Open Grid Europe Enhances Network with Ciena and Kapsch CarrierCom

To assure reliable and secure data transportation in support of Germany’s Energy Transition, Open Grid Europe is working with Ciena®, in consultation with Kapsch CarrierCom, to deploy a dedicated communications network backbone to facilitate Open Grid Europe’s intelligent coordination of gas transmission and sustainable energy supply. With Ciena, Open Grid Europe’s new programmable, high-capacity network will provide high-speed Ethernet connectivity for smart, always-on control and monitoring.

Key Facts:

• Open Grid Europe is Germany's leading natural gas transmission network. It spans 12,000 km, as long as the German Autobahn, and delivers gas to more than 450 suppliers, providing approximately 758 billion kWh annually, which accounts for more than two thirds of Germany’s total natural gas.
• Germany’s Energy Transition, or "Energiewende," is a commitment to reforming the country’s power supply system by moving to more renewable energy sources – such as wind, solar and water – and increasing energy conservation for a secure, environmentally friendly and economically successful future. With 47.8% of German households being gas heated, Open Grid Europe’s network will help ensure consistent energy supply and conservation as renewable sources can fluctuate.
• Ciena’s 6500 Packet-Optical Platform and unified management capability underpin the communications infrastructure of Open Grid Europe’s extensive pipeline and numerous compressor stations, providing 10G Ethernet for the operations and maintenance of process data, such as measurement, monitoring and control information.
• Kapsch CarrierCom, a global system integrator and supplier of end-to-end telecommunications solutions and a Ciena BizConnect partner, deployed Open Grid Europe’s robust Ciena-based network as a fully managed service.

Executive Comments:

• “Ensuring sustainable energy supply is our priority. With Ciena and Kapsch we have the infrastructure for intelligent coordination and smart network monitoring, which means we can focus on ensuring that the transmission of Germany’s natural gas is dependable and efficient.” - Claus Meyer, Head of Technical Operations, Open Grid Europe
• “With Ciena’s technology, we can design, deploy and manage the latest generation of converged network technologies to enhance network performance and availability for Open Grid Europe. This tailored network will also support Open Grid Europe’s future initiatives, making its network a powerful and strategic business asset.” - Ralf Arweiler, Vice President Carriers at Kapsch CarrierCom AG
• “OpenGrid Europe depends on fully redundant and secure data transportation for the management and monitoring of its mission-critical infrastructure. With Ciena facilitating operational simplicity and Kapsch delivering a tailored, end-to-end solution, Open Grid Europe can ensure its long-term competitive advantage.” - Franck Welter, Head of Partners, Enterprise and Public Sector, EMEA at Ciena