The results of the SCALE project – Scalable Centralized Grid Protection, Automation and Control, co-financed by Compete2020, were presented by Efacec, leader of the consortium, and co-promotors, on June 22nd, in Efacec’s auditorium, in Arroteia.

The closing event of this project included the demonstration of the solution for developing a platform for the digital distribution substation of the future, which enables the control, management and monitoring medium voltage networks in a more flexible, safe, reliable and autonomous way.

This platform resides in a centralized system that is less complex and easier to use for users. By changing the paradigm of protection and control, the system enables applications to be updated and installed with ease, supporting the deployment of new solutions, expansions and upgrades over-the-air (remotely), in a quick way and at the pace of the network’s demand for energy transition.

By including sensors that communicate data at high speed, this innovative solution is aligned with the latest business and digitalization trends in the sector. It also gives operators greater competitiveness, allowing them to manage the network more efficiently and reduce the costs of operating and maintaining the system. This is yet another demonstration of Efacec’s positioning as one of the main players in the development of solutions towards digitalization.

This centralized solution was intensively validated through laboratory tests, using a HIL (Hardware-In-the-Loop) test platform and real-time simulation of models of the electrical distribution network.

With products and systems present in over 60 markets, Efacec has been distinguished for creating value in the energy sector, thanks to a continuous investment in R&D, namely substations, digitalization of the station-bus and process-bus, asset management and cybersecurity.

Efacec, leader of the consortium, worked in partnership with ARMIS, INESC TEC and IT Aveiro, and with the participation of E-REDES and INESC-ID. The SCALE project involved an investment of around two million euros and was concluded in the first half of 2023.