IIOT

Amid an industry-wide labor shortage and global supply chain disruptions, the energy sector is under immense pressure to increase production. These issues, in addition to geopolitical tensions, are deeply complex and cannot be addressed on an individual scale. In addition, the energy industry faces major challenges pertaining to communication given that the workforce and equipment […]

Businesses in the Industry 4.0 sector face unceasing demands to become faster, smarter, leaner, and more profitable. We’ve all heard of Smart Cities and Smart Homes, but the fully automated and IoT-enabled Smart Factory is also on the horizon. Indeed, it’s already possible today. The IoT (Internet of Things) has proved its potential to revolutionise […]

There are no boundaries in cyberspace. That fact has accelerated sharing of threat intelligence across the defenders, but it exponentially raises the threat of cyberattacks. This reality is underscored by the war in Ukraine, “the first major conflict involving large-scale cyber operations,” according to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA). A major concern is […]

Operational innovation—creating new ways of performing core business functions like grid asset management—can provide reliable, relatively low-cost transformation for electric utilities. One area for

Environment, social, and governance (ESG) reporting has never been easy—and with pressures rising from investors, corporate leaders, and the government, organizations are struggling to meet the needs of all stakeholders. Facility managers must grapple with reaching and documenting progress toward ESG goals that align with the desires of sustainability-minded investors while boards and corporate leaders […]

The energy and utilities sector is not just the lifeblood of the world’s economy, but fundamental to society’s existence as a whole. Yet, recent events have highlighted just how volatile and unpredictable it can be. Output is influenced by everything from weather patterns to war, and no business, consumer, or household is immune from the […]

“Cyber-physical systems” are the next generation of closely integrated physical and cyber systems. Several critical systems such as the power grid, autonomous transportation systems, and process control systems are examples of cyber-physical systems. They are liable to be attacked by malicious agents who can compromise the sensor measurements being used to control them. Indeed, there […]

With the advent and implementation of smart grid infrastructure across power utilities, there has been a paradigm shift in the efficiencies of the grid. The use of digital communication technology has led to high-speed communication enablement across various components as well as better data analysis and real-time control. This has proven to be advantageous not […]

The Biden administration is fully behind development of new nuclear power technology. It is encouraging the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to look at “new approaches to regulation” as advanced

Moving from reactive to predictive maintenance requires the right tools for use by subject matter experts. As the power industry continues to advance from preventative to predictive maintenance, one thing is

In the utility industry, downtime and outages—from losing power to water shortages and burst pipes—can impact a customer’s day-to-day life, causing safety concerns and costly damages. This is especially true during sweltering summer months or freezing winter seasons caused by extreme weather and climate change. Today, digital transformation is shifting customer expectations as they demand […]

Reports from U.S. agencies indicate the use of renewable energy continues to grow. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the U.S. consumed a record amount of renewable energy in 2020. In addition, renewable energy in the U.S. grew for a fifth consecutive year, accounting for 12% of the total U.S. energy consumption. It was […]

The traditional approach to maintenance has two motors that keep it running. The first motor is proactive service: regularly maintaining equipment, following a schedule to ensure each element is running smoothly before repairs are needed in order to prevent a breakdown. The second motor is to repair once a breakdown happens. While the first part […]

Some cybersecurity experts believe hackers today pose a greater threat than ever to power plants and electric grids. Much of the operational technology (OT) used in power stations and throughout the grid was installed at a time when cybersecurity was more of an afterthought than a focal point in the system design. Furthermore, the pool […]

Digitalization is furnishing nearly every facet of the power industry with new insights that promise value for generating assets, including refining efficiencies and shaving down operating costs. But though myriad solutions have been introduced, adoption by some power sub-sectors has been cautious, mainly because the advantages of the industrial internet of things (IIOT) are not […]

The benefits of renewable energy continue to grow, with wind generation supplying 9.2% of generation in the U.S. and up to 22.6% in other western countries like Germany. Solar is at 2.8% in the U.S. (for utility-scale installations) and near 10% in Germany. Through diversification and greater distribution system integration, the application of renewable energy […]

Maintenance equipment and tools have always been important for plant operators. In the early days, the tools were likely made entirely of iron and steel, copper and brass, lead, leather, rubber, or glass. Some

While virtualization has been a trend in the information technology sector for some time, it is also becoming increasingly attractive for operational technology. An Austrian steel producer therefore decided to

In January, the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) launched its new Building a Better Grid initiative. The DoE’s stated intention for the program is to create a more robust transmission system that will restore the nation’s electrical grid through expanded access and greater resilience. The initiative emphasizes supporting generation and distribution of clean energy, and […]

Smart grids have been with us for over a decade. But for many power industry stakeholders, they’re associated almost exclusively with smart meters. Remote meter reading is certainly a compelling use case, and one which justified many initial deployments, especially in the U.S. where end-customer sites are spread out over large distances. But there’s much […]

RALEIGH, N.C. (Jan. 18, 2022) — Power management company Eaton today introduced the latest advancement in intelligent power management with the North American launch of the 5PX G2 uninterruptible power supply (UPS). The new solution delivers enhanced connectivity and cybersecurity protection for Eaton’s legacy 5PX UPS technology, making it ideal for users in distributed IT […]

Engineering designs for functional safety systems used in the process industry sector are typically thorough, detailed, and follow a stringent safety life-cycle process. In a non-digitized execution model, the valuable information needed to enable an efficient safety process is not always readily available. Consider the following example: A refining plant has had an unplanned trip […]

Behind the digital tools that make the industrial internet of things (IIOT) in the power generation and chemical process industries are people. The 2021 Connected Plant Conference in Austin, Texas recognized the achievements of several individuals and companies who are fast risers in the field. Through insight and experience, these “Game Changer” champions have contributed […]

Power producers today need to address multiple changes to the energy industry that are coming fast and furious. Among these changes are diversification of fleets, new power generating profiles, and drastic

The power and energy sector is one of the most critical areas of our country’s infrastructure, making it a prime target for cybercriminals increasingly looking for ways to infiltrate and disrupt the sector and ultimately the national grid. In fact, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report in early 2021 that found the […]

Many critical infrastructure sites contain areas that are classified as hazardous due to a high risk of explosion. What makes most of these locations dangerous is the presence of flammable materials such as liquids, gases, vapors, and dust. In these areas, the use of network cameras can significantly improve the overall health and safety posture […]

Today’s electric power grids are evolving at an alarming pace. Distributed energy resources are quickly taking the place of central power stations, making grid operators’ jobs of managing power flows in

A survey of chief information security officers revealed great insight on cyber risks and perceived vulnerabilities. While some insiders may think working hand-in-hand with government agencies to develop sound