Hitachi ABB Power Grids Creates Research and Development Center In Montréal Focused on Cybersecurity, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

Hitachi ABB Power Grids this week announced the establishment of a new research and development (R&D) presence in Montréal, focused on addressing key challenges in the energy industry related to artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and cybersecurity. The new Digital Power Grid Center will build on the company`s pioneering work in the development of technology solutions for the global energy industry. 

Part of Hitachi ABB Power Grids` research arm, the new Center will develop key competencies in major technology disciplines related to cybersecurity, machine learning and data analytics, and contribute to product and solution developments in these fields. The Digital Power Grid Center will be the company`s seventh research location, joining with existing R&D centers in China, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany and the United States.

As utilities and other companies move to digitalize their energy infrastructure, their assets will be increasingly interconnected and linked to the Cloud, which offers significant opportunities to optimize power generation, distribution, transmission and storage capabilities.

For instance, the Center will look to capitalize on opportunities presented by the increasing volumes of data being made available through a growing number of smarter, connected devices distributed throughout the grid. This data can provide valuable intelligence to power utilities and other organizations to help them more effectively address sustainability, reliability and resilience goals. The Center will also focus on mitigating potential threats arising from the increasing connectedness of grid assets.

In recent years, Montréal has emerged as a key hub of activity in the digitalization ecosystem, hosting a variety of world-class universities, research consortia and major companies, all contributing to the development of new technologies and collaborating on the creation of standards that will help to drive the next generation of sustainable energy solutions. The Province of Québec is also strongly involved in the development of technical expertise in the region, and contributes both funding and guidance to help steer and foster a strong, collaborative R&D environment in the province.

"Montréal`s ecosystems in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, two closely related sectors, play a key role in the economic vitality of Greater Montréal. By establishing its research and development center in the region, Hitachi ABB Power Grids will have access to the best talent in these fields," said Stéphane Paquet, President and CEO of Montréal International. "In only 4 years, Montréal International has supported some 40 AI projects in the region, with investments totaling close to $1 billion."

With more than 800 employees and 3 manufacturing locations, Hitachi ABB Power Grids has a strong presence in Canada. Located at the company`s state-of-the-art country headquarters in Montréal, the Center will spearhead Hitachi ABB Power Grids` engagement with other researchers in the area that are focused on applying the power of pioneering and digital technologies to make grids stronger, smarter, and more sustainable. It will also foster collaborations with key customers in the region, which make important contributions to the evolution of energy infrastructure.

Source: Hitachi ABB Power Grids Ltd.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Upcoming Events of Interest from SGO:

Next-Gen Smart Grid Virtual Summit,  December 9, 2020
http://www.smartgridobserver.com/vsummit/

EV Charging Infrastructure Summit - North America,  January 26, 2021
http://www.smartgridobserver.com/EV-Summit/

100% Renewable Energy Virtual Symposium,  January 27-28, 2021
http://www.smartgridobserver.com/100RE/

5th Annual Smart Cities International Virtual Symposium,  February 23-24, 2021
http://smartcities-symposium.com/

Long-Duration Energy Storage Virtual Summit,  March 30-31, 2021
http://www.smartgridobserver.com/storage/index.htm