5G and Wi-Fi 6 in the electric grid

Electric utilities are under great pressure to upgrade a legacy wireless infrastructure that no longer meets their needs. To adapt to the new ways in which energy is generated and consumed, utilities need to deploy new technologies and digitalize their infrastructure.

Despite improved efficiency in energy use, electricity consumption is growing globally due to the increase in overall consumption in emerging economies, and to technological changes such as the growing adoption of electric cars, digitalization, and online activities. Renewable energy sources are increasingly replacing traditional electricity generation, and utilities need to rethink their grid operations management.

No single wireless technology addresses all of the requirements a utility may have. The challenge that utilities – and, more generally, the wireless ecosystem – face is to choose the right mix of technologies that can most effectively support a wide range of existing and future use cases.

Topics covered

• How can 5G and Wi-Fi 6 address the increasing connectivity needs of utilities?
• What are the use cases that benefit the most from 5G and Wi-Fi 6?
• How do 5G and Wi-Fi 6 differ? Where do they complement each other?
• What are the differences in deployment models, cost dynamics, operational requirements and technology evolution path for these technologies?