Brookfield Renewable

Leveraging technology to optimize operations of assets located in rural or remote areas has been a persistent challenge due to limited connectivity. High costs associated with fiber installation and maintenance, coupled with weather-dependent and expensive legacy satellite and radio options, have constrained the exchange of real-time data and collaboration. However, with the emergence of affordable Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology, we are about to unlock numerous profitable use cases to elevate the efficiency of remote assets.

Without reliable and economical high-speed connectivity, it is very hard to leverage modern ways to monitor the asset remotely, collaborate using video with staff on site and leverage the power of cloud computing to optimize its output using real[1]time data.

The implications of the LEO breakthrough are profound, especially for industries such as renewable power producers in rural locations. As an example, reliable high-speed internet empowers workers during new plant construction with modern collaboration solutions that include video and boost construction efficiency by streamlining coordination and ensuring access to real-time information. Another example is to use real-time video with an employee on-site to troubleshoot a problem with an expert that is in another location.

“The potential of technology to elevate the efficiency of real-world assets in rural or remote areas is no longer a distant vision”

The past decade has witnessed tremendous progress in data analysis through cloud computing. Advanced analytics models and automation offer many ways to transform real asset operations, leading to enhanced efficiency. An example is to follow in real-time some key attributes of the asset (temperature, vibration, oil sampling, pressure…) to monitor its condition and predict in advance failure or optimize maintenance schedules to reduce downtime. Another optimization model example can use external real-time information like electricity prices along with asset-specific information to optimize when to charge the battery and when to sell to the market.

However, the success of these analytical models largely depends on the availability of complete, accurate, and timely data. In many cases, essential data points on asset attributes are currently not captured or manually captured, leading to inefficiencies in asset monitoring and management. When a measure is read manually by an employee and not digitalized into a central repository in a timely matter, it limits the value that we can extract from that data.

The recent increase in offering and cost reduction of IoT[1]connected sensors now offer an economical solution, enabling the replacement of legacy sensors with real-time data collection, increasing the amount of data captured and removing manual reading inefficiencies.

As IoT sensors (gather data), high-speed LEO satellite internet (transport data), and cloud computing (process data) converge, we find ourselves at the tipping point of the 4th industrial revolution. The cost-effectiveness of these technologies has paved the way for exponential value creation when compared to the associated costs. The potential to increase remote asset efficiency reaches unprecedented heights, enabling organizations to unleash new possibilities in optimizing operations.

The potential of technology to elevate the efficiency of real[1]world assets in rural or remote areas is no longer a distant vision. With the arrival of cost-effective LEO satellite technology and the convergence of IoT and cloud computing, a new era of optimization and value creation is upon us. It is important to seize this opportunity to make our organizations progress towards this 4th industrial revolution, starting small, one step at a time.