"By joining forces, ABB and Deutsche Telekom are combining their know-how, which is perfectly matched to create smart grids,” says Peter Smits, CEO of ABB AG and Head of the Central Europe region. “We are offering the energy sector a comprehensive portfolio of power transmission and distribution along with products and solutions for building automation.”

Reinhard Clemens, member of the Deutsche Telekom Board of Management and T-Systems CEO, adds: “The energy market is facing a radical change: power and data networks are converging. We have the necessary broadband fixed and mobile network, the service staff on-site and experience in handling mass data. After all, we process more than 40 million telecommunication invoices every month in our data centres.”

Under the German Renewable Energy Sources Act, the share of energy obtained from renewable energy sources is to increase to at least 30% percent in Germany by 2020, and an increasing number of decentralised and regenerative energy sources are making the distribution network more and more complex.

In future networks, power consumption must be adapted better to fluctuating energy generation from for example renewable energy sources.

ABB and Deutsche Telekom will develop the smart grid solutions with other project partners in T-City,T-Systems’ showcase for the power of networks.