Enhancing Generation Operations with a Modern Data Platform
Sometimes, the nature of our work prevents us from openly discussing the clients we serve, but the insights gained are invaluable and deserve to be shared.?
When systems are not adequately managed, issues such as non-compliance, knowledge loss from departing staff, and data inefficiencies can severely undermine the reporting necessary at both site and executive levels.?
These challenges jeopardise financial performance, operational efficiency, and environmental compliance - all critical areas for organisations managing large production assets.?For these organisations, the ability to coordinate costs, optimise throughput, and manage emissions is paramount.?
In this edition of Ignition, we delve into the lessons we learned from assisting a major global energy company that operates gas peaking power stations and solar assets in addressing these crucial issues.
Harj Chand - [email protected]
Enhancing Generation Operations with a Modern Data Platform
“We’ve been able to progress work and meet compliance deadlines that we would have been unlikely to achieve if we did this work internally.” - GM, Technology
Legacy systems can stifle innovation and agility, posing significant challenges for large-scale operations.
This was the predicament of a major international energy organisation struggling with compliance issues, data inefficiencies, and the loss of corporate knowledge as key staff left.
To overcome these hurdles and drive their business forward, they looked to leverage their investment in modern data capabilities.
Business | The Guardian | 21 July
The Observer view on the global IT crash: lessons must be learned from CrowdStrike fiasco
Ignite: Amongst the thousands of articles published about last Friday's outage, this editorial - though not technical or comforting in its nature - touches on a key point that we regularly content with when working with our clients. Just how will this new solution/platform/system integrate and impact your legacy system?
Phased rollouts aside, as businesses become increasingly data-centric, at the forefront of your technological choosing should be the needed for flexibility, and what the cost of that may look like.
How do you justify your analytics investment?
Effort, usage and health.?The three key criteria to determine if your analytics investment is worth its spend.?
Through Ignite’s?DataPulse?reporting tool, plan your analytics investment?based on value, follow through to adoption/consumption?and see which investments are creating a return.
Data Centres | Power Engineering | 17 July
New study favours co-locating data centres with nuclear plants
Ignite: Beyond the immediate headline, the intertwining relationship between data centres and energy is becoming increasingly complex. The view from the US is that new data centres should be built close to energy assets to lower transmission costs. The concern is that doing so could impact market operations and reliability.
And then, of course, theres the question of costs, with the two energy entities in the article unwilling to pass on the opportunity to generate hundreds of millions in revenue each year from the data centre. It's all business at the end of the day.
DA | Big Data Quarterly | 16 July
The Critical Role of Data Cleaning
Ignite: Efficient data cleaning is not just about removing errors and inconsistencies; it is also about ensuring the accuracy and reliability of data. It's the make or break for any solution and the value it is seeking to provide.?
We have spent some time as a business investing in data quality reporting tools to assist our clients in improving the accuracy and reliability of the solutions using critical data. You can test a live demo of the tool here.
DA | iTnews | 19 July
ANZ examines uneven benefits from AI-augmented coding
Ignite: If AI code assistants are on the agenda, like GitHub's Copilot or Databricks' Code Assistant,?ANZ's experience is a good read (reassuring) on what to expect.?
For all intents and purposes, these tools are there to assist with developing code, not write it completely - a 'mystique' ANZ addressed and a reality for the program's engineers, who found Copilot generating 2.5 times more code than was accepted.
AI | The Conversation | 16 July
AI supercharges data centre energy use – straining the grid and slowing sustainability efforts
Ignite: A new era of building AI data enters could be on the horizon with the use of flexible computing: where the key idea is to compute more when electricity is cheaper, more available and greener. Could this method address both the cost and environmental challenges posed by AI?
Energy | Energy Source and Distribution | 15 July
Akaysha secures largest BESS financing globally at $650M
Ignite: EnergyAustralia's use of a 'virtual toll' with Akaysha's proposed $650M BESS will enable the retailer to manage price and load commitments by virtually charging and discharging the 200MW virtual battery?within pre-agreed daily bidding parameters, separate from the physical operation of the battery by Akaysha.?A very interesting read and insight into future virtual energy/cost management practices.
AI | TelcoNews |15 July
Digital transformation in utilities hampered by leadership conflict
Ignite: An interesting insight into the state of affairs at the exec level for utilities organisations undergoing a digital transformation. Data analytics and AI are certainly a priority, but - again - it appears the inability to prove the value of solutions is hindering adoption.
AI | Smart Energy | 15 July
Paris Olympics taps AI cloud solution to measure power consumption
Ignite: An interesting read on how the 2024 Paris Olympics will be using smart meters in an effort to halve the carbon footprint of the Games, and a great use case for the application of real-time data collection and analysis.
DA | Data Science Central | 15 July
Exploring cutting-edge data analytics technology
Ignite: Staying competitive in the data-driven world requires leveraging the latest in data analytics technology. This article provides insights into the newest tools and techniques to boost efficiency and drive innovation. Embracing these advancements is crucial for any business looking to maintain a competitive edge in today’s fast-paced market.
DA | In The Black | 12 July
5 mistakes you’re making with data visualisations
Ignite: Sound advice throughout;?reflective of our golden rule - making sure the data enables people to make better decisions.
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