Rob McGreevy, chief product officer at AVEVA, discusses how the global energy sector is exploring new avenues to boost operational efficiency and achieve stringent sustainability targets, thereby driving digital innovations to the forefront. Technological advancements are setting new standards for energy management, making it both efficient and environmentally friendly. AVEVA’s suite of AI-infused solutions is revolutionizing how energy companies optimize processes and minimize unplanned downtime. Recently, the technology leader introduced new enhancements for the AVEVA Unified Engineering solution, enabling teams to transition from siloed applications and document-based workflows to an agile, intelligent, and collaborative digital environment, regardless of whether they are working in 1D, 2D, or 3D.
McGreevy emphasizes the significance of their technology: “Our predictive maintenance and process optimization tools are not just about enhancing efficiency; they are essential in cutting costs and reducing environmental impact.” AVEVA Predictive Analytics aids energy companies in improving operational efficiency and reducing downtime through predictive maintenance, addressing equipment issues before they escalate into costly failures. Additionally, the expanded PI System portfolio now offers write-back capabilities from AVEVA’s industrial intelligence platform, CONNECT, to the AVEVA PI Server, facilitating real-time collaboration among operations experts and other stakeholders.
“We collaborate closely with energy customers to help them drive abatement and transition to net-zero investments. Digital transformation improves production planning for refineries and petrochemical plants, optimizes asset utilization and reliability of critical assets like wind turbines,” McGreevy explains. “With carbon-aware planning, they gain visibility and can manage Scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions. Robust data management enhances collaboration with partners, customers, and suppliers, laying the groundwork for qualitative AI based on trustworthy data sources. AVEVA is developing secure, sustainable, and industrial AI to boost decarbonization and operational efficiency in the energy sector,” he adds.
Renewable energy storage solutions, such as advanced batteries, are enhancing the utilization of intermittent energy sources like solar and wind power.
Vijay Jaswal, chief technology officer for APJ, ME&A at IFS, notes: “We witnessed the power of smart grids and energy management systems during Hurricane Milton in Florida, where some neighborhoods remained unaffected by outages due to optimized energy distribution and effective integration of renewable energy sources.” Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies are continually improving, reducing carbon emissions. Hydrogen energy, produced through clean methods, offers a versatile fuel source. Advanced solar technologies, like perovskite solar cells and bifacial solar panels, enhance efficiency and affordability. Energy-efficient buildings, equipped with smart technologies, reduce energy consumption and contribute to sustainability goals. These innovations are collectively shaping a more sustainable and efficient energy future.
However, the energy sector faces several barriers in adopting digital transformation and AI. One major challenge is integrating new technologies with existing legacy systems, which often require significant investments and technical expertise, according to Jaswal. Additionally, concerns about cybersecurity and data privacy are paramount, especially given the critical nature of energy infrastructure.
Digitalization is not only transforming energy management but is also a crucial step toward achieving a sustainable future. By leveraging advanced AI-driven models, Radix empowers clients to optimize maintenance windows, forecast failures, and detect inefficiencies—significantly reducing downtime and minimizing energy waste.
Natalia Klafke, executive vice-president for energy & sustainability at Radix, highlights: “A key area we’re advancing is in Generative AI (GenAI), where we’ve worked closely with clients to improve process efficiency, operational awareness, and decision-making speed. GenAI models assist in automating routine processes, providing contextual insights, supporting faster, data-backed decisions, enabling energy companies to respond dynamically to operational needs and reduce environmental impact.” Radix is also innovating with real-time data platforms for renewable energy operations in solar and wind, enabling optimal production forecasting and streamlined maintenance schedules to lower the carbon footprint. The APM 4.0 solution further enhances sustainability by orchestrating multimodal predictive maintenance models, maximizing asset reliability and extending life cycles while conserving resources. Advanced analytics and machine learning are transforming asset management, allowing companies to proactively maintain and optimize critical assets, thereby reducing resource use, lowering costs, and enhancing operational efficiency—all of which contribute to a reduced carbon footprint.
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