Alphabet Inc.’s X Development LLC, formerly known as Google X and now simply “X,” is working with the Coordinador Eléctrico Nacional in Chile to virtualize that country’s electrical transmission grid and develop new grid planning tools.

The collaboration is meant to support the Chilean government’s ambitious goal of completely phasing out the use of coal by 2040, as it bids to become a net zero economy by 2050.

CEN said the multiyear partnership with X’s moonshot factory will initially focus on the development of grid virtualization tools, with the goal of modeling and simulating Chile’s national transmission grid. CEN will also draw on its expertise in renewable energy sources to build scenario planning tools that can envision what the country’s electrical grid of the future might look like without coal and with its increased reliance on renewable energy sources.

Although that isn’t clear at this stage, Chile does have a significant advantage with ample solar and wind energy resources. Whatever shape its future grid takes, it will require a lot of forward-thinking system planning capabilities to build.

X was established to invent and launch “breakthrough technologies” that can make the world a better place. The unit’s focus has been firmly on creating sustainable technologies. Previous moonshots have focused on more sustainable ways to produce food, create clean energy and improve the climate.

One effort, called Mineral, is developing new technologies for a more sustainable and productive food system, while Tidal is an initiative that aims to restore the ocean’s health. X has also launched a clean energy startup called Malta Inc. that’s building grid-scale energy storage systems that can be located anywhere in the world. Yet another project, Dandelion, is focused on geothermal electricity sources.

X launched its electric grid moonshot earlier this year and is exploring the potential of creating a single, virtualized grid that can be used to visualize, plan, build, operate and eventually transition to an entirely new infrastructure based on clean energy. CEN and X agree one of the main requirements before shifting to renewable energy is to have a complete, real-time picture of a country’s electric grid.

CEN President Juan Carlos Olmedo spoke of his hopes that the partnership will enable a significant leap in innovation and development within Chile’s electricity sector in terms of modeling and simulating the optimal operation of its new, clean energy grid.

“The focus of this partnership with X will be on the virtualization of the network, as well as the development of applications to optimize the planning and operation of the electricity system,” he added.

Olmedo said X will play an important role, since Chile’s future electricity grid will need to be decentralized, based on flexible new technologies. “System operators need new digital tools to ensure we can plan, develop and operate a resilient system that can withstand this complexity and the challenge of climate change,” he said.

Photo: X