Transformation towards the digital management of assets and processes in facilities, plants and networks-providing services with the objective to offer a better service to the client / citizen.
- Detailed analysis of management needs, efficient operation and asset maintenance.
- Research and development of asset modeling, digitization and advanced management methodologies.
- Development of technologies for asset monitoring and data analytics to improve the diagnosis of operating anomalies and errors.
- Development of optimization and decision support methodologies to enhance operation strategies, maintenance and renovation plans, to improve efficiency in the use of resources and assets, and to maximize their lifetime and reduce the environmental impact of Utilities.
- Design and implementation of certain pilot projects based on use cases.
- Verification of the improvement in efficiency, economic and environmental impact and services provided by the transformations developed from the analysis of the results of these pilot projects.
Transformation of the operation, maintenance and planning of distribution networks based on the massive use of sensors and signaling / traceability devices and the integration of new pipeline inspection systems.
Monitoring and conducting studies on the traceability of components and equipment in the subsoil, incorporating new micro-sensors and harvesting, low-power communication networks and integrated maps of underground infrastructures:
- Leak detection through direct and indirect sensing.
- Monitoring of operating and quality variables in distribution networks.
- Component traceability and determination of its exact position in the subsoil (tags).
- Signaling and monitoring of critical points along the network.
- Mapping of different types of networks / assets in the subsoil.
- Advanced visual inspection inside the pipes.
Transformation of the sector towards a context of smartmeters and network intelligence by developing prediction methods and demand management.
Take advantage of new technologies that exploit a lot of new sources of structured and unstructured data in the areas of water distribution, energy, waste treatment and others.
Apply artificial intelligence techniques and machine learning to optimize the networks management and planning, developing methods of predicting the demand at different levels (month / week / day / hours).
Promote the transformation of processes and the development of new applications and services, such as:
- Devices and algorithms associated to smart metering for consumption decomposition.
- Demand Response strategies and systems.
- Tools for massive data analysis and registration.
- Demand prediction applications. Energy recommendations for the end user.
- Balance and loss control (energy, water, etc.) tools in networks. Detection of non-technical losses and identification of fraud. Applications for analysis and prioritization of investments in networks.
Create dynamic personalized services for each client designed based on their participation in Customer engagement activities with facilitating technologies for data sensing and acquisition.
- Integration, exploitation and filtering of heterogeneous and multiple data for accurate and efficient results.
- Increasing the transparency of Utilities to improve the relationship with customers and competitiveness through personalized services.
- Obtaining user data through customer strengthening actions.
- Creation of new client behavior analytical models, based on the processing of enriched client data (consumption, preferences, context…).
- Collaborative design of advanced and personalized services according to each client needs.
- Development, deployment and validation through pilot tests of the defined services.
- Advanced sensing of domestic environments.
Development of security support solutions in anticipation of the massive increase in sensing, data volume, critical data typology, increase of control elements and supervision.
Focused on advanced solutions for vulnerability and protection treatment, being important the physical safety and the access to critical systems, the logical-cybernetic security and the protection of intentional attacks, and the functional security against incidences and disasters:
- Privacy and security solutions on devices.
- Detection of attacks and anomalies.
- Unified management of logical and physical security.
- Design of strategy for resilience (Security-by-design).
Monitoring and control to articulate the coordination of the Community as established in the bases and governing bodies.
Coordinating entity of the RIS3CAT Utilities 4.0 Community: Digital Transformation and Living Services Community that wants to respond to the presented 4 major technological challenges to achieve the transformation of the energy, water and waste services sector under the range of 5 collaborative projects in the field of industrial research, experimental development and innovation:
- ACTIV4.0: Asset operation and advanced management.
- SENIX: Networks sensing and inspection.
- MODEM: Predictive models and demand management.
- PERSOSER: Customization of services for the improvement of the customer experience.
- SECUTIL: Security and cybersecurity solutions in Utilities for the protection of critical infrastructures.
