How IoT Is Supporting the Future of Energy

Connecting the Energy Infrastructure Community at Excel London

GRID: Connected Energy Infrastructure 2026 takes place on 1 and 2 October 2026 at Excel London, bringing together leaders, innovators and stakeholders involved in the transformation of the UK’s energy transmission network.

The event runs from 08:30 to 17:30 on Thursday 1 October and 08:30 to 16:00 on Friday 2 October. Excel London describes the event as a landmark project focused on the people, projects and policies shaping the future of the UK’s energy infrastructure. Excel London

As the UK goes through a major infrastructure upgrade, connected technology and IoT are becoming increasingly important across energy generation, transmission, storage and remote monitoring.

The Energy Sector Is Becoming More Connected

Modern energy infrastructure increasingly relies on connected devices to monitor performance, identify faults and provide operational data from remote assets.

IoT applications can include:

• Smart meters
• Grid monitoring equipment
• Battery Energy Storage Systems
• Substation monitoring
• Environmental sensors
• Remote power equipment
• EV charging infrastructure
• Industrial routers and gateways
• Asset tracking
• Predictive maintenance systems

These technologies help operators collect information from equipment distributed across large geographical areas.

Reliable connectivity is therefore essential for getting that information back to authorised monitoring and management platforms.

Remote Monitoring Across Energy Infrastructure

Energy assets are often installed in locations that are difficult or expensive to visit regularly.

Connected sensors can help teams remotely monitor conditions such as:

• Voltage
• Current
• Temperature
• Equipment status
• Battery condition
• Environmental conditions
• Power availability
• Fault alerts
• Energy consumption

Rather than relying only on scheduled site inspections, operators can receive regular data from equipment and respond when readings indicate a potential problem.

This can help improve visibility across distributed infrastructure.

Battery Energy Storage Systems

Battery Energy Storage Systems are becoming an important part of modern energy infrastructure.

Connected monitoring can help operators track factors such as:

• Battery status
• Temperature
• Charge and discharge activity
• Power availability
• Equipment performance
• Fault conditions

IoT connectivity can allow this information to be transmitted to remote management platforms without requiring staff to be physically present at every site.

Reliable communication is especially important where energy storage systems are installed across multiple remote locations.

Predictive Maintenance

Traditional maintenance often depends on fixed service schedules or responding after equipment fails.

Connected sensors create opportunities for a more data-driven approach.

By monitoring equipment condition over time, organisations may be able to identify changes that indicate maintenance is required.

Potential monitoring data can include:

• Temperature changes
• Vibration
• Power consumption
• Pressure
• Equipment runtime
• System errors
• Battery health

This can help technical teams prioritise maintenance and reduce unnecessary site visits.

Predictive maintenance does not remove the need for physical inspection, but it can provide additional information to support maintenance planning.

Smart Grid Monitoring

Energy networks increasingly require greater visibility over how power is generated, distributed and consumed.

Connected monitoring equipment can provide real-time or scheduled information from different points across the network.

This can support:

• Grid performance monitoring
• Remote fault detection
• Energy consumption analysis
• Power quality monitoring
• Equipment health checks
• Capacity planning
• Infrastructure management

IoT technology allows distributed equipment to communicate with central systems, giving operators a clearer view of what is happening across the network.

Multi-Network Connectivity

Energy infrastructure can be located across cities, rural areas and remote sites.

Mobile coverage varies significantly between these environments.

Multi-network IoT connectivity can reduce reliance on a single mobile operator by allowing compatible devices to access multiple available networks.

This can be particularly useful for:

• Remote substations
• Battery storage sites
• Solar farms
• Wind infrastructure
• EV charging
• Environmental monitoring
• Temporary energy projects
• Grid monitoring equipment

For remote infrastructure, maintaining a reliable connection can be important for sending alerts and operational information.

EV Charging Infrastructure

EV charging is another increasingly connected part of the energy ecosystem.

Charging points may require connectivity to support:

• Payment processing
• Charger availability
• Usage monitoring
• Remote diagnostics
• Software updates
• Fault notifications
• Energy consumption reporting

A mobile IoT connection can allow charging equipment to operate without relying entirely on local Wi-Fi or fixed broadband.

This can also simplify installations across car parks, workplaces, retail locations and remote charging sites.

Environmental Monitoring

Energy projects often need to monitor environmental conditions around infrastructure.

Connected sensors can collect information such as:

• Temperature
• Humidity
• Air quality
• Water levels
• Weather conditions
• Soil conditions
• Equipment enclosure conditions

Alerts can be triggered when measurements move outside defined limits.

This can help organisations monitor both operational equipment and the environment surrounding energy infrastructure.

Secure Connectivity for Critical Infrastructure

Energy systems form part of important national infrastructure, so connected devices need appropriate security controls.

Depending on the deployment, secure IoT connectivity can include:

• Private APNs
• VPN connectivity
• Fixed private IP addresses
• Restricted internet access
• IP whitelisting
• Approved endpoint access
• Usage limits
• Connectivity monitoring

These controls can help determine which systems remote equipment is permitted to communicate with.

Security should form part of a wider approach covering the device, network, cloud platform, user access and organisational procedures.

Centralised Connectivity Management

Large energy projects may involve hundreds or thousands of connected devices across multiple locations.

Centralised connectivity management can help organisations monitor these connections from one place.

Depending on the platform, teams may be able to:

• Monitor data usage
• Activate and suspend SIMs
• Set usage alerts
• Review connection activity
• Organise devices by location
• Identify unusual usage
• Investigate inactive equipment
• Manage shared data allowances

This can provide greater visibility as connected infrastructure grows.

Temporary Connectivity for Energy Projects

Energy infrastructure projects may also require temporary connectivity during construction, commissioning or maintenance.

A 4G or 5G router can provide connectivity for:

• Site offices
• Monitoring equipment
• Laptops and tablets
• Security systems
• Temporary sensors
• Cloud applications

This can allow project teams to get equipment online without waiting for a fixed broadband installation.

Once the project changes location, the equipment can be moved and redeployed.

GRID 2026 and the Future of Connected Energy

GRID: Connected Energy Infrastructure brings together organisations involved in one of the most significant periods of change for UK energy infrastructure.

Excel London describes the event as being aimed at the public sector, contractors, suppliers, investors and innovators working across the evolving energy landscape.

As energy infrastructure becomes more distributed and digital, IoT technology will continue to play an important role in monitoring assets, identifying faults and connecting equipment across remote locations.

From battery storage and substations to EV charging and environmental monitoring, reliable connectivity helps turn individual devices into part of a wider connected energy system.

GRID: Connected Energy Infrastructure 2026 takes place on 1 and 2 October at Excel London.

Connect the infrastructure. Monitor the assets. Build a smarter energy network.