State-owned energy provider Wien Energie is to deploy a LoRaWAN network across the city of Vienna as part of its bid to make the Austrian capital the “most livable and smartest city in the world”. Wien Energie has appointed LoRaWAN mainstay Actility to provide the network infrastructure and management platform. Its sister company, network provider Wiener Netze, will handle outdoor infrastructure rollout, while Wien Energie takes charge of the indoor componentry.
A press statement said little about the applications that will be deployed on the network, but presumably they include smart metering, plus some advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) in the energy network, as well as related smart-city infrastructure for smart street lighting, environmental monitoring, plus sensor nodes to support other city services. Actility said the project “leans into the city’s commitment to human digitalization, ensuring the technology supports its residents rather than displacing them”.
Wien Energie is part of city-owned infrastructure service provider Wiener Stadtwerke; it is the largest energy supplier in Austria, selling electricity and gas. The new LoRaWAN network is currently in a “testing process”, and is expected to be available for “highly scalable use cases” from the start of next year (2024). Wien Energie wants the new IoT network to help its reduce overall energy requirements in the city, and set it on track to achieve ‘net-zero’ carbon status by 2040, said Actility.
Paul Prinz-Wallner, in charge of IoT and telecoms business development at Wien Energie, said: “Wien Energie is a utility provider that understands the need for strong, reliable partnerships. In Actility, we have found a dynamic ally which not only provides connectivity for Vienna but can also help us deal with any challenges. With its expertise, we are equipped to implement and manage sustainable IoT use cases that directly benefit our city.”
Olivier Hersent, chief executive at Actility, said: “This initiative paves the way for smarter resource use and sustainable urban solutions, positioning Vienna at the forefront of the world’s smart cities. Combining their deep local insights with our technological expertise ensures a robust and resilient infrastructure for the city. We are fully committed to providing all necessary support and knowledge to make this project a resounding success, driving Vienna forward as a global leader in smart and sustainable urban living.”
