Siemens Grid Software CEO Sabine Erlinghagen on digitalization, AI, and the future of power grids
Sabine Erlinghagen highlights AI-driven digitalization as key to managing grid stress, boosting efficiency, and enabling autonomous operations.
Image credit: Siemens
As global electrification accelerates and power grids face mounting challenges, Siemens Grid Software is leading the charge in digital transformation and autonomous grid management, according to CEO Sabine Erlinghagen.
In an exclusive interview, Erlinghagen highlighted the increasing stress on transmission and distribution networks due to surging energy demand, renewable energy integration, and electric vehicle (EV) adoption. She emphasized that traditional grid management approaches are no longer sufficient, requiring advanced software solutions to enhance efficiency and resilience.
“We need to expand grid capacity dramatically while managing the complexity of distributed energy resources (DERs) and renewables,” Erlinghagen explained. “AI-driven digitalization is the key to operating grids closer to their limits while maintaining reliability.”
Digital Twins and AI: The Future of Grid Management
Siemens’ Gridscale X software suite plays a crucial role in this transformation by making vast amounts of grid data interpretable. The platform utilizes digital twin technology to create a real-time, virtual representation of grid assets, allowing utilities to optimize power flows, predict failures, and extend equipment lifespan.
Erlinghagen compared the shift to autonomous grids with the evolution of autonomous driving. Just as modern vehicles assist drivers with lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control, AI-powered grid management tools will analyze data, recommend actions, and eventually automate decisions to balance power supply and demand.
Key Challenges: Aging Infrastructure and Growing Demand
The urgency for digitalization is driven by aging infrastructure, long lead times for new transformers, and rising energy consumption. Many transformers today are operated without real-time data, leading to unexpected failures. Siemens’ software leverages smart meter data to assess asset health and predict risks—without requiring additional hardware investments.
“Transformer lifespans are shrinking due to increasing EV charging loads, and utilities can’t afford mass failures,” Erlinghagen noted. “Our solutions help operators proactively manage these risks and extend asset life.”
Looking Ahead: A Push for Autonomous Grid Control
Over the next five to ten years, Erlinghagen predicts a shift toward fully autonomous grid operations to handle the explosion of DERs and renewable energy sources. She pointed to the U.S., where utilities are already seeing five times more renewables behind the meter than in front, creating new challenges in grid stability.
Countries like Norway are also feeling the pressure, with some grid operators needing to double capacity within seven years—a task nearly impossible with traditional infrastructure expansion.
“Digitalization is not just an option—it’s a necessity,” Erlinghagen concluded. “Only through intelligent software solutions can we keep pace with the energy transition and ensure a stable, reliable power grid for the future.”
Source: Siemens
