices remain competitive and maintain the quality of service that our customers have come to expect from us.

CONSIDERING ONGOING MARKET DYNAMICS, HAVE YOU HAD TO RAISE PRICES?

Yes, we have had to raise prices to accommodate inflation costs. We’ve implemented a price increase in line with the current market rates due to the cost of raw materials and increased freight costs. Our goal is to remain competitive in both quality and pricing, but we have to also remain in line with the current market conditions.

Construction going sector remains one of the key client industries for you- but there are more signs of local and regional project numbers slowing down. Will this mean adjustments for you?

No, not necessarily. Construction comprises predominantly of two sectors: Building, and Industrial and Infrastructure. They are not necessarily interconnected - if there is a slowdown in building, that does not mean that there will be a slowdown in industrial or infrastructure development.

We still see considerable opportunity within the construction sector while we diversify our markets, products and offerings.

What differentiates Ducab is our agile strategy and catering to our client’s needs where we customize our products across different regions. Ducab’s clientele however extends well beyond construction. We have built a strong portfolio of products that accommodates numerous industries. For example, we offer a range of cable accessories and technical services, and supply cables specific to clean, alternative energy needs - SolarBICC for solar power, and NuBICC for nuclear power, which have been certified for over 60 years of operations.

Our Fire Performance cable series, FlamBICC, has numerous applications across various industries. We also have RuBICC rubber cables, MarineBICC cables for marine and offshore use, and PetroBICC for the oil, gas and petrochemicals range.

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