Elewit and TECNALIA successfully test 50 km quantum communications to advance towards a smarter power grid
Through environmental, communications, application, and network testing, they confirm that link distance and environmental conditions do not affect quantum key exchange equipment
Both organizations have been collaborating since 2023 to research the use of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technologies to move towards the new quantum paradigm and explore cybersecurity for smart grids
Elewit, the technology platform of Redeia, and TECNALIA, Spain’s largest center for applied research and technological development, have carried out a second QKD (Quantum Key Distribution) proof of concept. They successfully established a fiber-optic communication link of approximately 50 kilometers in an industrial environment, between two electrical substations located between the municipalities of Itsaso (Gipuzkoa) and Vitoria (Álava).
Through a series of environmental, communications, application, and network tests, as well as experiments to assess protection against potential attacks, the project has demonstrated that link distance and environmental conditions do not affect quantum key exchange equipment. It has also validated the possibility of integrating passive devices (which do not require an external power source) and evaluated the system’s sensitivity to electromagnetic noise present in industrial environments.
Both entities, which have been collaborating since 2023, are also working with Reintel (Redeia’s subsidiary responsible for operating the fiber-optic network), using its facilities and optical fibers. They are researching QKD techniques to advance towards the new quantum paradigm and explore comprehensive cybersecurity for smart grids. Specifically, this proof of concept builds on a previous one carried out three years ago, in which they established a fiber-optic communication link of approximately one kilometer.
Elena de Benavides, Chief Innovation and Technology Officer of Elewit, stated: “We aim to leverage the full potential of this technology to protect power grids from cyberattacks. The experiments conducted with quantum technology open a path towards the vision of an even more secure communication infrastructure that protects the economy and society from cyber threats.”
Meanwhile, Alejandra Ruiz, Director of QKD Experiments in Smart Grids at TECNALIA, commented: “Our portable QKDLab is a key asset for conducting experimental research in this field, aimed at improving the protection of industrial and critical infrastructures, such as industrial OT systems, smart grids, communication networks between infrastructures, and many more.”
Relevance of QKD technologies
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a technology that enables the ultra-secure sharing of encryption keys using the laws of quantum physics and light (photons). Its main advantage is that it ensures both parties share a common encryption key with the guarantee that it has not been intercepted by any third party.
At a time when power grids are becoming increasingly digital and interconnected, and cyberattack risks are growing, QKD is emerging as a key tool to secure critical communications and move towards more robust cybersecurity, including protection against future threats.
This laboratory and its associated capabilities have been developed within projects supported by the ELKARTEK and AZPITEK programs of the Basque Government, as well as the Complementary Plan for Quantum Communication, also funded by the Basque Government under the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan and the European Union’s Next Generation EU initiative.
