6 Benefits of Using Private 5G in the Energy Sector
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To combat the effects of climate change, it’s been estimated that by 2050, 80% of electricity must be renewable—but to make this happen, the UK will need to move more rapidly towards solar and wind energy. Sounds great, doesn’t it? While excellent for the environment, solar and wind energy come with lower predictability, which could expose an increased risk of network disturbances—something wind farms are all too familiar with.
The answer? Connectivity and automation, both of which will enable better performance and control and open a whole world of digital technology possibilities. However, this is only easily attainable with private 5G. In this article, we will explore the benefits of 5G in the energy sector and learn more about Nokia's innovations in the transition to 5G.
Benefits of Using 5G in the Energy Sector
Set to benefit the most from private 5G, the utilities sector is expected to pioneer the new technology and drive 5G adoption. Now, while it won’t be an easy task to evolve the entire energy infrastructure, private 5G will eventually bring seamless integration of data-sharing and process optimisation—all thanks to AI, machine learning, and sustainability.
Let’s take the coal industry as an example—simply by implementing digital technologies, businesses will reduce production costs by 20% via:
- Reduced operating and maintenance costs;
- Improved efficiency on site and network operations;
- Diminished unplanned outages.
In this section, we will discuss the most significant benefits of 5G in the energy sector.
Expansion of IoT
The fifth generation of mobile networks offers high-speed internet and provides better connectivity. As a result, your interconnected devices will be able to capture and exchange information significantly faster. IoT devices play an important role in the energy infrastructure as they can help you monitor key performance indicators, optimise energy consumption and distribution, and conduct advanced analytics to make smarter decisions. Accessing and transferring energy-related data at higher speeds and volumes can give you a competitive advantage and increase efficiency.
Higher Predictability
One of the most critical advantages of 5G in the energy sector is elevated predictability. Fast internet and great connectivity will also fuel your analytical and forecasting capabilities. You can collect more real-time data and apply essential information to build forecasts. Predicting market trends, customer behaviour, and other changes can help you make proactive decisions instead of reactive ones, which saves costs and resources. This data can help you calculate when energy consumption is at its peak or when it goes down and allocate the resources accordingly.
Remote Monitoring
Private 5G in the energy sector will also allow you to employ remote monitoring and get notified about potential disruptions in real time. For example, if a piece of equipment malfunctions or inventory needs restocking, remote monitoring features will inform you before it can negatively affect your processes. Fixing a problem before it becomes a disaster will save you additional costs and make the processes more efficient.
Reduced Wasted Energy
A great example of reduced wasted energy is smart cities with automated street lighting. Powered by 5G, a system of IoT sensors and remote monitoring tools allows cities to identify whenever a pedestrian or vehicle is nearby. Using this data, you can remotely operate the street lighting accordingly and reduce energy consumption. The connection between the 5G mobile private network and the energy sector will decrease accidents caused by faulty street lighting and reduce light pollution.
Focus on Renewables
The combination of 5G and the energy sector can also enable green energy innovations such as energy harvesting. This innovation harvests energy from sunlight, vibrations, and thermal temperatures, facilitating a new green energy source. Moreover, energy harvesting tools can extract additional energy from latent or unused 5G signals and turn it into a power source. In the future, 5G mobile technologies can help us to explore more renewable energy options and reduce the impact of climate change.
Increased Efficiency
The uses of 5g in the energy sector are vast and include internal processes. The low latency that 5G provides can also improve productivity within your organisation. Using digital tools for project management, sales, procurement, and other purposes will become easier with better connectivity. Even metrics like customer service and marketing can benefit from adopting 5G by minimising the response time and offering advanced analytics data. You will be able to optimise workflows and make your business more efficient than before.
Ready to Use a Private 5G Network? We Have the Solution!
Partnering with Nokia, a private 5G network provider for the energy sector, we have made the transition to private 5G easy. Committed to providing an alternative network to existing cellular networks and Wi-Fi, Nokia’s Digital Automation Cloud is a cost-effective and secure solution that’s simple to deploy. Offering a high-performance, end-to-end, and secure private wireless network platform, it makes private wireless networking, IoT, and automation effortless.
Mixing private 5G and the energy sector can increase your productivity, optimise internal and external processes, and cut operational costs. Furthermore, this technology is key to reducing wasted energy and exploring green energy businesses in the future. Gain a competitive edge from predictive maintenance and advanced analytics powered by smooth and fast 5G connectivity.
Final Thoughts
To hear more on how UCtel can digitise your plant or site today, call the team at 0333 344 4417 or email ivor.nicholls@uctel.co.uk. You can also download our whitepaper to better understand our partnership with Nokia and how we transform businesses like yours with a private 5G network. Get in touch with our team of experts to learn more about the private 5G network and the energy sector.
