| Digitalisation and cybersecurity 20-year software-as-a-service partnership


Ylem Energy, the business power generation and energy storage specialist, has signed a 20-year software-as-a-service (SaaS) partnership with independent energy technology solutions provider, Origami.


Under the terms of the contract – one of the longest SaaS deals agreed in the energy industry to date – Ylem’s present and future portfolio of low carbon, on-site generation and storage assets will integrate with the Origami energy data platform. This will enable Ylem to capture and orchestrate the data it needs to participate fully in the short-term energy and power markets – both for its behind-the-meter assets operated on behalf of commercial and industrial customers, and its front-of-meter generation and storage portfolio connected directly to the grid. Ian Gadsby, managing director, Ylem Energy, says: “Our asset base has become significantly more diverse and flexible as we


help our customers respond to evolving market opportunities. We must therefore also invest in the digital infrastructure that makes this possible and future proofs our assets. That’s now a primary concern for all energy asset owners and operators, and we recognised the need to do so independently of our valued trading and route- to-market providers. The Origami partnership gives us a powerful software ‘engine’ that we can rely on to keep us at the front of the digital curve, while also allowing us to pursue our own digital innovation built on top of the Origami platform.” The move from standard 5- to 7-year SaaS deals to long-term contracts spanning an asset’s lifetime is thought to signal a shift in priorities for firms involved in the energy transition, with comprehensive access to real-time data now considered more mission- critical to future energy trading ambitions than long- term off-take guarantees.


Firms like Ylem are amongst the first


JERA starts AI-based boiler optimisation at Hekinan


JERA has reported the start of AI based boiler operation optimisation at its Hekinan coal-fired power plant in Japan.


The CaCaO (Coordinated AI for Coal-Fired Plant Assistance to Operator) system is designed to learn from massive amounts of power plant operating data and the expertise of experienced engineers to suggest to power plant operators the operation parameters that would optimise boiler operations.


Operators follow CaCaO suggestions as they adjust the amount, location, and timing of air and fuel input to the boiler, then “provide feedback about the results as they pursue best practices for minimizing costs associated with boiler operation such as fuel consumption, electricity use by


auxiliary equipment, and the use of chemicals.” JERA, together with Tata Consultancy Services Japan has been working since 2018 to build a predictive model that uses multiple algorithms based on historical operating data and to develop an application that can predict optimal operating conditions based on real-time operating data for coal-fired power plants. After trial operation of the new application, which was given the name CaCaO, at Hekinan coal fired power station unit 4 in 2021 confirmed its effectiveness at reducing costs through lower fuel consumption, JERA decided to start full-scale operation. JERA says it envisions “a digital power plant that creates new value through digital transformation” in combination with its “strengths in O&M kaizen


Above: Hekinan power plant site


(constant improvement)” and strengths in technology developed over the years. CaCaO is seen part of this initiative.


JERA envisages implementation of the concept at its own power plants in the coming years as well as sales to other power generation companies in Japan and overseas. JERA is working to develop zero-emission thermal power at Hekinan by employing ammonia as a fuel for power generation and is also working to reduce fuel consumption and environmental impact by making full use of digital technology.


Siemens inaugurates cyber defence centre in Canada


Siemens says it is enhancing its global cybersecurity offering with the official inauguration of its Critical Infrastructure Defense Center (CIDC) in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. Iti s the first facility of its kind within Siemens dedicated to critical infrastructure protection (CIP) focused on OT (operations technology). Services provided by the centre will range from advisory to management and research services.


Above: Centre inauguration. From left to right: Andreas Kind, Faisal Kazi, and Hon. Arlene Dunn, New Brunswick minister


The team of cyber experts based in Fredericton will support cyber and physical security needs of Canada as well as projects in the US, Europe and the Middle East.


“With the unprecedented growth in digitalisation, cyber-attacks are on the rise”, said Faisal Kazi, president and CEO, Siemens Canada. Siemens AG launched its cybersecurity programme in 1986 and says it was one of the first companies to “foster a holistic cybersecurity approach.” Currently, the company operates five global security hubs and employs some 1300 cybersecurity experts.


“Close co-operation between utility operators and research produces innovative methods to ensure critical infrastructures remain resilient against cyberattacks”, said Dr Andreas Kind, VP, cybersecurity & trust, Siemens Technology.


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energy transition players to invest on a long-term basis in the ‘software layer’ that is the fundamental enabler of the versatility and flexibility needed to manage and trade energy effectively in today’s dynamic marketplace. This will be particularly critical as real-time data requirements come into play as part of the UK’s Net Zero Market Reform.


Peter Bance, CEO of Origami, said: “Real- time data is the key to navigating the volatility of today’s power and energy markets, which means software has become king. It allows you, in real-time, to see what’s going on, decide what to do about it, and take action. Agility has become far more valuable than perfect foresight in the energy transition. Long-term independent SaaS partnerships enable that agility, meaning risks can be managed and opportunities maximised. This is how tomorrow’s market will operate”.


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