Siemens has opened a Digital Grid Centre in Abu Dhabi, UAE, to advance the digitalisation of energy systems in the Middle East, to support smarter cities and industry
The centre enables Siemens to collaborate with customers in the development, demonstration and testing of digital energy solutions and provides remote support to the utilities, oil and gas, industrial and infrastructure sectors.
Cybersecurity is a core element of the Digital Grid Centre. Operational Technology (OT) is a rapidly growing target for cyberattacks, and the protection of critical infrastructure requires a holistic, ever-active approach to security. Siemens provides comprehensive cybersecurity services to industry, utilities and power grid operators, and the centre allows customers to engage in digital transformation while keeping data and equipment secure.
Franco Atassi, head of Smart Infrastructure for Siemens in the Middle East, said, “Our energy systems are evolving as decentralisation and a diversifying energy mix impose greater complexity on our electricity grids.
“Managing and protecting these intricate energy systems requires the intelligent application of digital technologies, and our centre directly addresses this challenge. We will use the centre to support our customers in their digital transformation, working together to develop and implement technology for smarter cities and industries in the Middle East.”
With a team of engineers, the centre focuses on six pillars of digitalisation such as remote collaboration, cloud and data (IoT), cybersecurity, digital substation, digital twin and energy efficiency analytics.
The Digital Grid Centre joins the company’s MindSphere Application Centres in UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt as part of the ongoing regional investment into digitalisation. The MindSphere Application Centres enable Siemens to work closely with customers using digital technologies - including artificial intelligence, data analytics and the Internet of Things - to solve specific challenges.
