Decarbonization is transforming our energy system, driving an accelerated shift from fossil-based to renewable power generation and electrification of transportation, industry and buildings sectors. This is creating the need to optimize energy both locally and system-wide leading to a complex “system of systems” that must be integrated and managed. Digitalization is the only way to manage this complexity, simplifying the contextualization of massive amounts of data. But this must be balanced with managing and optimizing today’s operations. Hitachi Energy can help you navigate this increasingly complex energy landscape. We have the right combination of connected products, software-based solutions, and digitally-enabled services to solve real-world challenges and add real value.
Renewable energy is the fastest-growing power generation source. Whether operated separately as a single source of generation like a wind farm or solar plant or combined in hybrid or virtual plants, renewables are key for the decarbonization and electrification of the economy. Like many other industries, renewable energy is undergoing a digital transformation, making more data-driven decisions, becoming more agile and moving toward more autonomous operations.
Digitalization creates real business value for renewable plant owners and operators by unlocking:
Asset intensive industries such as mining & metals and oil & gas have powered the global economy for well over a century. Mining & metals companies today produce integral elements of digital technology in data centers, mobile phones, tablets and communications equipment. Oil & gas companies provide fuels for power generation and transportation around the globe and many are positioned for success in the green hydrogen economy. These industries are digitally transforming their operations to reduce their impact on the environment while increasing competitiveness by becoming more agile and making more data-driven decisions.
Digitalization creates real business value for industrial companies by unlocking:
Urbanization, demands for more mobility, and the need to address greenhouse gas emissions related to transportation are all increasing. It has never been so important to provide efficient and reliable transportation solutions consuming less energy and delivering more uptime at the lowest cost of ownership. Like many other industries, rail, land, water and air transportation is undergoing a digital transformation, making more data-driven decisions, becoming more agile and moving toward more autonomous operations.
Digitalization creates real business value for transportation operators and stakeholders by unlocking:
Utilities are leading the energy transition, enabling greater access to sustainable electricity. Like many other industries, electric utilities are undergoing a digital transformation, making more data-driven decisions, becoming more agile and moving toward more autonomous operations.
Digitalization creates real business value for electric utilities by unlocking:
Energy Connect is an Industrial grade IoT data acquisition and ingestion platform that enables Hitachi Energy’s digital solutions portfolio. Unlike general purpose IoT platforms, it was designed specifically for energy industry applications where it is critical to collect and aggregate data from edge locations like substations and move it to the cloud securely, reliably and cost effectively.
Collecting real-time data from assets such as transformers, switchgear, battery energy storage systems and EV chargers provides the ability to make effective and informed decisions about those assets. Up to date information provides visibility into the condition of assets and enables more advanced applications like asset performance management.
Lack of reliable or stale information may lead to delays in responding to important events, potentially causing unplanned outages or catastrophic failures. Reliable data is the foundation for better and faster decision making.
Collecting data is just a means to achieving real value, which is holistic oversight of all monitored assets. With Hitachi Energy’s Lumada software portfolio, insights into performance over time ensures optimal operation and return of investments made.
Energy Connect Edge
The edge can be a dedicated hardware device, or a software package deployed on Hitachi Energy equipment on-site, directly connected to assets monitored with sensors. The edge can be connected to the Internet via wired or wireless connection, using WiFi or built-in cellular connectivity. Using an open and extendible software architecture, the Energy Connect Edge interfaces with sensors or monitoring devices using industrial protocols (such as IEC 61850 or Modbus TCP) and converts the raw measurements into a common data model. This unified model serves as a device twin representation.
Energy Connect Core
The Energy Connect Core is a virtual solution for data acquisition, analysis, and storage, deployed on Hitachi Energy cloud infrastructure. It serves as an aggregation point for data collected from edge devices, and facilitates secure data access for Hitachi Energy digital solutions.
Energy Connect employs industry leading cybersecurity:
