Smart City and Utility Industry News Roundup
March 27, 2024

The Government Council of Andalusia has approved the ‘Smart Water’ initiative, a new water resources management center in Seville, aimed at enhancing water management and governance through advanced technology, including artificial intelligence. This center will utilize a network of remote stations to monitor hydrometeorological conditions in real-time across more than 31,000 km². The system includes 180 measurement stations under the SAIH-Hidrosur Network and the Water Quality Alert and Information System (SAICA) with 48 physical stations for monitoring water quality. Additionally, the ‘Agua0’ Program will streamline water concession management, integrating data on a single platform, and the ‘Smart River Basin’ digital platform will assist in responding to extreme water events and evaluating water infrastructure to increase climate resilience. 

Telefónica Tech, partnering with Ferrovial and Endesa X, will digitalize public lighting in Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Utilizing Telefónica Tech’s intelligent lighting solution, developed alongside Tellink, this initiative will remotely control the municipality’s LED luminaires through more than 10,000 nodes equipped with NB-IoT connectivity. This initiative aims to improve energy efficiency, reduce maintenance costs, and enhance streetlight management, including adaptability for special events. The advanced system supports individual light control, intensity adjustments, and real-time monitoring. 

The Municipality of Argenta in Italy has signed a 21-year contract with Soelia Spa for public lighting management, promising over 60% energy savings and a €300,000 cost reduction. The project, worth over €4 million, involves transitioning to LED lights and is financed via a public-private partnership. Awarded to the RTI Menowatt GE Spa – Hera Luce Srl consortium, the upgrade affects 5,824 lighting points and 110 power panels, aiming for completion by early 2026. 

In Italy, City Green Light, a leader in public lighting, energy efficiency, and smart city services based in Vicenza, has acquired Termotecnica Sebina, a company specializing in the design, construction, and maintenance of technological, mechanical, and electrical systems. This strategic purchase enables City Green Light to enhance its technological systems offerings and solidify its position as a key provider of integrated energy solutions for both public and private sectors. Part of an ambitious growth strategy, this move aims to position the company as a comprehensive energy solutions provider for Italian public administrations and large enterprises. City Green Light has a presence in over 330 municipalities and manages more than 1 million light points. 

Dryad Networks, a Germany-based tech firm, has successfully raised €5.6 million in a convertible financing round, setting the stage for a larger Series B funding target of €15-20 million later this year. The funding will support the rollout of its third-generation Silvanet wildfire detection system that includes LoRaWAN  Mesh, a cloud platform,  AI-enabled gas sensors and a solar-powered infrastructure for early wildfire detection.

Rogers is set to deploy a 5G-powered AI traffic management system at five key intersections in downtown Toronto, following a successful pilot with The University of British Columbia. This initiative, approved by Toronto’s City Council, aims to reduce congestion by analyzing traffic flow in real-time using AI cameras and sensors. Previous trials showed significant reductions in vehicle and pedestrian delays and a decrease in carbon emissions. The Toronto pilot will unfold in three phases, starting with data collection, followed by AI-driven analysis and real-time traffic management implementation. 

L’Ecolab du CGDD, an innovation lab under the French Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion, recently released a comprehensive report on the Experts’ AI Day held last month. Co-hosted with Les Interconnectés, the event highlighted the pivotal role of AI in supporting environmental initiatives at the municipal level.
This report underscores a significant trend: the escalating adoption of AI by municipalities to tackle environmental challenges. From 50 municipalities using AI in 2023, an anticipated 200 are set to launch AI-based projects and experiments in 2024.
Among various topics the forum highlighted the critical role of AI in environmental sustainability efforts, such as improving mobility, water supply management, biodiversity protection, and adapting urban areas to climate change. To access the full report (In French): Click Here