idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft

Nachrichten, Termine, Experten

Grafik: idw-Logo
Grafik: idw-Logo

idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft

idw-Abo

idw-News App:

AppStore

Google Play Store



Instanz:
Teilen: 
04.12.2025 12:12

White Paper Shows Utilities the Path to Software-Defined Operational Technology (OT)

Alex Deeg PR und Marketing
Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Informationstechnik FIT

    The next era of power system operations is taking shape through digitalization, artificial intelligence, and intelligent automation. To help utilities and navigate this change, Fraunhofer FIT and Accenture have published a white paper, titled “Transformation Journey Towards Software-Defined Power System Operations.”

    The white paper provides a comprehensive blueprint for how utilities can transition from legacy, monolithic Operational Technology (OT) environments to modular, secure, and software-defined architectures. It explores the convergence of OT, IT, and AI as a driving force behind the modernization of critical infrastructure and the creation of agile, data-driven, and resilient energy systems.

    Christian Hille (Accenture) and Antonello Monti (Fraunhofer FIT) first presented the white paper in a keynote session at the 2025 Linux Foundation Energy Summit in Aachen, Germany.

    >>From Legacy Systems to Intelligent, Modular Architectures

    The white paper outlines how traditional OT systems – long valued for reliability and stability – must evolve to meet the operational and cybersecurity demands of a decentralized, renewable, and data-centric energy ecosystem. Through the adoption of open standards, modular components, and API-driven interoperability, utilities can unlock faster innovation cycles, improve flexibility, and ensure long-term control of their digital assets.

    The authors emphasize the importance of AI, digital twins, and testbeds as foundational capabilities for predictive operations, as well as zero-trust cybersecurity and post-quantum readiness to securely protect critical systems against evolving threats. By integrating these technologies through cloud and edge computing, utilities can achieve real-time visibility, automation, and resilience across their grid operations.

    >>A Collaborative Blueprint for the Energy Transition

    The white paper provides a practical roadmap for how organizations can modernize, while ensuring interoperability, resilience, and cyber safety. Grounded in the author’s shared vision for enabling the net-zero transition through software-defined operations, it states that the energy transition requires utilities to move from static control systems to adaptive, software-defined operations. This technological change must be matched by robust governance, clear leadership structures and continuous workforce development to build trust, accountability and operational excellence.

    >>Accelerating the 2035 Grid Vision

    The authors call on industry leaders, regulators, and technology providers to act collaboratively in shaping the future grid, which is secure by design, intelligent in operation, and flexible in scale. They conclude that the modernization of OT is not merely a technical upgrade but a strategic transformation, essential for achieving Europe’s decarbonization and digitalization goals.

    Read the full whitepaper: https://s.fhg.de/Transformation-Journey-Towards-Software-Defined-Power-Systems-O...


    Bilder

    White paper “Transformation Journey Towards Software-Defined Power System Operations”
    White paper “Transformation Journey Towards Software-Defined Power System Operations”

    Copyright: © Fraunhofer FIT / Accenture


    Merkmale dieser Pressemitteilung:
    Journalisten, Wirtschaftsvertreter
    Energie, Informationstechnik
    überregional
    Forschungsergebnisse, Forschungsprojekte
    Englisch


     

    Hilfe

    Die Suche / Erweiterte Suche im idw-Archiv
    Verknüpfungen

    Sie können Suchbegriffe mit und, oder und / oder nicht verknüpfen, z. B. Philo nicht logie.

    Klammern

    Verknüpfungen können Sie mit Klammern voneinander trennen, z. B. (Philo nicht logie) oder (Psycho und logie).

    Wortgruppen

    Zusammenhängende Worte werden als Wortgruppe gesucht, wenn Sie sie in Anführungsstriche setzen, z. B. „Bundesrepublik Deutschland“.

    Auswahlkriterien

    Die Erweiterte Suche können Sie auch nutzen, ohne Suchbegriffe einzugeben. Sie orientiert sich dann an den Kriterien, die Sie ausgewählt haben (z. B. nach dem Land oder dem Sachgebiet).

    Haben Sie in einer Kategorie kein Kriterium ausgewählt, wird die gesamte Kategorie durchsucht (z.B. alle Sachgebiete oder alle Länder).