LF Energy’s SEAPATH (Software Enabled Automation Platform and Artifacts) project aims to help the energy sector tackle the significant challenges in modernizing its infrastructure to meet evolving demands. In this video, Christophe Villemer, Executive Vice-President at Savoir-faire Linux, discusses the climate crisis challenges and LF Energy’s role in accelerating decarbonization efforts by fostering collaboration and developing projects like SEAPATH to enhance grid efficiency, sustainability and flexibility. He says, “It’s just a question of how we work out together to make things change because we will need to change and the challenge and the stake of the energy transition are huge.”

Introduction to Savoir-faire Linux and how LF Energy is addressing the climate crisis challenges

• Savoir-faire Linux is a service company doing software engineering and building software for their clients as well as being a member of the Linux Foundation.
• Villemer discusses LF Energy’s aim to unite all stakeholders in the energy transition to collaborate on projects that accelerate energy sector decarbonization.
• Villemer emphasizes the seriousness of the climate crisis, underscoring the need for collective action to address climate change. He acknowledges the significant challenges and rapid adaptation required by the energy sector.
• While the energy sector is not the largest contributor to the climate crisis, Villemer talks about its role in solving it. He discusses the significant changes that are required for the shift toward decarbonization.

The need to modernize grid infrastructure with collaboration and innovation to drive advancements

• Villemer highlights the need to modernize the aging grid infrastructure, which relies on outdated analog technology. He discusses the need to incorporate new technologies like AI and virtualization to create a more flexible and manageable grid 2.0.
• Villemer highlights the diverse ecosystem of the energy sector and the sector’s evolution towards integrating IT and operational technology (OT). He discusses how LF Energy brings together all these stakeholders to collaborate and drive advancements in the field.
• There is typically only one dominant utility within a country that creates less competition. Villemer underscores the need for innovation and collaboration with neighboring countries, highlighting the upcoming LF Energy Summit in Belgium.

LF Energy’s Role in SEAPATH Project, its Benefits and the role of substations in the next-generation grid

• Villemer discusses LF Energy’s involvement in SEAPATH project, which aims to modernize the energy grid by introducing virtualization.
• The drive to modernize the energy grid will enable substations to react quickly, be managed remotely, and integrate new automation and predictive software. Villemer highlights the benefits and value this will bring to grid management.
• Villemer talks about the role that substations play in managing the demand and flexibility in the energy grid, particularly with the integration of new energy sources like solar and wind, and why they are foundational to the next-generation grid.
• Villemer outlines the challenges facing the SEAPATH project, including managing a growing community, maintaining neutral governance to ensure all voices are heard, involving new participants, and the technical challenge of cybersecurity.
• The SEAPATH project is in the early adoption phase, with real-world deployments already underway. Villemer shares details of some of the deployments, highlighting the level of interest worldwide.

The benefits of open-source projects like SEAPATH and getting involved

• Villemer asserts that LF Energy projects like SEAPATH are globally relevant and can be applied by large utilities and embedded into products, offering flexibility in implementation. He talks about the project’s adaptable nature.
• Villemer emphasizes the benefits of competition in the open-source ecosystem and how it can lead to project robustness and readiness for project use.
• People with an interest in or business related to grid management are encouraged to explore and contribute to the SEAPATH project.
• Villemer discusses the growing interest from hardware companies due to SEAPATH’s hardware-agnostic nature, and the potential for the project’s growth in this area in the future.

Guest: Christophe Villemer (LinkedIn)
Organization/Company: LF Energy (Twitter) | Savoir-faire Linux (Twitter)
Show: State of Energy

This summary was written by Emily Nicholls.