November 20, 2024
By Hisham Gouda | JUICE
The world reached a major energy milestone – and perhaps a crucial tipping point – in 2023, when for the first time ever, combined investments in renewable energy and networks overtook global spending on fossil fuels, according to a Report June 2024 of the International Energy Agency.
This shift is expected to accelerate by 2024, with approximately $2 trillion going to clean technologies, including renewables. Meanwhile, the IEA expects investment in solar energy to exceed spending on all other electricity generation technologies combined by 2024, reaching $500 billion. Growing investments in solar and other renewable energy sources are increasing pressure on developers and contractors to bring large-scale infrastructure projects online faster and more efficiently.
With the rise of artificial intelligence and data-driven constructs like digital twins, the tools are now at our fingertips to help solar infrastructure developers and contractors accelerate their projects to the finish line to keep pace with the growing appetite for (and investment in) renewable energy sources in the world. .
One such set of intelligent tools can be found in a so-called ontology management system (OMS), which uses AI to harmonize, analyze and gain insight from different types and sources of information so that stakeholders can easily visualize how assets, systems and processes that consist of a solar infrastructure project will work individually and together, and how these can be optimally managed throughout their life cycle.
What exactly is an ontology management system?
By definition, ontology is a collection of concepts and categories in a field or domain that shows their properties and the relationships between them. For the purposes of a solar infrastructure project (or indeed any type of complex industrial project), an OMS provides a structured, holistic view of all project components and their interrelationships, storing and analyzing data about them throughout their lifecycle.
Such a system enables the creation of digital twins, a virtual representation of a physical asset or system that applies intelligent modeling and visualization capabilities to data to simulate, analyze and optimize the performance of specific components such as solar panels and inverters, as well as an entirely solar -farm.
Digital twins use data collected from connected components equipped with sensors and IoT devices, and from other sources, to run scenarios, predict outcomes, and optimize design and operations. They integrate with control systems to monitor performance and make real-time adjustments, and with predictive analytics tools to predict maintenance needs and potential failures.
These digital twins extract data from digital threads, which contain definitive, comprehensive information about an individual product or system. Digital threads act as the circulatory system of a digital twin, with data as its lifeblood. All historical data about a product or system is contained in the digital thread and can be used as a single source of truth in the construction, operation and maintenance phases of a project.
How an ontology management system impacts a project
Being able to visualize and predict the performance of a solar infrastructure project and its constituent components individually and as a whole not only reduces uncertainty and risk, it also allows a project to be put together more quickly and cost-effectively to deliver greater value to developers. builders and other stakeholders through timely, targeted decision-making, more efficient project execution, improved performance monitoring, greater reliability and better performance from a sustainability perspective, all leading to a higher return on investment.
Let’s take a closer look at how an OMS system works, and the specific areas where it can have a positive impact on a solar project:
In project planning and design, Visualization tools allow developers to see relationships and dependencies between different project components, such as solar panels, inverters, mounting systems and electrical infrastructure. They can also help with location analysis, where digital twins simulate the impact of varying sunlight conditions and weather patterns on energy production and guide the installation of solar panels and infrastructure.
On the resource management On the front end, an OMS can develop detailed inventory and logistics requirements for materials, spare parts, equipment, tools and labor, and align them with project phases to keep projects on schedule and reduce waste and costs.
No matter how tough the legal requirements are for solar energy projects, OMS can do that too simplify compliance responsibilities for stakeholders, by providing them with up-to-date information on applicable standards and requirements, and by using visualization to identify areas of non-compliance. Detailed records of all actions and decisions, along with sustainability-related data, are maintained within the digital thread, allowing the system to easily identify, collect and organize the documentation required for regulatory approvals, audits and sustainability reporting.
During construction, The progress of a project can be monitored in real time with the OMS so that timely adjustments can be made and quality or safety issues can be identified and addressed sooner rather than later. The system can also predict potential delays or disruptions to inform contingency plans.
An OMS can also be valuable financial insights about a project as it unfolds, tracking project costs and financial performance to help companies manage their budgets and keep costs under control. Furthermore, it can accurately predict future energy production and revenues to support financial planning and decision-making.
Communication between teams and stakeholders is another area where OMS offers benefits, with reporting and dashboard tools allowing parties to view the latest information on project status and other key performance indicators. Having up-to-date, clear, and reliable project data at hand keeps project teams and stakeholders aligned and encourages collaboration.
Ontology management systems can also assist with systems integration to ensure data interoperability, standardizing data parameters across geographic information systems (GIS), project management tools, performance monitoring, and other systems so they can exchange data seamlessly. This data supports visualization tools that, for example, help predict potential asset failures or maintenance needs.
Similarly, digital twins within the OMS can retrieve real-time data from equipment-based sensors continuously monitor a system’s performanceidentify and address anomalies or inefficiencies before they escalate, and optimize maintenance schedules.
All of these capabilities come together to give companies the tools to better manage a solar project and the assets that comprise it throughout its life cycle. However, to leverage the power of an OMS, developers and contractors must first ensure they build a solid foundation. That includes accurate, comprehensive, standardized and new data, collected from internal and external sources and stored securely in a system that can manage vast amounts of information.
Seamless integration between the OMS and other tools and platforms used in a project is also critical. Staff with expertise in ontology, data science and digital systems engineering are also a must. Project stakeholders must be willing and able to share data.
With as much as 1,745 GW of new solar capacity in the pipeline, the report said a recent estimate by Global Energy Monitor, embracing a new generation of intelligent digital tools will put solar infrastructure developers and contractors in a strong position to deliver projects faster and more profitably to keep pace with the world’s rapidly growing demand for renewable energy .
With almost 35 years of experience in the sector, Hisham Gouda is a seasoned professional in the oil and gas, energy, utilities, engineering and construction sectors. In 1998, he joined SAP as a senior solutions manager in the engineering and construction business unit. His expertise and leadership skills led him to the utilities business unit in 2004, where he led the solutions management team in the Americas. In 2013, Hisham moved to the MENA region, where he took on the role of lead solutions expert in the oil and gas business unit. Hisham earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the University of Virginia.
Tags: artificial intelligence, utility scale
