In early 2019, the State Grid Corporation of China, striving to conform to the trend of integration of the energy revolution and the digital revolution, put forward the strategic goal of being a world-class energy internet company with 3 functions and 2 networks.

The "Two Networks" refers to the strong & smart grid and IOTE (Internet of Things in Electricity), which complement each other and develop together to form a powerful value creation platform.

Now, let's have a look at IOTE. First of all, what is IOTE?

IOTE is an intelligent service system making full use of modern information technologies and advanced communication techniques. These include mobile internet and artificial intelligence, with overall perception, efficiency and flexible application capacity to access information in each link of the power system.

Why is it important to construct IOTE?

The construction of IOTE will facilitate modernization of China's capacity for governance, promote low-carbon energy transition, improve efficiency of grid operations, meet people's needs for power use, and boost modernization of the industrial chain, so as to form a value system that benefits the government, society, users, and upstream and downstream energy and power enterprises.

In addition, the construction of IOTE has boosted the efficient use of clean energy at the Beichen Development Zone Business Center in Tianjin. With five power generation systems including photovoltaic, wind, and ground source heat pumps, the center makes full use of renewable energy and can save 1.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually because of the intelligence of the smart energy management and control platform.

So far, IOTE has been used in robotic surgeries guided by doctors in a remote location through 5G wireless technology.  

On August 27, 2019, Tianjin’s first remote orthopedic surgery completed by a surgical robot was conducted at the Tianjin First Central Hospital’s Orthopedic Remote Surgery Center. With the assistance of China Telecom Tianjin Branch and Huawei Technologies, the robot conducted the remote surgery while monitored by specialists at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital in real time through 5G technology and a remote system control platform.

What are the achievements in the construction of the IOTE made in Tianjin?

The State Grid Corporation of China has successfully developed the artificial intelligence distribution network of live working robots. The robots adopt the world's leading multi-sensor fusion positioning and the intelligent path planning technologies, and help replace manual live-line working, reducing operator safety risks. At present, the robots have been put into use 29 times in Tianjin, reducing power outages by 3.5 hours each time.

In addition, using robots in the maintenance of distribution networks is also a good solution to manual live-line working problems such as high labor intensity, high safety risks, and low work efficiency. This move also helps reduce operating risks and ensures personal safety.

At present, the distribution network live-operating robots have been piloted in 10 power supply units of the Tianjin subsidiary of the State Grid Corporation and have successfully completed 29 on-site operations. They were also used in large-scale power maintenance events and power connection services such as the 2019 National Games for Persons with Disabilities held in Tianjin.

In 2019, the Tianjin Municipal Government and the State Grid Corporation inked a strategic cooperation framework agreement, based on which the State Grid Corporation established a distribution network live operational robot industrialization base and an intelligent robot company in Tianjin, in a bid to improve the entire industrial chain that includes R&D, production, sales, and operation and maintenance services.

Liu Zhaoling, with the Tianjin Power Equipment of the State Grid, said: "The robot manufacturing base can meet the needs of robot production, assembly, commissioning, testing and training, and will promote the integration of IOTE technology and distribution network live working robot technology."

With consistent development concepts, the State Grid and Tianjin governments at all levels will deepen cooperation in an all-round way to start co-construction and sharing of IOTE.

To bolster economic development, the Tianjin subsidiary of the State Grid Corporation of China provides a monthly analysis report to the Tianjin Municipal Government to help policy makers look into economic development through electric power data. The report expounds and analyzes the economic situation of Tianjin from the perspective of electricity, big data, and detailed classification to provide support for the city’s high-quality urban development.

The cooperation will focus on the nine sectors of smart grid, IOTE, electric energy substitution, smart energy ecology, energy big data, electricity business environment, technological innovation system, high-end industry, and safe power supply environments.