The hub is being touted by the partners as the most advanced future energy transition hub of its kind in Australia.

Located at the University’s Hawthorn campus in Melbourne, the hub will feature advanced digital energy technology from Siemens and the technical, Research and Development (R&D) and teaching expertise of Swinburne.

The AU$5.2 million (US$3.6 million) hub aims to build a future energy grid laboratory accessible to students and industry to work on solutions for greener, more efficient future energy systems through Siemens Xcelerator, their open digital business platform and marketplace.

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The hub’s offerings

The hub will enable users to leverage digital twins of energy grids, map scenarios, research new findings, develop original and creative hypotheses and test results.

It will be home to a digital twin of Australia’s energy grid that commercial research teams can use to run simulations of new, innovative solutions and software.

In addition to microgrid and planning stations, the hub will also feature Siemens’ Microgrid Management System (MGMS) and Decentralised Energy Optimization Platform (DEOP) software.

The microgrid technologies include Sicam A8000 and Siprotec 5 devices for control and protection. The planning stations feature Siemens PSS software which is used by over 70% of utilities and independent system operators including AEMO and grid operators.

Deputy vice-chancellor, research, professor Karen Hapgood, stated, “Australia’s ambitious carbon reduction targets need a multi-pronged approach by industry, research and government.

“The new Siemens Swinburne Energy Transition Hub will be working on new technologies to improve energy efficiency, supply, integration, storage, transport and use, as well as how we can improve existing technologies and frameworks.”

Jose Moreira, country business unit head – grid software, Siemens Australia and New Zealand, added: “Tackling the speed and change in the energy landscape to create solutions that help achieve net zero requires a collaborative and co-creative approach…

“The Hub features some of the latest and best technology used by organisations across the world and will hopefully spark new Australian innovations for future energy challenges.”

In addition to R&D and commercialisation projects, the hub will deliver short courses for industry professionals. It will also give back to Swinburne students, with Siemens software and the company’s real-world industry experience integrated into engineering technology courses.

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A floating Lidar system designed to gather offshore wind data continued to successfully operate while deployed during a typhoon.

Details just released reveal how the buoy containing the Lidar (light detection and ranging) device continued working while in the midst of extreme conditions during typhoon Hinnamnor, which hit Japan and South Korea last September and became the first category-5 storm of 2022.

Read the latest windpower news here

The Floating Lidar EOLOS device was deployed off Jindo, on the southern coast of South Korea, and recorded wind gusts of 125km/hr and wave heights of 11m.

The EOLOS FLS200 – developed by Spanish firm EOLOS and ZX Lidars from the UK – was deployed in support of offshore wind developments in the region.

Get your marine energy updates here

The buoy features an integrated ZX 300M wind Lidar has been purposely designed exclusively for the needs of the offshore wind industry, which the companies state ensures proper dynamics for wind measurements up to 300m above sea level even in the most challenging conditions.

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San Francisco renewable energy technology company Zola Electric has hired former Google chief information officer Ben Fried as a senior advisor and board member.   

Previously, he spent 13 years at financial services company Morgan Stanley where he designed and built the firm’s e-commerce and intranet architecture and infrastructure.

Founded in 2011, Zola provides solar and storage solutions to communities with little or no access to electricity.

The company started by providing solar home solutions to off-grid rural communities in Tanzania.

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Zola chief executive Bill Lenihan said Fried’s “technological achievements are significant – from overseeing the creation and launch of Google Meet, to deploying one of the first and largest zero-trust network architectures, BeyondCorp”.

“His exceptional skills and experience in bringing enterprise technology solutions to market, digital transformation, and building and leading highly innovative technology organizations will be hugely valuable to Zola and for our mission.

He added that ZOLA “aims to fill the ‘white space’ in the energy access industry landscape, by the development of our Enterprise energy technology platform, which is purpose-built to bring reliable, affordable and clean power to three billion people and hundreds of millions of schools, clinics, farms and business that lack it”.

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Fried said he was “particularly impressed by the sophisticated architecture of ZOLA’s unique energy technology platform and the innovative technology solutions it is deploying to drive away energy inequality across the globe”.

Fried’s appointment follows Zola’s launch of a distributed mini-grid in Rwanda, in partnership with META (formerly Facebook) and the Shell Foundation.

The breaking project powers over 1000 homes and businesses in two villages in rural Gakagati via a decentralised, modular and scalable energy and storage system.

Meanwhile, over on our sister site enlit.world: GridVerse – Enel Grids’ approach to the metaverse

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Much has been written about the role of digitalisation in the delivery of the wind power capacity required to decarbonise our economies. In order to implement this fully we need to digitise the wind. This is being achieved by moving from met masts to lidar as the primary source of the wind data used in assessments on which the planning and operation of wind farms are based.

Data requirements and use cases associated with optimised performance of wind turbines and wind farm arrays have outgrown the capabilities of met masts. Wind is a time-varying three-dimensional vector field. We can no longer rely on simplifying this as a “wind speed” of the sort acquired by met masts when understanding and characterising complex interactions between our wind assets and the atmosphere.

Lidar acquires a richer dataset by analysing laser emissions backscattered by airborne particles advected by the wind. Lidar allows us to learn about much more than wind speed and direction in a single location where a met mast has been installed.

Managing complexity

With lidar we gain detailed insights into phenomena such as wakes and complex shear which can have a significant effect on the bottom line of a wind project throughout the asset’s lifecycle, from demonstrating project bankability pre-construction right through to optimised operations and maintenance. As wind turbines and arrays get bigger, the impact of these phenomena are becoming more important.

Here are some practical illustrations. Engineering approximations of wind conditions tend to assume that wind gradually increases with height. In the North Sea complex, intermittent – and crucially-  unanticipated wind shear phenomena associated with variations in atmospheric stability have been directly observed using lidar.

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These phenomena impose mechanical loads on the turbine blades that propagate through the rotor nacelle assembly and drive train. Thanks to lidar data we now understand some of the loads that had been observed on offshore wind farms which were previously unexplained.

Lidar has also helped reveal the importance of atmospheric stability on wake propagation. Wake losses downwind of a wind turbine have been seen to increase at night, compared to day-time operations, because more stable night-time atmospheres meant that wakes propagated further.

Reducing uncertainty

So across the board, from investors, developers, and turbine manufacturers, to owners and operators, the benefits of supporting the digital representation of wind with lidar lie in grappling with the inherent complexity of the problems we are trying to solve as we seek to develop profitable wind projects and operate those assets in the most cost-efficient manner. By helping manage complexity, digitising the wind reduces uncertainty and increases confidence in wind projects. Lidar methods help limit the scope for circumstances to arise that would be unforeseeable if we relied only on met masts. Lidars achieve this by enabling assessments that would be inconceivable if we limited ourselves to met mast functionality.

You need to use lidar to do more than emulate the capabilities of a met mast if the true benefits of digitalisation are to be achieved. Lidar allows you to map the vector field that represents wind conditions with a level of detail and degree of precision that allows you to test the fidelity of the most sophisticated wind simulations. To fully see the wind as a digital object that is compatible with other digital objects in your workflow requires data acquired by lidar to be combined with, for example, computational wind models. These can then be coupled to aeroelastic models, which themselves provide input to engineering models that represent the turbines, to generate predictions grounded in wind measurement. Uncertainty models allow us to propagate measurement uncertainties associated with the data through to the predictions. Lidar lets us close the loop.

Lidar data can also be combined with mid-fidelity wake models for validation, and to support wind farm control methods. With developments like these we are taking the steps necessary to move away from using lidar as a met mast surrogate and thinking not in terms of ‘what measurements am I limited to?’ but, ‘what do I need to measure to remove as much uncertainty as possible from my wind project?’

Uncertainty is removed because data-driven analysis replaces assumption. Using a met mast, or lidar as simply a surrogate met mast, leaves more and bigger gaps in the information upon which a project is based which have to be filled with assumptions, which introduces uncertainty. Lidar helps us fill these gaps and reduce the possibility of unpleasant surprises later in the project lifecycle when adverse wind conditions that could otherwise have been predicted and mitigated with a properly designed and executed lidar measurement campaign prior to construction are only discovered through their unforeseen consequences in terms of component failure and unscheduled downtime.

Total lifecycle benefits

Applying high-fidelity lidar data, combined with the types of modelling discussed previously, reduces project uncertainty, which has benefits throughout the project lifecycle. Turbine design, operation and maintenance can be informed by richer data sets that allow us to describe the operational conditions more effectively, which can enhance the quality of project specific performance forecasts and allow the development of more predictable operations and maintenance costs.

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Ultimately this all feeds into greater confidence in the quality of levelised cost of energy analysis which enhances bankability for developers, and gives owners and operators greater confidence when evaluating energy production – and ultimately – profitability.

This approach offers an alternative to managing the unplanned consequences of wind conditions that – although the ability to model and predict them is available – are not accounted for due to gaps in wind assessments that do not fully exploit the capabilities of lidar and the integration of the data it acquires into the digital workflow. Component or structural failures that could have been proactively mitigated during design or construction become instead the subject of reactive remedial work, which is rarely the most cost-effective approach to operations and maintenance.

This issue is especially pertinent to offshore assets, both fixed and floating, where inspection, repair and maintenance represent a significant programme cost and consideration. Unless site-specific wind data has been incorporated into a project’s early development, it is possible that the built assets may not be able to consistently achieve the performance forecast – because the ability of local conditions to hamper O&M activities has not been accounted for in sufficient detail. In the preconstruction phase floating lidar offers an effective way to gather detailed site-specific wind data.

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An increasing reliance on power, combined with the ongoing energy transition and current energy crisis, has resulted in increased demand for backup power generators.

As industry and society as a whole become more averse to the risks of power outages, the generator market is predicted to grow from around $13.53 billion in 2021 to $16.90 billion in 2027.

As demand for backup power increases, so does the need for load banks, an essential piece of testing kit that plays a crucial role in ensuring safe, reliable power across many industries.

What is a load bank? 

Wherever there is standby power, there is also a need for a load bank, a device used to create an electrical load that imitates the operational or ‘real’ load that a generator would use under operational conditions. 

A load bank can be used for a variety of applications, whether testing a diesel generator as a standby power supply, verifying the condition of a battery or UPS, or applying a full load to keep equipment running at its optimum efficiency.

In short, the load bank is used to test, support, or protect a critical backup power source and ensure that it is fit for purpose in the event that it is called upon. 

According to the International Energy Agency, global electricity demand grew by almost six per cent in 2021, driven by growing global populations, increasing digitalization, and a greater focus on sustainability.

The growth is showing no signs of abating, with McKinsey predicting that power consumption will triple by 2050 as electrification and living standards grow. 

As a result, organisations across all sectors are increasing their reliance on a secure, constant power supply to keep operations flowing as expected.

However, just as with any engine, maintenance is key to ensuring that generators will start when required – making it vital that anyone investing in a generator also explores the purchase or hire of a loadbank. 

Energy transition 

Efforts to address climate change are leading to increased electrification across industry, the transport network, and beyond.

This uptick in demand for power is coupled with the need to generate power from renewable sources – resulting in a rapidly-changing energy landscape.

The rollout of renewable power sources such as wind and solar brings with it ongoing investment in the power generation mix, as well as a renewed focus on how power systems are designed and operated. 

When harnessing natural sources of power, which are reliant on the wind blowing and the sun shining, managing a stable and constant supply can be challenging.

For this reason, there is an increased need for backup power options, grid balancing solutions, and better-connected grids.

This often involves the use of generators, which are used to increase or decrease generation, correct frequency deviations, and balance supply to demand.

Often a stopgap measure, generators are typically installed to run as standalone alternatives to the grid to provide an alternative power source during grid outages.

Yet, while their role as a reliable backup power source can keep consumers from being plunged into darkness, businesses from downtime, and hospitals from being unable to power vital equipment, generators are only a reliable source if properly maintained – and the only way to do that is to use a load bank. 

The energy crisis 

In the midst of the energy transition, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had far-reaching impacts on the global energy system, disrupting supply and demand patterns and impacting trading relationships.

As well as causing a prolonged shortage of power – most notably in Europe – the crisis has also seen energy prices rise, impacting households, industries, and entire economies. 

Where shortages threaten, governments may be forced to enact load-shedding strategies – a term used to describe the prioritisation of power allocation to hospitals and critical infrastructure.

For businesses, this prioritisation process may mean being without power for period of time – impacting productivity and profitability.

For this reason, many businesses are investing in backup power, ensuring that they can keep operating in emergency conditions if power cuts are implemented.

In France in particular, the government has been clear: businesses have been advised to make sure all emergency power generators are working, making load banks critical to meeting government recommendations. 

A digital-first society 

While the Digital Revolution has its roots in the 1960s and 70s, when technology started the transition from mechanical and analog to digital, the pandemic fundamentally shifted the way we live and work, necessitating a move to “digital first” almost overnight.

A McKinsey study estimates that during the first eight weeks of the pandemic, digital channel adoption fast-forwarded seven years.

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As well as forcing companies to accelerate their digital strategy and adoption, this transition also reset expectations for customers, who now expect companies to offer an array of digital services and interactions – with 100% uptime.  

To meet the challenges posed by an increasingly data-driven world, the data centre sector has experienced fast growth, with an anticipated 10.5% CAGR from 2021 to 2030.

In a sector governed by strict SLAs and expectations of continuous uptime, the issue of downtime continues to dominate the sector.

A report by the Uptime Institute at the end of 2022 identified that data centre outages were becoming increasingly costly, both in terms of downtime, reputational damage, and lost data.

Crucially, data from the UI showed that the biggest causes of power-related outages were uninterruptible power supply failures, followed by transfer switch (generator/grid) and generator failures – reinforcing that implementing a robust load bank testing regime is key to data centre uptime. 

Customer SLAs and zero-downtime 

Research from Zendesk suggests that 80% of customers say they’d switch to a competitor after more than one bad experience.

With customers demanding a fast and efficient service, regardless of industry, businesses can’t afford operational inefficiency.

In a world where zero-downtime is a critical part of business success, having access to reliable power supplies is non-negotiable, and will continue to entail the deployment of generators and load banks. 

The growth in demand for generators is a clear sign that businesses are reviewing their continuity and energy resilience plans.

Load banks are a critical part of that planning – with issues around grid reliability, energy shortfalls, and the transition to more sustainable power sources, it has never been more important that operators test their backup power systems.

By carrying out testing and maintenance, fuel, exhaust, cooling systems and alternator insulation resistance are effectively tested and system issues can be uncovered in a safe, controlled manner without the cost of major failure or unplanned downtime. 

Paul Brickman is Group Commercial Director at Crestchic Loadbanks.

The post <strong>The role of load banks in 2023</strong> appeared first on Power Engineering International.

The aim is to validate the potential of the service in partnership with a so far unnamed European wind turbine manufacturer.

The concrete sections of concrete-steel hybrid towers can show abnormalities such as cracks as they age and before end of warranty.

In the pilot the entire concrete tower is being photographed by the drone, with the images later evaluated by TÜV NORD experts.

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In the medium term, an automated image recognition system is due to be introduced, which will pre-sort images with conspicuous features on the basis of artificial intelligence so that the experts can view and evaluate the images in a more targeted manner.

“Initially small cracks and spalling can later lead to critical damage in the concrete structure. That is why it is important to assess any anomalies on the tower before the end of the warranty period so that they can be repaired,” comments wind energy expert Michael Lange, who is responsible for remote inspections for renewable energies at TÜV NORD.

Using drones for the inspection simplifies the image capture and eliminates the need for physical inspection by personnel.

The company also is working on a system that will enable the drone to fly autonomously up the tower, so that jobs can be completed in less time.

Using the drone-based inspection, 34 of the manufacturer’s wind turbines have already been assessed this year and the results validated. Now, the procedure is being extended to additional sites and talks are underway with other manufacturers and wind farm operators.

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The promising new catalyst, on which further work is needed before it can go into real-world demonstration, holds the potential for scaling up the production of green or clean hydrogen as a contributor to the energy transition.

But no less significant for the researchers is the development of the techniques which have enabled the discovery and which open the way for the search for promising new materials for other applications.

Quantum inspired computing emulates quantum phenomena on classical hardware to thereby provide a speed-up over traditional computation techniques without the need for a quantum computer itself.

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The technique utilised by the University of Toronto researchers, which was developed in partnership with Fujitsu – and which is similarly being developed by other research groups elsewhere – in essence involved searching through combinations of materials to find those with the most desirable properties.

Up to now this task has been based either on human intuition, drawing on previous findings, or on computer modelling of pre-determined material combinations.

The researchers used a technique called cluster expansion to analyse an estimated hundreds of quadrillions of material designs, with the results pointing to a previously unexplored family of materials composed of ruthenium, chromium, manganese, antimony and oxygen.

Synthesis of several of these led to the finding that the best of them demonstrates a mass activity – a measure of the number of reactions that can be catalysed per mass of the catalyst – of approximately eight times higher than some of the best catalysts currently available.

The new catalyser also is reported, among other benefits, to operate well in acidic conditions, which is a requirement of state-of-the-art electrolyser designs.

Currently, the catalysts for electrolysers are made largely of iridium, which is a rare element that is costly to obtain. In comparison, ruthenium, the main component of the new catalyst, is more abundant and has a lower market price.

“Scaling up the production of what we call green hydrogen is a priority for researchers around the world because it offers a carbon-free way to store electricity from any source,” says Ted Sargent, a professor in the University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and senior author of the research findings.

“This work provides proof-of-concept for a new approach to overcoming one of the key remaining challenges, which is the lack of highly active catalyst materials to speed up the critical reactions.”

Co-author Hitarth Choubisa, a PhD candidate, adds that the project shows how complex problems can be solved by combining expertise from different fields.

“For a long time, materials scientists have been looking for these more efficient catalysts and computational scientists have been designing more efficient algorithms, but the two efforts have been disconnected. When we brought them together, we were able to find a promising solution very quickly. I think there are a lot more useful discoveries to be made this way.”

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Nuclear will play a crucial role in the transition to net zero, not only because it’s the second lowest emitter of CO2, but also because its resilience and reliability ensures security of supply in a system using increasing amounts of intermittent renewables. We need a resilient energy supply to power the transition to net zero, one that can also tackle the increase in demand that electrification of transport and heat will create.

The UK’s target to fully decarbonise its energy generation by 2035 is no small task. Replacing ageing plants and ensuring sufficient energy capacity to meet demand is estimated to require around 159 to 203GW of new assets: that’s equivalent to building the UK’s entire energy system twice over in under 13 years.

By 2030, power generation is scheduled to have ended at seven UK advanced gas reactor nuclear power stations, yet many of the new generation assets won’t come online before 2036.

Time is not on our side

Time is not on our side: it can take over a decade to design, construct and commission new assets. The clock is ticking and we need to find ways to not only increase the pace of new build development but also extend the useful life of existing plants.

Extensive manpower is also required to achieve these goals and the sector has a skills gap that’s cause for concern. This reaches across all stages of the nuclear lifecycle, from design and development through to operations, maintenance to decommissioning. The reason? An ageing workforce – a third of which is expected to retire in the next 15 years.

Without digital, nuclear will fail to achieve its true potential

If we’re to overcome these challenges and ensure nuclear fulfils its potential in the future energy mix, the sector simply must embrace digital tools and the benefits they bring.

Every major engineering industry is embracing a digital future, and the supply chain is starting to demand it. If nuclear doesn’t adapt, then it risks being left behind, operating with the same on-site uncertainty, bottlenecks and lack of early warnings while others move forward and reap digital’s rewards.

The simple truth is this: digital can make a difference at every point of the nuclear lifecycle, and the sector needs to take advantage of the tools at its disposal.

Digital’s role in plant design and construction

The related cost savings will ensure the necessary funds are available to meet the UK’s required build rate of the next generation of nuclear plants, which can also be enhanced through the use of digital tools.

The design and construction of plants are incredibly complex and processes often could – and should – be optimised. Prioritisation of tasks may be inefficient or KPIs subjective, for example, but when a fully collaborative and consistent digital approach is adopted it’s not just a digital transformation that takes place.

By pulling all data into one single digital source, transparency and risk awareness is transformed, which in turn helps to optimise processes and decision-making.

Capturing, reusing, codifying and analysing data also has the ability to speed up the traditional design process by up to 80%. With time sorely of the essence, why wouldn’t you take advantage of such abilities?

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A process digital twin, for example, transforms the design process by integrating a simulation model into the early stages. This way the design is completed in a digitally-integrated way to ensure everything remains up-to-date. This improves workflows between disciplines, significantly reducing the chance of repetition to improve efficiencies.

As well as cutting start-up time and overall risk, costs can also be saved. 3D modelling can lower costs by up to 30%, for example, while 15% can be saved on the overall installed cost through design optimisation.

Data captured during design and construction can also add value throughout the nuclear lifecycle.

One of the main challenges the sector faces is scattered, unstructured data from legacy plants. By recording and storing data from the start, we can also help to optimise processes in the operations and decommissioning stages.

Digital’s role in asset management and plant life extension

Digital twins can simulate and evaluate alternative maintenance and operational strategies, enabling you to identify the most cost-effective options for your plant.

Then there’s AI-powered predictive maintenance, which can lower unplanned downtime by 35%, saving tens of millions in asset failure prevention and providing a secure energy supply. Its use has also been proven to extend a site’s useful life by 10% – critical given the plant life extensions currently being implemented across the UK.

Digital’s role in decommissioning and waste management

As an operational plant comes to the end of its life, digital plays a part. By capturing and making data available, those involved can have a 360° view of a plant and can determine efficiencies that will accelerate the dismantling and demolition of plants, freeing up valuable real estate for new nuclear facilities to be built.

Webcast recording: The Decommissioning & Re-purposing eco-system – vital to the energy transition

Plugging the skills gap

We also need digital to overcome the challenge of a shrinking skilled workforce. The knowledge of industry stalwarts should be gathered and stored before it becomes lost, plus automation can provide efficiencies and help tackle workforce attrition by augmenting human personnel.

Furthermore, robotics can ensure the continued safety of staff. By replacing people with remotely operated robots in hazardous situations, workers’ exposure to radiation is lowered if not entirely removed.

Robots also aren’t restricted to how long they can work in a hazardous environment. Using such tools means time working on site can be increased and tasks completed faster. Consider this – a 20% schedule saving over a 120-year decommissioning programme could reduce overall timescales by a generation.

Barriers to break

Looking forward, nuclear simply cannot afford not to embrace technology. If it’s to meet its potential, we need the benefits of digital – efficiency, reduced costs, increased safety and sustainability – but there are several barriers standing in the way of the sector’s digital transformation.

Firstly, we need to ensure people don’t feel threatened by technologies such as AI and robotics, which have been developed to augment rather than replace. Then we need to improve confidence in cybersecurity. Trust is low, yet it’s actually been proven that people are the weakest link, as 99% of cyberattacks use techniques such as phishing to trick users into installing malware.

The boardroom also has a role to play by embracing new business models that require investment up front to realise long term efficiencies. However, that shouldn’t be too tough, as the pandemic brought to the forefront how invaluable technology can be and has already accelerated investment.

We need to take learning from the rapid progress achieved during the last three years as well as the sense of urgency that powered it. If we don’t, nuclear simply won’t be able to achieve its full potential as a central part of the UK’s net zero energy system.

Read more about the nuclear sector’s digitalisation journey in SNC-Lavalin’s report, Digital in nuclear: our vision for 2035.

The post Why digitalisation is crucial to the nuclear industry delivering on its potential appeared first on Power Engineering International.

Consequently, operators must now make proactive pump improvements to meet these challenges. Unless these changes are carefully considered and implemented, there will be an inevitable reduction in performance and reliability. For these pumps to be running at anything less than optimum efficiency can affect the whole business model.

With decades of experience in pump design and manufacturing, Sulzer has developed industry-leading technologies to deliver these improvements in the most optimal manner. By harnessing AI data analytics to predict imminent pump failures and turnkey retrofits to bring legacy pumps up to new efficiency standards – operators can benefit from cost-effective solutions to power generation pump challenges.

By collecting performance data to inform pump retrofits, operators can ensure that equipment functions at its best efficiency point (BEP) even when duty requirements change. Furthermore, efficiency and uptime can be increased while emissions are reduced.

Very few providers have the knowledge and expertise to provide turnkey pump improvements from a single source. Sulzer offers streamlined parts manufacturing for retrofits as well as an advanced data analytics platform. Combined, the company delivers expert advice and pump services to power plants around the world.

Visit the Sulzer website here.

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Italian oil major Eni is collaborating with the Paris-based quantum processing specialist Pasqal to develop several next-generation applications for the energy sector encompassing renewables as well as both upstream and downstream in its value chain.

Eni operates what is believed to be one of the most powerful privately-owned supercomputers in the world at its Green Data Centre in Ferrera Erbognone.

The utilisation of Pasqal’s proprietary algorithms should enable Eni to accelerate its research and new capabilities in areas including renewable energy technologies and magnetic fusion among others.

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“Our high performance computing system is a vital tool to explore the energy of the future,” says Dario Pagani, Eni’s Head of Digital & High Performance Computing.

“Pasqal’s quantum computers will allow us to complement our conventional high performance computing workflows in areas such as optimisation and machine learning and accelerate our research to create new solutions to the most pressing issues in the energy industry.”

Eni was a 2021 Series A investor in Pasqal through its venture capital vehicle Eni Next, with Pasqal using the funding to manufacture its current 100 qubit commercial quantum computer and develop its next generation systems.

Renewable energies in which Eni has developed particular expertise include concentrated solar power and wave energy. The company also is developing carbon capture and storage and hydrogen and other advanced biofuel solutions.

Hydro dam structures

EDF is collaborating with another French quantum startup Quandela to study the contribution of photonic computing to numerical simulations of hydroelectric dam deformation.

With the use of this technology, EDF anticipates increasing the accuracy of the simulations, speeding up the calculations and reducing the energy consumption of the same calculations.

In the longer term, the ambition is to generalise the simulation models to other types of industrial applications and to extend photonic calculation to machine learning used in particular in consumption forecasting.

EDF was one of the first French industrial players to invest in quantum technologies as far back as 2018 with the aim to improve computing performance for energy management.

“We put our expertise in differential equation solving and algorithm development as well as our first full-stack photonic quantum computers at EDF’s disposal. In return, we benefit from the knowledge and expertise acquired by EDF’s R&D teams for decades,” comments Valérian Giesz, co-founder and CEO of Quandela.

Stéphane Tanguy, Director of Information Systems and Technologies at EDF R&D, adds that EDF has been interested in simulation for 40 years.

“The calculations and equations developed are the result of decades of research and effort. Quandela’s know-how, complementary to ours, allows us to form a rich and solid partnership to continue to advance on these subjects.”

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