The utilization of the electricity grid can increase by 20% without new infrastructure investments.
Key Visual Flexibility Manager - Operator
For electricity distribution system operators (DSOs), the increasing number of solar panels, wind farms, and so-called "prosumers," who not only consume but also produce electricity, presents an ever greater challenge. All of this makes grid operation much more complex, while there is neither time nor opportunity for lengthy developments.
This is where digitalization helps: new software shows in real time, in detail, how the grid operates, enabling operators to manage energy distribution faster and more efficiently.
Carinthian sunshine: opportunity and challenge
There are more and more solar panels in Carinthia, which also presents a challenge for the electricity utility. Kärnten Netz (KNG), which operates the province's electricity grid, manages nearly 19,000 kilometers of power lines and more than 7,500 transformer stations, and is now preparing to operate the grid in a smarter and more flexible way.
In the province of 570,000 inhabitants, solar capacity is expected to double by 2030, representing an increase of 1.1 gigawatts. For comparison, Hungary's total solar capacity reached 9 gigawatts in the autumn of 2025.
However, this rapid expansion can also cause problems. Especially in rural valleys between mountains, where the grid, equipped with long distribution lines, may already be prone to exceeding voltage limits. Therefore, Austrian regulation increasingly supports flexible, market-driven solutions and expects grid operators to examine the application of new operational and digital capabilities.
Smart software against overload
For this reason, Kärnten Netz chose Siemens' solution, the Gridscale X Flexibility Manager software. Its goal is to get the most out of the existing grid without having to build new power lines or transformer stations.
The software continuously monitors the condition of the grid and predicts where overloads or bottlenecks may occur. If a problem is approaching, the system quickly mobilizes the flexible energy resources that are already connected to the grid—such as solar panels, electric vehicles, heat pumps, and battery energy storage systems.
These can be integrated into grid stabilization much faster than building a new power plant or infrastructure. As a result, the grid can be used up to 20% more efficiently, without investment.
Less risk, lower costs
Digital transparency not only makes daily operation easier but also supports long-term planning. The software shows exactly where development is truly needed and where smarter control is sufficient. As a result, grid operators can reduce their investment costs by up to 40%.
Gridscale X: a step toward autonomous grid management
The Flexibility Manager is part of Siemens' modular Gridscale X solution portfolio, which is built on the Siemens Xcelerator digital platform. This enables electricity utilities to introduce new digital technologies more quickly and flexibly.
The portfolio includes several separate modules. Gridscale X LV Insights displays the condition of the low-voltage grid on a map in real time, even on a smartphone. Gridscale X LV Management actively controls the grid, assisting operators as an automated "co-pilot."
Siemens developed the Flexibility Manager together with several European electricity utilities—including the Dutch Alliander, the Italian Areti, and the Norwegian Elvia—based on real grid operating experience.