5G-interconnection of transport: Intelligent load management for e-buses and trams 

The greater use of electromobility in private and public transport poses major challenges for power grid operators and transport companies alike. Stadtwerke Jena Netze and Jena Nahverkehr are developing solutions as part of the city's 5G traffic networking project. 

What is it all about?

  • Since 2021, the city of Jena has been running the "5G traffic networking" project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport.
  • Together with universities, business representatives, municipal companies and mobile network operators, the aim is to develop a system that uses intelligent control to improve the flow of traffic in inner-city areas and increase safety for everyone.
  • The core of the project is the development of a digital platform - the so-called data broker - which uses the fast 5G mobile communications standard to collect, among other things, movement data from various road users in real time and make it available for use by the various applications:

What do the Stadtwerke plan to do?

  • In the so-called Teilprojekt Energie- und Lastflussoptimierung for energy and load flow optimisation, Stadtwerke Jena Netze and Jena Nahverkehr work together with the Institute for Energy Management at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences.
  • The aim is, with the help of the data broker and 5G mobile communications applications, to make the power grids and, in particular, the charging infrastructure for electromobility intelligent and controllable in real time.
  • The idea is to avoid load peaks and an expensive grid expansion. The focus will be on peaks for fast charging of electric buses, for simultaneous charging processes of privatly used electric vehicles of all types, and also the power requirements of electrically powered trams.

What is the current status?

  • A stationary load management system has been installed and put into operation at the fast charging station for e-buses at Westbahnhof. Based on characteristics such as voltage, current and power of the transformer station as well as battery status, charging demand and planned departure time of the bus, it optimises the charging process of the e-vehicle.
  • In the coming months, research will continue on mobile load management to control the power requirements for the electric trams.
  • Another stationary load management system is also to be built at the depot of Jena's public transport system. It is intended to provide an optimal charging regime based on the interaction of the existing normal and fast charging options, the availability of electricity from the depot's own PV system, and the capacity of a possible battery storage system.
Übersicht über das Projekt 5G Verkehrsvernetzung - © Stadt Jena

5G-traffic networking: further information

Improved traffic flow and more safety for everyone: As one of the first German municipalities, the Jena project "Jena 5G_V2X" received subsidy of the Federal Minsistry for Digital Services and Traffic. The term stands for Cellular-Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) and refers to the alignment of real-time traffic data of public transport, car traffic, bicycles, e-scooters, and pedestrians.  On the website of the city of Jena you can learn more about further project goals and results of the joint project.  

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News on the Smart City Jena

Ein Tramino steht auf dem Ernst-Abbe-Platz.

Video: This is what the 5G-traffic project is about

The 5G-project partner Telekom explains in this video what the model project in Jena is about, and which advantages this might bring for everybody in our city's public place.