How LoRaWAN® Solves Electromagnetic interference (EMI) Challenges in Energy IoT

Imagine this: You’re managing a hydro power plant, a wind farm, or an oil refinery. Your operations depend on real-time data to monitor equipment health, prevent failures, and optimize efficiency. But then, without warning, your sensors stop transmitting critical updates. Problems get missed, maintenance gets delayed, and your entire system runs at risk.

What’s causing this disruption?

Electromagnetic interference (EMI)—the invisible force that blocks wireless communication, making it difficult to receive accurate data in industrial environments.

So, how do energy providers and industrial facilities ensure reliable connectivity despite EMI, harsh environments, and remote locations?

Let’s explore the challenges and how LoRaWAN® technology overcomes them.

What is EMI and How Does It Affect Industrial Communication?

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is like unwanted signals that drowns out a conversation. In industrial settings, heavy machinery, power grids, and even common electronic devices emit signals that interfere with wireless communication. This can disrupt sensors, monitoring systems, and critical data transmissions, leading to:

• Unreliable Data Flow – Interrupted or lost signals create gaps in monitoring in monitoring systems.
• Delayed Maintenance – Without real-time data, minor issues can turn into bigger problems into costly failures.
• Operational Inefficiencies – Manual inspections increase downtime and reduce overall productivity.

For industries like energy and manufacturing, handling EMI is important for maintaining smooth, real-time communication across all operations.

At TEKTELIC, we’ve spent more than 15 years developing robust, interference-resistant LoRaWAN® solutions to help industries overcome EMI challenges. Our technology ensures stable, long-range communication even in the harshest environments, keeping energy infrastructures connected and efficient.

In this article, we want to share our expertise and help you understand how to overcome EMI challenges in industrial communication. Continue reading to explore practical solutions and real-world applications of LoRaWAN® technology in critical energy infrastructures.

Challenges in Energy Infrastructure Communication

Among our customers in the energy sector, some of the biggest challenges they face are keeping communication systems reliable in demanding environments. Factors like remote locations, extreme weather, and interference from high-powered equipment make data transmission difficult. Without a stable connection, critical information can be delayed or lost, affecting operational efficiency and safety.

To make informed decisions, companies need to understand the key challenges and how the right technology can solve them.

Let’s review the most critical challenges:

• Electromagnetic Interference (EMI): High-powered electrical systems generate EMI that disrupts wireless communication.
• Remote and Harsh Environments: Many industrial sites are located in offshore, desert, or mountainous areas, making connectivity difficult.
• Physical Barriers: Dense metal structures, rotating equipment, and changing weather conditions weaken signal strength.
• Safety and Compliance Regulations: Hazardous zones require certified communication solutions that meet strict safety standards.
• Outdated Infrastructure: Legacy communication systems make integration of modern IoT solutions complex and expensive.

Overcoming these challenges requires a communication technology that is long-range, interference-resistant, and cost-effective – and this is where LoRaWAN® comes in.

How LoRaWAN Ensures Reliable Communication in Industrial Sites

LoRaWAN technology is specifically designed for industrial environments where long-range, low-power, and interference-resistant communication is critical. Unlike conventional wireless systems, LoRaWAN uses chirp spread spectrum modulation, which spreads signals across a wide bandwidth, making them strong to noise and interference.

Let’s explore how TEKTELIC’s LoRaWAN® solutions are solving real-world EMI challenges across different energy sectors.

Hydro Power Plants: Maintaining Connectivity in High-EMI Zones

Hydropower plants play an important role in renewable energy generation, but their complex infrastructure and high-powered turbines generate significant electromagnetic interference (EMI). This interference disrupts wireless communication, making real-time monitoring of water flow, equipment health, and operational performance challenging. Additionally, many hydropower plants are located in remote areas, where connectivity options are limited.

Ensuring uninterrupted data transmission is crucial for optimizing energy output, preventing unexpected shutdowns, and reducing maintenance costs. LoRaWAN® provides a reliable solution by offering long-range, interference-resistant communication that helps operators detect potential issues early and maintain efficient operations.

 How LoRaWAN Helps:

• Interference-Resistant Communication: TEKTELIC’s Carrier-Grade Gateways feature a built-in cavity filter that blocks unwanted EMI, ensuring clear data transmission.
• Long-Range Coverage: LoRaWAN sensors can communicate over several kilometers, eliminating signal dropouts.
• Minimal Maintenance: Battery-powered sensors last up to 10 years, reducing the need for frequent replacements.

A Detailed Guide on Cavity Filters! Want to discover how cavity filters work and why they are essential? Check out our comprehensive guide that explains their role and benefits: What is a Cavity RF Filter and Why is it Important?

Wind Farms: Remote Monitoring & Predictive Maintenance

These sites are often located in remote or offshore areas, making regular maintenance difficult and expensive. Additionally, large turbines generate strong electromagnetic fields that can interfere with wireless communication, affecting real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance efforts.

For wind farm operators, detecting potential issues early is crucial to preventing costly breakdowns and minimizing downtime. Traditional wired monitoring solutions are not always feasible due to the vast size of these farms, and existing wireless systems may struggle with interference.

This is where LoRaWAN® technology provides a reliable alternative. It enables stable, long-range connectivity, allowing operators to track turbine health, weather conditions, and structural integrity from a central location. With real-time data insights, wind farms can reduce unexpected failures and optimize energy production.

How LoRaWAN Helps:

• Stable Connectivity: TEKTELIC’s KONA MEGA gateway minimizes EMI interference, ensuring real-time turbine health monitoring.
• Data-Driven Maintenance: Sensors track blade vibrations, wind speeds, and structural integrity, enabling predictive maintenance.
• Reduced Downtime: Continuous monitoring prevents unexpected turbine failures, maximizing energy output.

Solar Power Plants: Overcoming EMI from Inverters

Solar power plants depend on inverters to convert direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC), a process that generates strong electromagnetic interference (EMI). This interference can disrupt real-time monitoring, leading to delays in detecting performance issues or failures. Ensuring stable communication between sensors and control systems is crucial for optimizing energy output and preventing costly downtime.

LoRaWAN® provides a reliable, interference-resistant communication network that allows operators to monitor panel performance, track efficiency, and quickly identify potential faults.

How LoRaWAN Helps:

• Interference-Free Data Transmission: TEKTELIC’s gateways ensure seamless sensor connectivity, even in high-EMI environments.
• Grid Optimization: Real-time monitoring of panel performance and storage efficiency maximizes energy output.
• Minimal Maintenance Costs: Long-lasting LoRaWAN sensors reduce the need for frequent replacements or manual inspections.

Electrical Substations: Ensuring Grid Stability & Security

Electrical substations play a key role in distributing electricity, but high-voltage equipment and electromagnetic interference (EMI) can disrupt wireless communication. This makes it difficult to track transformer performance, detect circuit breaker issues, and respond quickly to voltage changes.

Without a reliable communication network, minor problems can grow into major failures, causing unplanned outages and costly repairs. LoRaWAN® provides a long-range, interference-resistant solution that keeps substations connected, ensures real-time monitoring, and helps maintain grid stability.

How LoRaWAN Helps:

• Continuous Monitoring: Sensors track voltage fluctuations, circuit breaker conditions, and switchgear performance.
• Cybersecure Data Transmission: LoRaWAN enables encrypted, real-time alerts for potential failures.
• Scalability: A single TEKTELIC KONA Macro Gateway supports thousands of sensors, streamlining automation.

Oil & Gas Refineries: Reliable Connectivity in Hazardous Zones

Oil and gas refineries operate in high-risk environments with extreme temperatures, hazardous gases, and heavy machinery. These conditions, combined with strong electromagnetic interference (EMI), make it challenging to maintain stable wireless communication. Monitoring pipelines, leak detection systems, and worker safety in real time is essential to prevent accidents and ensure compliance with industry regulations.

LoRaWAN® enables reliable, long-range connectivity that supports real-time asset tracking, leak detection, and environmental monitoring, improving safety and operational efficiency.

Oil and gas facilities face extreme EMI levels from heavy machinery and require explosion-proof monitoring solutions.

How LoRaWAN Helps:

• Stable Communication: TEKTELIC’s EMI-resistant gateways maintain reliable data flow in harsh environments.
• Safety & Compliance: LoRaWAN sensors enable continuous leak detection, asset tracking, and environmental monitoring.
• Regulatory Assurance: Helps companies meet safety and environmental standards with real-time data.

Fact! With LoRaWAN, oil and gas companies are transforming operations, reducing costs, and improving worker safety—unlocking a projected $2.5 trillion in value through digital innovation. (LoRa-Alliance).

Why TEKTELIC Gateways Are Built for Industrial IoT

When designing our gateways, TEKTELIC engineers focused on delivering reliable, high-performance solutions that address the real challenges faced by industrial operators. We understand that energy infrastructures demand long-range, interference-resistant, and low-maintenance connectivity to ensure smooth operations.

Our approach is built on deep industry expertise and years of hands-on experience. We recognize that industrial sites are complex environments, where electromagnetic interference (EMI), remote locations, and extreme conditions can disrupt communication. That’s why we develop carrier-grade gateways with built-in EMI-resistant cavity filters, ensuring stable and secure data transmission in even the most demanding settings.

TEKTELIC is committed to providing trusted, long-term solutions that help businesses improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and optimize their IoT deployments. Our gateways are designed with scalability, security, and seamless integration in mind, making them the preferred choice for energy providers, manufacturers, and industrial facilities worldwide.

Key Differentiators of TEKTELIC Gateways

Feature	Benefit
Full Duplex (FDD) Operation	Enables at the same time data transmission and reception, increasing network capacity and efficiency.
Dual Antenna Support	Improves signal reception and coverage for improved network performance.
Highly Selective Cavity Bandpass Filters	Reduces interference by filtering out unwanted signals, ensuring higher data accuracy and reliability.
Carrier-Grade Design	Built with stringent hardware and software features to ensure high reliability, uptime, and scalability while minimizing operational costs.
Hazardous Environment Certification	TEKTELIC’s KONA MEGA Ex is ATEX Class 1/Div 2 certified, allowing deployment in hazardous areas with flammable gases or vapors.
Salt Fog Compliance	Designed for maritime and coastal environments, ensuring long-term durability in corrosive conditions.
Lightning Protection	Protects against electrical surges, preventing downtime and damage from lightning strikes.
Advanced Remote Management (KONA Element)	Allows for seamless system upgrades, spectrum analysis, and real-time performance monitoring, reducing the need for on-site visits and lowering operational costs.
Simple Onboarding with TEKTELIC LeapX	Enables quick and easy deployment with minimal technical expertise.
Scalability & Cost Efficiency	One gateway can support thousands of sensors, making large-scale deployments easier and more cost-effective.
Seamless Integration	Compatible with existing infrastructure, ensuring smooth deployment and interoperability.

Need Help Choosing the Right Industrial IoT Gateway? Discover key factors to consider in “How to Choose the Right Industrial IoT Gateway: 16 Answers to Help You Pick the Best Option”

Real-World Example: Smart Energy Management with LoRaWAN

Use Case 1: Reducing Energy Costs with TEKTELIC & DS Energy

Real-time energy monitoring is essential for optimizing energy consumption and reducing operational costs. DS Energy, a provider of energy management solutions, faced challenges in monitoring energy usage across industrial, commercial, and residential sites. Many of their clients only had access to main meter data, making it difficult to track specific energy inefficiencies.

The Challenge:

• High energy costs and inefficient energy usage across various industries.
• A need for real-time monitoring to identify and reduce unnecessary energy consumption.
• Difficulty in integrating a reliable and scalable wireless solution.

The Solution: By deploying TEKTELIC’s KONA Micro and KONA Macro IoT Gateways, DS Energy created a robust LoRaWAN® network that allowed real-time data collection from multiple locations. This enabled clients to track electricity, gas, heating, and water consumption efficiently.

The Results:

• 10-20% energy consumption reduction in locations using smart sensors.
• Improved network reliability with TEKTELIC’s KONA Macro, ensuring stable and interference-free data transmission even in EMI-heavy environments.
• Scalability and long-range coverage, allowing DS Energy to monitor multiple sites seamlessly.
• A major industrial facility discovered excessive energy waste from idle machinery, saving €38,000 annually.

To learn more keep reading the full success story “TEKTELIC And DS Energy Collaboration For Energy Management”.

Use Case 2: Reliable Monitoring for Oil & Gas Refineries

Oil & Gas companies operate in hazardous environments where equipment reliability is critical. Manual inspections are costly and time-consuming, and traditional communication methods often fail due to harsh conditions and electromagnetic interference (EMI).

The Challenge:

• Need for continuous monitoring of critical assets in refineries and offshore platforms.
• High EMI levels disrupting traditional wireless communication.
• Compliance with safety and regulatory requirements.

The Solution: TWTG, an industrial IoT solutions provider, deployed TEKTELIC’s KONA Macro IoT Gateways alongside their NEON Valve Sensors. ThisLoRaWAN®-enabled solution provided real-time status updates on valve positions, reducing the risk of leaks and unplanned shutdowns.

The Results:

• Enhanced safety through automated alerts for equipment deviations.
• Lower maintenance costs by enabling predictive maintenance instead of manual inspections.
• Seamless data collection across vast refinery sites, improving decision-making.

These real-world cases demonstrate how TEKTELIC’s reliable LoRaWAN solutions help businesses optimize energy use, reduce costs, and enhance operational efficiency.

To learn more keep reading the full success story “TEKTELIC And TWTG Collaboration In Oil And Gas Industry”.

Conclusion

At TEKTELIC, we understand how critical reliable communication is for industrial energy infrastructures. In this article, we aimed to share our expertise and highlight the real challenges companies face when dealing with electromagnetic interference (EMI), harsh environments, and network reliability issues.

Our goal was to provide you with practical insights into how LoRaWAN® technology—supported by TEKTELIC’s industrial-grade gateways—delivers seamless connectivity, cost savings, and improved efficiency for critical operations.

We hope this article helped you gain a clearer understanding of the solutions available and why selecting the right technology partner matters. With the right IoT strategy, businesses can improve operations, minimize downtime, and make data-driven decisions with confidence.

If you’re looking for a trusted, experienced partner to support your industrial IoT journey, TEKTELIC is here to help.

Let’s discuss how our LoRaWAN® solutions can improve your infrastructure. Get in touch with our experts today!