Energy Digital Magazine - September 2021 by Energy Digital

September 2021 | energydigital.com

Smart Buildings COVID forces smart buildings rethink

AI & ML:

The power of teamwork

Automation

KEEPING PACE WITH THE

Automation’s key role in electric vehicle charging

HYDROGEN

BOOM As the energy industry gravitates more to hydrogen, opportunities are multiplying globally

Texas solar projects under construction FEATURING:

FORTINET

CLAROTY

SIEMENS AG

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The Energy Team SENIOR EDITOR

DOMINIC ELLIS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

SCOTT BIRCH

PRODUCTION DIRECTORS

GEORGIA ALLEN DANIELA KIANICKOVÁ PRODUCTION MANAGERS

CREATIVE TEAM

OSCAR HATHAWAY SOPHIE-ANN PINNELL HECTOR PENROSE SAM HUBBARD MIMI GUNN JUSTIN SMITH REBEKAH BIRLESON DUKE WEATHERILL JORDAN WOOD

OWEN MARTIN PHILLINE VICENTE JENNIFER SMITH

VIDEO PRODUCTION MANAGER

PRODUCTION EDITOR

DIGITAL VIDEO PRODUCERS

JANET BRICE

KIERAN WAITE

SAM KEMP EVELYN HUANG

HABBIE AMOS JACK NICHOLLS MARTA EUGENIO MOTION DESIGNER

TYLER LIVINGSTONE MARKETING DIRECTOR

ROSS GARRIGAN

MARKETING MANAGER

GRETA ANDREJEVAITE PROJECT DIRECTORS

GLEN WHITE MARK CAWSTON

MANAGING DIRECTOR

LEWIS VAUGHAN

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

JORDAN HUBBARD MEDIA SALES DIRECTORS

JASON WESTGATE MARK CAWSTON

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

STACY NORMAN PRESIDENT & CEO

GLEN WHITE

FOREWORD

IPCC report is last clarion call for change

“Carbon commitments need to be made, and implemented, in what will surely be an unprecedented test for every government and company”

It’s rare for a report to receive global media coverage, but the UN IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report – seven years after the fifth – emphasised the scale of the climate change crisis, and rapid actions needed to tackle greenhouse gas emissions. With the COP26 conference looming on the horizon, governments will now be under even greater pressure to deliver on its findings. While the Glasgow halls will no doubt be filled with debates, the time for talk is over. Carbon commitments need to be made, and implemented, in what will surely be an unprecedented test for every government and company. The message for the energy industry, which has started its transition journey, is it needs to accelerate its renewables strategies. Digital technology will continue to play a pivotal role – not just in the next year, but the next 30 as net zero targets come sharper into view. It’s not all doom and gloom. We’re told there may still be chance to keep global warming in check. But the IPCC report is one last clarion call for change, as time is running out.

DOMINIC ELLIS

dominic.ellis@bizclikmedia.com ENERGY DIGITAL MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BY

energydigital.com

CONTENTS

Our Regular Upfront Section: 8

Big Picture

10 The Brief 12 Timeline: SSE sells stake in SGN 14 Trailblazer: Andrew Swiger 16 Five Mins With: Toby Gill

Fortinet

Digital security, everywhere you need it

Keeping pace with the hydrogen boom

Covid forces a smart buildings rethink

Industry X.0

Smart

Siemens AG

History of sustainability prepares Siemens for climate change

Claroty

Industrial cybersecurity: more critical than data security?

Technology

AI & ML: the power of teamwork

Automation's key role in electric vehicle charging

Texas solar projects under construction

Top 10

BIG PICTURE

September 2021

Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK

Sunderland, UK

Nissan and Envision-AESC are to create a £1bn flagship Electric Vehicle (EV) hub in Sunderland. Nissan will invest up to £423mn producing an all-electric EV36Zero vehicle, while Envision AESC will spend £450mn building the gigafactory on the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP) next to the Nissan plant.

energydigital.com

THE BRIEF “The larger the mass you’re moving, and longer the distance, the more likely you’re going to need hydrogen over battery-electric

BY THE NUMBERS Tesla records $1.1bn Q2 profit

Dr Tom Mason

Chief Executive Officer, Bramble Energy  READ MORE

“A notable transformation driven by the COVID-19 pandemic is prompting US facility leaders to reconsider their operational strategies and invest in smarter, healthier technologies

85MW $23mn Solar deployments Bitcoin impairment £12bn 206,421 Revenues Models

Vimal Kapur

President and CEO, Honeywell Building Technologies  READ MORE

“Machine learning and artificial intelligence can provide impactful insights on large, complicated datasets – like those used to analyse geothermal energy Kelly Speakes-Backman

Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy  READ MORE

September 2021

Find out more about Tesla 

Wind energy CEOs urge G20 to ‘get serious' about renewables

Even the ubiquitous lyrics to David Baddiel and Frank Skinner’s superficial anthem seemed to reference a multicultural and inclusive vibe, but has diversity finally come home?

Oil and gas will prevent world from hitting 1.5°C The oil & gas sector will prevent the world from meeting the IPCC’s 1.5°C global warming scenario by 2050, according to a comprehensive study

 TOKAMAK ENERGY Tokamak Energy plans to double its workforce as well as the size of its UK facility, delivering a significant boost for UK fusion development and commercialisation.

 NEPTUNE ENERGY

Developers line up in ScotWind Leasing Round What is ScotWind? It’s a programme which will lease areas of the seabed around Scotland for successful wind farm developments. Why is it attracting such attention? It’s the first round of Offshore Wind Leasing in Scottish waters for a decade, and as much as 10GW new generating capacity is up for grabs. Bidding closed in July, and in all, Crown Estate Scotland received 74 applications. Who are the front runners? In the left corner, we have Shell and ScottishPower Renewables/Iberdrola, whose portfolio includes over 2GW of operational offshore wind, over 11GW of offshore wind in development and over 700 MW of floating wind; in the right, bp and EnBW, which is bidding for 2.9GW. Ocean Winds, a 50-50 joint venture by Spain’s EDP Renewables (EDPR) and France’s ENGIE, is also bidding for five sites. When will we know who’s won? Crown Estate Scotland is expected to announce the results in early 2022.

Neptune Energy has successfully installed and tested the world’s longest trace-heated subsea production pipeline at its operated Fenja field in the Norwegian sea. The 37km electrically trace-heated (ETH) pipe-in-pipe solution will transport oil from the field to the Njord A platform, operated by Equinor.

W I N N E R S SEP21

 UK GOVERNMENT The UK Government must end a year of climate contradictions and “stop blundering on high carbon choices”, according to the Climate Change Committee as it released 200 policy recommendations in a progress to Parliament update.

 ELECTRIC VEHICLE INVESTMENTS Electric cars’ reduced fuel costs are "all but redundant" when compared with their high prices. That's one of the key findings from new Which? research, which compared three electric cars’ costs to their petrol counterparts over three years.

L O S E R S energydigital.com

TIMELINE

2005

2011

2016

SSE buys into Scotia Gas Networks by paying £505mn for 50% of the business

Winter of 2010/11 is “the worst for several decades”, but Scotia Gas Networks records regulated asset value of £4.3bn, and headcount grows to 3,921 by March-end

SSE sells 16.7% stake to the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority for £621mn

September 2021

2008

2014

SSE buys Airtricity, an Irish wind farm business

Scotia Gas Networks (together with Scotland Gas Networks and Southern Gas Networks) is rebranded to SGN and spends £500mn upgrading its network

sells stake in SGN Following news that SSE is selling its 33.3% stake in SGN for £1.2bn, here is a timeline of key events spanning the last 16 years

2017

2021

Scotland’s gas and electricity networks deliver around half of all energy used in Scotland

SSE agrees to sell its 33.3% holding in SGN to a consortium of international investors

AUG

2017

Two new companies were unveiled, MapleCo, an independent Meter Asset Provider, and SGN Smart, a subsidiary of SGN

2020 SSE sells its GB electricity supply business to Ovo Energy to focus on core business of electricity networks and renewables

2045 SSE aims to make all its business operations net-zero by this date

energydigital.com

TRAILBLAZER

GLOBAL EXECUTIVE BIDS FAREWELL TO AFTER FOUR DECADES OF LOYAL SERVICE Name: Andrew Swiger Job Title: Senior Vice President Company: Exxon Mobil Corporation

ndrew Swiger is set to retire as Senior Vice President of Exxon Mobil Corporation on September 1, after more than 43 years of service. Swiger joined Mobil in 1978 as an operations engineer in Morgan City, Louisiana, after receiving a petroleum engineering degree from the Colorado School of Mines. He held a series of upstream and corporate assignments before moving to the downstream in 1996 as General Manager of the Jurong refinery and petrochemical plant in Singapore. In 1999, he became President and General Manager of Mobil Oil Canada and was later appointed Corporate Production Advisor at ExxonMobil’s headquarters in Irving, Texas. In 2001, Swiger moved to London as production vice president for Africa, and in 2003 was appointed production vice president for the Europe/Caspian/

September 2021

EXXONMOBIL IS INVESTING $3BN ON LOWER-EMISSION ENERGY SOLUTIONS UNTIL 2025 Russia region. He was named Executive Vice President of ExxonMobil Production Company in 2004 and became President of ExxonMobil Gas & Power Marketing in 2006. Swiger was elected Senior Vice President and a member of the management committee in 2009 and became principal financial officer in 2013. The board of directors has elected Kathryn Mikells as his successor. Mikells joins ExxonMobil from Diageo, where she has held the position of Chief Financial Officer since 2015 and was a member of the board of directors. In this role, she was accountable for strategy, investor relations, supply chain, procurement and finance. Previously she was Chief Financial Officer at Xerox,

ADT, Nalco and United Airlines. During her time at United Airlines, she was also Vice President of investor relations and treasurer. Mikells holds an MBA from the University of Chicago. ExxonMobil and SABIC recently announced their joint venture, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures, located near Corpus Christi, Texas, has reached mechanical completion of a monoethylene glycol unit and two polyethylene units. Project startup is expected to begin ahead of schedule, likely in Q4. ExxonMobil has also signed an MoU to participate in the recently announced Acorn carbon capture and storage project (CCS) in Scotland. The project plans to capture and store approximately 5-6 million tons of CO2 per year by 2030 from gas terminals at the St Fergus complex at Peterhead, Scotland, which includes ExxonMobil’s joint venture gas terminal.

“I’d like to thank Andy, both personally and on behalf of the board of directors, for his many years of dedicated service, and wish him all the best in his retirement” DARREN WOODS

CEO AND CHAIRMAN, EXXON MOBIL

The company, which is investing $3 billion on lower-emission energy solutions until 2025, on top of the $10 billion spent in the last 20 years, has reduced operated greenhouse gas emissions by 11% from 2016 to 2020. Through last year, it reduced methane emissions nearly 34% across its US unconventional operations. ExxonMobil Chemical Company signed an agreement with Celanese for the sale of its global Santoprene business for $1.15 billion, subject to working capital and other adjustments, and the transaction is expected to close in Q4. energydigital.com

FIVE MINUTES WITH...

Toby Gill CEO OF IPG IS A BRITISH CLIMATE-TECH COMPANY REINVENTING FUEL-BASED POWER FOR THE RENEWABLE FUTURE WITH ITS FLAMELESS GENERATOR TECHNOLOGY.

TELL US ABOUT IPG, HOW IT WAS FORMED AND YOUR OBJECTIVES? Decarbonisation of the world’s energy systems will require wind, solar, energy storage and net-zero- and zero-carbon fuels. In particular, innovations in the production of these renewable fuels, and the technologies that operate them, is essential to realising this energy transition. This is especially true for those difficult-to-decarbonise industries that continue to be reliant on diesel generators – a market still predicted to be worth in excess of $30 billion in 2025. More fundamentally, however, this will continue to be true until hydrogen and biofuels represent a truly viable alternative, that being economical with zero risk to supply. With decades of collective entrepreneurial experience in the energy sector, IPG’s founding team and the advisory board came together to develop a power generation technology that can deliver the dispatchable, low-cost power with effectively zero risk in supply, typical of diesel generators, but in a way that is compatible with our clean air and net-zero future.

“ IPG IS WORKING TO DELIVER THE FIRST FULLY-INTEGRATED 100 KW GENERATOR, TO SUPPLY POWER FOR EV CHARGING THROUGH A LOCAL MINI-GRID” 16

September 2021

HOW EXACTLY DOES THE IPG FLAMELESS GENERATOR DELIVER POLLUTANT-FREE POWER FROM ANY RENEWABLE FUEL? To address the risks around uncertain renewable fuel supply, our founders set out to create a fuel-agnostic power generation technology - one that could operate on any fuel but without producing pollutant emissions. Since the fuel-specificity of existing power generation technologies is determined by the combustion process, IPG began innovating in ways to release the chemical energy stored in a fuel, the result being our patented “flameless combustion” process. IPG’s approach to flameless combustion means our turbine can literally

“burn” any net-zero fuel, no matter the quality or calorific value, be that hydrogen, biogas, landfill gas or even ammonia. This process is made possible by our Ceramic Heat Regenerator, which recycles waste heat from the exhaust of the Ceramic Turbine and channels it through the combustion chamber. Incoming air is 930°C - well l above the auto-ignition or spontaneous combustion temperature of methane, biofuels and hydrogen. Fuel is then injected into and distributed by the air stream, and by ensuring there are no areas of high fuel density, no flame is formed. Eliminating the flame also means the environment doesn’t enable the formation of harmful pollutant emissions. energydigital.com

FIVE MINUTES WITH...

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR PROJECT WITH HIGHWAYS ENGLAND? As demand for EV charging begins to exponentially increase into 2030 and beyond, so too will the need to reinforce the National Grid in high-use areas and extend capabilities to remote locations. With these upgrades commanding costs into the multi-millions, but with predictions on the precise locations of that demand also highly uncertain, the risks associated with the development of this essential infrastructure is, therefore, a significant barrier to mass EV adoption. IPG, Highways England, and Innovate UK have partnered on this project to address some of these infrastructure and investment challenges of decarbonising our transport network. The proposal to develop, deploy and test the IPG Flameless Generator technology for clean, efficient, off-grid EV charging will enable rapid EV charging where highcapacity grid connections and on-site wind and solar are not viable. In this project, IPG is working to deliver the first fully integrated 100 kW generator to supply power for EV charging through a local mini-grid at Cranfield University.

HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE DISTRIBUTED FUEL-BASED POWER IS IN LINE WITH OUR CLIMATE AMBITIONS? To date, innovation in the energy sector has primarily focused on wind, solar and energy storage. The challenge we now face is to develop the supporting infrastructure that enables an energy system that is not only sustainable and affordable but secure. 18

September 2021

The IEA is projecting that in 2040 53% of our global energy will continue to come from oil and natural gas. Much of this demand will come from developing economies, where power is more distributed and therefore dependent on the diesel generator. Until there is a true replacement to the diesel genset, the progress we are making with wind, solar and battery storage will be undermined. The timeline, however, to decarbonising this distributed fuel-based power is entirely dependent on the timeline for fossil-fuel alternatives being abundant and economically viable. But how do we create demand, and therefore increase supply of

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO COMPANIES LOOKING TO REPLACE THEIR DIESEL GENERATORS?

“ THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS FOR BUSINESSES WHEN CHOOSING A GENERATOR ARE COST AND SECURITY OF POWER SUPPLY” these fuels if the diesel generator continues to be the cheapest, and lowest-risk solution for businesses? Fuel-agnostic technologies can provide a means of breaking this ‘chicken-and-egg scenario’ and enable us to accelerate these timelines and transition away from diesel sooner.

Whether you’re a construction company, an EV charging supplier or a mining company, your chosen form of power needs to enable your business to function. Therefore, the two most important factors for businesses when choosing a generator are cost and security of power supply. While some companies may accept short-term additional costs to reduce the environmental impact of their operations, what they cannot accept is the risk of not having the power to maintain ‘business-as-usual’. Investing in fuel-agnostic power generation technologies offer a way to eliminate this risk. With the capabilities to run on any fuel, businesses will avoid uncertainty in supply of specific fuels and can actually benefit from the ever-evolving fuel market with opportunities for fuel arbitrage. Equally, in the same way, that fuel-agnostic technologies will prevent the risk of stranded assets as the market evolves, it’s of equal importance to ensure that power generation technologies we buy today comply with current and future emissions and air quality standards. energydigital.com

The World’s Biggest Sustainability Event February

23rd - 24th 2022 REGISTER FOR TICKETS

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Creating Digital Communities

ENTERPRISE DX

KEEPING PACE WITH THE

HYDROGEN

BOOM

As the energy industry gravitates more to hydrogen, the scale and breadth of opportunities are multiplying globally

WRITTEN BY: DOMINIC ELLIS

September 2021

ENTERPRISE DX

rom enthusiastic startups to multinational majors, the world is in the grip of a hydrogen frenzy. The pressures to deliver net-zero targets and reverse decades of fossil fuel carbon consumption mean we have to quickly embrace a raft of renewable energies – and hydrogen is set to play a pivotal role in the new energy era. In a paper exploring the role of hydrogen in the energy transition for The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, Adam Hawkes, from the Sustainable Gas Institute at Imperial College, London, writes that the weight of evidence suggests that hydrogen has “a fighting chance” at a role in future energy systems. “The features of hydrogen, particularly its potential for long-duration storage and transportability, make it a solid zeroemissions partner to variable renewable energy,” he writes. “Hydrogen would likely have on-tap availability to serve peak demands, and the related supply chain can both consume and produce electricity, heat, motive power, and other services to complement zero and net-negative carbon electricity systems.” The paper concludes that, while technology has reached a point where many hydrogen solutions are commercially viable, current barriers to widespread adoption are primarily due to a lack of infrastructure in the case of transport applications and cost competitiveness in the case of power and industry. New efforts are undertaken globally to remove these barriers through targeted policy support and to scale up activities. energydigital.com

CREATING BUSINESS VALUE THROUGH SUSTAINABLE ENERGY Ensuring you have the best partner at your side.

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ENTERPRISE DX

“ The larger the mass you’re moving, and longer the distance, the more likely you’re going to need hydrogen over battery-electric” Dr TOM MASON

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, BRAMBLE ENERGY

The cost of production currently is a major barrier to the adoption of green hydrogen, which is produced solely with renewable sources; it is approximately six times more expensive today than grey hydrogen to produce and between two to three times more expensive than hybrid blue hydrogen, both of which are produced using fossil fuels as an energy source. Startup profile: Bramble Energy One man at the emerging hydrogen front line is Dr Tom Mason, CEO at Bramble Energy, who claims its printed circuit board technology (PCBFC) offers a more flexible, cheaper and scalable option to traditional fuel cells, up to 75% cheaper than incumbent fuel cell stacks. The startup has raised £9m to date, and he is confident of raising more by the end of this year. “I’ve got very significant support – we’re in a market which is very buoyant for hydrogen technologies, and we have to be ambitious. It’s the only way we’re going to achieve net-zero.”

The company is currently working with three customers involved in industrial, construction and surveillance, and aims for commercial launch this year. The headcount at its Gatwick-side, 13,500sq ft design-and-development facility has jumped from 3 to 25 in just under a year, and another 50 are coming. He outlines the thesis behind its portable power range. “Batteries are very powerful but don’t have a lot of energy in them. Our customers are looking to run things that are relatively unpowerful but want to run them for a long period of time. Hydrogen is a solution because it’s low power with lots of energy.” It has tied up with launch distributor BOC, part of the Linde Group, to launch four units (15W, 30W, 45W and 60W) up to 1KW. They hold 20 litres, about the size of your patio energydigital.com

ENTERPRISE DX

News in brief •

•

Protium Green Solutions is continuing its UK expansion, following its recent entry into Scotland, by opening an office in Caerphilly which will serve its Welsh clients. Peel NRE plans to build a Plastic Park in the UK North West to process some of the 4.9 million tonnes of plastic waste produced in the UK each year – along with a Hydrogen refuelling station which would supply up to 1,000kg of hydrogen per day to vehicles. From 2025, HyNet North West will produce, store and distribute hydrogen as well as capturing and storing carbon. Element 2 is investing in prime locations across the UK and Ireland and plans to deploy over 800 pumps onto the UK network by 2027 and 2,000 by 2030. Gas Networks Ireland aims to reduce its carbon footprint by gradually replacing natural gas with green hydrogen and biomethane, and ESB’s Moneypoint site in County Clare will be transformed into a green energy hub (Green Atlantic @ Moneypoint). Sapphire Technologies has been named as a finalist for the 2021 Kirkpatrick Chemical Engineering Achievement Award for its clean power generation technology in hydrogen and natural gas industrial applications. Howden Group is strengthening its commitment to the hydrogen market with September 2021

•

the appointment of Salah Mahdy in the new role of Global Director - Hydrogen. H2H Energy has received an order for a 350 bar containerised refuelling station from Hyundai, New Zealand, in preparation for the arrival of Hyundai’s FCEV trucks. The Hyzon Zero Carbon Alliance, an initiative of leading companies working to accelerate hydrogen-powered mobility worldwide, has added Woodside Energy as its newest member. INEOS Energy has announced £25 million cornerstone backing for HydrogenOne Capital Growth, London’s first listed fund dedicated to clean hydrogen. Funded by the Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Lufthansa Technik will work with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Center for Applied Aeronautical Research (ZAL) and Hamburg Airport over the next two years to design and test extensive maintenance and ground processes in handling hydrogen technology. BayoTech has completed the acquisition of IGX Group, which specialises in the manufacture of high-pressure cylinder-based hydrogen storage and delivery equipment. The mayors of Namie Town (Japan) and Lancaster (California) have signed an MoU in what is believed to be the first bilateral agreement to use hydrogen as their green energy strategy.

ENTERPRISE DX

“ Sustainability is much more than CO2; it’s about natural resource consumption and biodiversity destruction” Dr TOM MASON

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, BRAMBLE ENERGY

gas cylinder, and store about 7KW hours of energy in them. All manufacturing is handled through the supply chain (currently using ZOT Engineering in Scotland). UK & Ireland, and Europe will be the initial focus, and export opportunities are also targeted. “This will help us generate revenue, but the really exciting part of the business is liquid-cooled fuel cells,” adds Mason. “We’ve got a project with MAHLE Powertrain to demonstrate our first liquid-cooled stack in a vehicle – it’s a range extender for a small electric van – and we aim to launch that at an event in September.” “The reason for doing it is validation and changing the narrative – we’re no longer a university spin-out but a business with actual technology. Our mission is really about

enabling net zero. I have a big problem with people who talk about sustainability and say that batteries are better than hydrogen – sustainability is much more than CO2; it’s about natural resource consumption and biodiversity destruction.” He believes it is “abundantly clear” that hydrogen needs to be used extensively to meet net-zero targets. “The larger the mass you’re moving, and longer the distance, the more likely you’re going to need hydrogen over battery electric.” Mason refuels his hydrogen fuel car at the south London airport. “It takes five minutes to charge, and I can do 300 miles. It’s exactly the same experience as petrol and diesel with zero emissions. There is plenty of activity with infrastructure – it will come. The grant funding in the UK is fantastic, but what’s important is we build commercial relationships.” REA calls for clear policy frameworks The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) has called on the UK Government to produce a clear policy framework for the delivery of low-carbon hydrogen that attracts investment, accelerates deployment of the technology, and sets out ambitious

energydigital.com

ENTERPRISE DX

The REA's Nina Skorupska on the net-zero transition

delivery targets for 2030 in its forthcoming Hydrogen Strategy. The Strategy was due to be published in March, but delays have meant that the industry has faced months of uncertainty. In contrast, Germany published its Hydrogen Strategy in June 2020, providing a clear signal to developers and funders about their long-term commitment to renewable forms of hydrogen. Dr Nina Skorupska CBE, Chief Executive of the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA), said the Government had previously set a target of 5GW production capacity from hydrogen by 2030 in its Energy White Paper, but this must be much more ambitious to drive growth in the sector. 28

September 2021

“There is an opportunity with the upcoming Hydrogen Strategy for the UK to position itself as a leading producer and exporter of low-carbon hydrogen. However, this can only be realised if the Government is bold in its targets and will set out the clear policy framework that is required,” she said.

“ There is an opportunity with the upcoming Hydrogen Strategy for the UK to position itself as a leading producer and exporter of low-carbon hydrogen” Dr NINA SKORUPSKA CBE FEI

CHIEF EXECUTIVE, REA: THE ASSOCIATION FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY AND CLEAN TECHNOLOGY

ENTERPRISE DX

The colours of hydrogen • • • • • •

In focus: Salah Mahdy, newly appointed Global Director – Environmental Hydrogen at Howden, outlines the challenges and opportunities ahead How challenging will it be to accelerate hydrogen solutions globally? We know that a hydrogen-based energy transition will not happen overnight, but the hydrogen economy is enjoying unprecedented business and political momentum, with the number of projects and policies around the world expanding rapidly. From a high level, the major challenge is reducing the hydrogen price at the pump to $1.50-$2 per kg, which requires improvements throughout the entire hydrogen value chain, from production, processing, transportation

Green – derived from renewables, no CO2 byproduct (electrolysis) Blue – derived from natural gas with CCUS (reforming) Grey – derived from natural gas without CCUS (reforming) Brown – derived from coal/lignite with CCUS (gasification) Black – derived from coal without CCUS (gasification) Pink – derived using power and/or waste heat from nuclear (electrolysis, reforming)

and storage, to distribution. The great support this industry is getting globally – from governments, energy companies, and relevant institutions and associations – will catalyse cost reductions by increasing research and development in hydrogen technologies and industrial processes. Which markets will Howden be targeting? We decided to move in two parallel routes. The first is to grow and move the same way the market will evolve. We believe that the mobility applications and pilot projects in a number of process industries will take the lead in the early years, and later larger-scale projects to follow once more advanced technologies are available. energydigital.com

ENTERPRISE DX

In the second route, we will focus on developing more advanced technologies that the market needs in future to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen solutions. As a global company operating from over 90 locations globally, that gives us a great opportunity to access all the major geographic growing markets, as well as provide the support that customers will need for their projects worldwide. What role will digital play in facilitating hydrogen's growth? Digital technologies are already playing an important role in transforming all sectors and different angles; they clearly will play an important role in the hydrogen industry as well. Using digital solutions in areas such as predictive maintenance and data collection and virtual reality and artificial intelligence tools as Howden are doing will improve efficiency and safety in the hydrogen industry, which will contribute, to a certain degree, to reducing the levelised cost of hydrogen (LCOH) in the long term. Projects accelerate from Australia to the Netherlands On the other side of the world, Australia is busy striving to be the largest green hydrogen producer globally – as facilities, funding, and collaborations continue to multiply. The Western Green Energy Hub (WGEH), in Western Australia, will be a collaboration between InterContinental Energy, the Mirning People (the first owners of the land), and CWP Global, a renewable energy developer. The hub will cover more than 5,790 square miles (15,000 sq kms) and be able to produce up to 50GW of hybrid wind 30

September 2021

ENTERPRISE DX

and solar power and generate up to 3.5mn tons of green hydrogen or 20mn tons of green ammonia per year. The Daxing hydrogen station equipped with Air Liquide technology is the world's largest hydrogen station with a capacity of nearly 5 tonnes per day. Located in Beijing, it is part of a 200,00sqm International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone which includes an exhibition hall that was inaugurated in July. Europe’s largest PEM hydrogen electrolyser has begun operations at Shell’s Energy and Chemicals Park Rheinland, producing green hydrogen. As part of the Refhyne European consortium and with European Commission funding through the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), the fully operational plant is the first to use this technology at such a large scale in a refinery. Plans are underway to expand the capacity of the electrolyser from 10MW to 100MW at the Rheinland site, near Cologne, where Shell also intends to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using renewable power and biomass in the future. A plant for bio-LNG is also in development. “This project demonstrates a new kind of energy future and a model of lower-carbon energy production that can be replicated worldwide,” said Shell’s Downstream Director, Huibert Vigeveno. “Shell wants to become a leading supplier of green hydrogen for industrial and transport customers in Germany,” he added. “We will be involved in the whole process – from power generation, using offshore wind, to hydrogen production and distribution across sectors. We want to be the partner of choice for our customers as we help them decarbonise.” energydigital.com

ENTERPRISE DX

Aker Clean Hydrogen and CapeOmega have signed an MoU with AS Norske Shell to explore opportunities to develop the Aukra Hydrogen Hub to a large-scale production facility for clean hydrogen using natural gas from the local gas processing plant at Nyhamna. ABB has joined forces with Swiss utility Axpo to develop modular green hydrogen production plants in Italy that aim at creating an optimum operating model to produce affordable, green hydrogen. The two companies will apply their complementary skills to achieve their joint vision of more affordable green hydrogen. ABB harnesses its automation, electrification, and digital leadership in industrial operations and Axpo’s experience as an established energy provider. Initial work will include feasibility studies that explore ways to reduce operating costs and ensure a low carbon footprint to identify synergies that will support the standardisation, modularisation, efficient and flexible production of green hydrogen. Nel Hydrogen Electrolyser has entered into a collaboration for a fossil-free hydrogen facility in Hofors, Sweden, together with partners Ovako, Volvo, Hitachi ABB, and H2 Green Steel. The conversion to green hydrogen in the production process will reduce CO2 emissions from the facility by 50% from current levels, with possibilities for future development of hydrogen infrastructure for transportation. The PosHYdon project, recently buoyed by a subsidy of €3.6 million from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, seeks to validate the integration of three energy systems in the Dutch North Sea: offshore wind, offshore gas and offshore hydrogen and will involve the installation of hydrogen-producing plant on the Neptune Energy-operated Q13a-A platform. 32

September 2021

Green hydrogen will be mixed with the gas and transported via the existing gas pipeline to the coast. The 1 MW electrolyser will produce a maximum of 400 kilogrammes of green hydrogen per day. The Q13a-A is the first fully electrified platform in the Dutch North Sea, located approximately 13kms off the coast of Scheveningen (The Hague). Siemens Energy and Messer Group have entered into a cooperation agreement with the goal to work on green hydrogen projects in the 5-50MW range for industrial and mobility applications. Within the framework of this agreement, Messer Ibérica has already submitted three clean hydrogen projects in the chemical complex of Tarragona to the Spanish government. These projects will have a total electrolyser capacity of 70MW. Christian Bruch, CEO of Siemens Energy, said: “Green hydrogen will be one important lever to develop sustainable solutions, especially in hard-to-abate sectors of industry and mobility.” Electric Hydrogen recently announced a $24M Series A financing led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures and joined by Prelude Ventures and Capricorn's Technology Impact Fund. The funding will support continued product development

“ We will be involved in the whole process – from power generation, using offshore wind, to hydrogen production and distribution across sectors” HUIBERT VIGEVENO

DOWNSTREAM DIRECTOR, SHELL

ENTERPRISE DX

as the company expands its operations in the Greater Boston and San Francisco Bay Areas. “Electrification will play a huge role in reducing carbon emissions, but over a third of emissions come from industrial sectors that are hard to directly electrify," said EVP of Engineering, Dorian West. "Low-cost fossil-free hydrogen provides a compelling pathway to decarbonise these dirty industries, which operate at massive scales.” Movement with trucks and trains Hyzon Motors, a leading supplier of zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell-powered

commercial vehicles, has delivered its first 55-ton milk truck to Transport Groep Noord, which provides transport for multinational dairy company Royal FrieslandCampina N.V. It has a 520km range with motor power up to 550KW capacity. Repsol has entered into an agreement with Talgo to decarbonise its hydrogenpowered train, whereby Repsol will provide renewable energy infrastructure and logistical means to supply the rail network. The plans will support the objectives of the hydrogen roadmap agreed by the Spanish Government, which involves the implementation of two hydrogen-powered commercial train lines by 2030.

energydigital.com

FORTINET

September 2021

FORTINET

DIGITAL SECURITY,

EVERYWHERE YOU NEED IT WRITTEN BY: WILL GIRLING PRODUCED BY: CAITLYN COLE

energydigital.com

FORTINET

September 2021

FORTINET

Rick Peters, CISO, explains why cybersecurity is a continuous journey and how Fortinet can help keep businesses secure in the post-COVID world

Rick Peters, CISO

rom an outsider perspective, one might imagine that cybersecurity has been a primary component of every company’s strategy since the beginning of the digital era. And yet, recent headlines demonstrate how much progress is still needed across the board. Founded in 2000 by CEO Ken Xie and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Fortinet has established a reputation as being a protector of small, medium and large-scale enterprises, and government institutions globally. Driven by a vision of the future in which the digital world is always safe and trustworthy, it has played an indispensable role in the evolution of cybersecurity with a suite of solutions that are among the industry’s most popular. This comprehensive and complementary portfolio prioritises integration and automation to yield self-healing, faster, and more efficient operations across cloud, networks, and mobile environments. In short, Fortinet enables organisations to thrive. Additionally, Fortinet espouses a philosophy that recontextualises cyber resilience as a journey, not a destination. As such, it recognises that IT and OT systems might change structurally over time but the need to keep them protected remains constant. Sustained protection of the cyber physical landscape and business innovation is achieved by integrating Fortinet’s cutting-edge Security Fabric with the technology alliance ecosystem to match today’s threat landscape. We spoke with Rick energydigital.com

FORTINET

Security-Driven Networking for a Hyperconnected World | Cybersecurity

Peters, Chief Information Security Officer, Operational Technology (OT) North America, to learn more. Having spent almost four decades at the US National Security Agency (NSA) in a variety of managerial and executive roles, it is safe to say that Peters knows what constitutes strong cybersecurity system defences. During his long tenure, he was able to gain credentials, experience, and insight into what it takes to successfully launch a business in cyberspace. “I had the luxury of experiencing and executing missions from both the offensive and defensive sides. Post my IC career, I felt that whatever was next professionally needed to be a departure from working in the government, and private industry afforded such an opportunity.” It wasn’t long before Peters joined the Fortinet team in early 2018. 38

September 2021

“ YOU HAVE TO ALIGN YOUR VALUES WITH THE CUSTOMER’S AND DETERMINE HOW THEY’RE TRYING TO SOLVE THEIR MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEMS” RICK PETERS CISO, FORTINET

FORTINET

RICK PETERS TITLE: CISO INDUSTRY: COMPUTER & NETWORK SECURITY

EXECUTIVE BIO

LOCATION: UNITED STATES Mr. Peters brings to the Fortinet Operational Technology Critical Infrastructure team more than 37 years of cybersecurity and global partnering experience working across foreign, domestic, and commercial industry sectors at the National Security Agency (NSA). As Fortinet’s Operational Technology North American CISO, he delivers cybersecurity defense solutions and insights for the OT/ ICS/SCADA critical infrastructure environments. Prior to Fortinet, Rick led development of cyber capability across Endpoint, Infrastructure, and Industrial Control System technologies at the agency. Previously, Rick also served as an executive leader supporting the Information Assurance Directorate at the NSA. Earlier in his career, he served in a broad range of leadership and Engineering roles including Chief of Staff for the NSA Cyber Task Force and a five-year forward liaison charged with directing integration of cyber and cryptologic solution for US Air Force Europe, Ramstein AFB, Germany.

energydigital.com

FORTINET

Sharing a mutual desire to expand OT cybersecurity, Peters spoke with Fortinet’s leadership and was impressed by what he found: “I discovered that it was a ‘solutions first’ oriented organisation and that got me excited. If you glance at Fortinet’s patent wall, you naturally realise it’s not just talking about innovation, it’s executing development to achieve it,” he recalls. At the centre of this is Fortinet’s Security Fabric- the industry’s highest-performing cybersecurity platform, powered by FortiOS, with a rich ecosystem. Conceived as a framework to enable both digital innovation and protection from cyber threats, this platform incorporates three key attributes: 40

September 2021

• Broad visibility and protection across the entire attack surface • Integrated and unified security that closes security gaps and reduces complexity • Automated and context aware, it affords faster time to prevention and efficient operations With security taking on increasing prominence within critical infrastructure for Energy and Utilities, Manufacturing, Transportation, and digitally connected building sectors, possessing expert knowledge and comprehension of the

FORTINET

sector’s evolution is critical. “You can employ cutting-edge technology, but you also need to be committed to understanding the industrial environment. You are working with asset owners who have unique goals and a different perspective on what it means to protect the cyber-physical,” says Peters. Furthermore, he identifies two other qualities that put Fortinet ahead of its competition: speed and a transparent, ecosystem-driven approach that mitigates latencies and data loss. At the heart of this is FortiOS, the foundation of the Security Fabric and what Peters considers to be a true “game changer.” Delivering transparency, scalability, and sub-second response times, it employs

FortiGate technology, a “next-generation firewall,” fully capable of accommodating the secure remote access requirements and highly adaptive cloud environments that have gained greater favour since the events of 2020. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic amplified an entirely new security environment challenge: circumstances made remote working a necessity to maintain business continuity, simultaneously expanding organisations’ surface area for attack and instigating a shift away from on-premises business as the primary means to sustain operations. In this new paradigm, which is still far from reaching a state of equilibrium, energydigital.com

FORTINET

Fortinet is positioning itself as a guide for “new normal” security decision-making. “It's all about building trust,” states Peters. “You have to align your values with the customer’s and determine how they’re trying to solve their most important problems.” In his view, there is no denying that data has become one of the most important assets of the 21st century - the near-ubiquity of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and the mounting viability of 5G are testaments to this, and as executives continue to collect ever-larger volumes of information to assist with operational optimisation. Maintaining a focus on enabling safe and continuous OT operations, Fortinet strives to identify and remediate threats in a way that inspires confidence and helps clients build robust security track records. Fortinet aspires to “get out in front” of cyber threats at all times, a goal it achieves through endpoint detection and response and pre-/post-event analysis. The Fortinet Security Fabric enables the company to break down risks into manageable segments while still maintaining total visibility, therefore preventing customers from missing the big picture in the middle of an attack. “What we’re doing is flipping the script,” adds Peters. “If I were to sit down with a board today, I would probably try to convince them to behave as if they've already been compromised, because it’s highly likely that it will happen at some point in time. It could occur simply by employee error in accepting malware through an email. We've certainly heard many instances of that over the last couple of years.” Moving forward, he is confident that Fortinet will continue to enable even greater threat visibility wherever the customer needs it. The company’s highly adaptive and proactive approach, which captures 42

September 2021

granular elements of security without obscuring the whole, is a clear departure from cybersecurity’s highly reactive prior incarnations. Peters believes that new best-practice standards should coalesce on the idea of “zero-trust access” - “I think we have to insist on earning trust in 2021.” Several notable instances of ransomware attacks in the US confirm the formidable security challenges that modern businesses are facing. However, even here, Peters suggests a cultural solution that Fortinet can offer: stop thinking about the ransomware “payload” as the last event in a chain. “The attacker has probably undergone a period

FORTINET

FORTINET - KEY STATS • Stock symbol: FTNT (IPO October 2009) • 500,000+ customers • 6.8 million units shipped • 776 patents issued; 211 pending • 8,615 employees • US$2.59bn = 2020 revenue • US$3.09bn = 2020 billings

“ I DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS A ‘SOLUTIONS FIRST’ ORIENTED ORGANISATION AND THAT GOT ME EXCITED” RICK PETERS CISO, FORTINET

of reconnaissance and figured out how to distribute their payload. In a distributed attack, like those witnessed in recent instances of supply chain exploitation, a payload is used to attack a broad range of targets and then exploit them based on opportunity and vulnerability.” A multidimensional problem-solver, Fortinet believes in instilling a reliance on people, processes, and technology to secure IT and OT systems. “We’re advocating for the commitment of cybersecurity education as a means of improving situational awareness and realising the power of a wellinformed employee as an asset instead of energydigital.com

FORTINET

2000 Year founded

8,615

Number of employees

$2.59B FY2020 Revenue

September 2021

FORTINET

“COMPLACENCY IS THE ENEMY IN THIS BUSINESS BECAUSE YOU’LL NEVER REACH THE END DESTINATION; CYBERSECURITY IS JUST A CONTINUOUS JOURNEY” RICK PETERS CISO, FORTINET

a liability.” It is the company’s belief that, through education and awareness of the role they can play, employees will naturally bolster cyber defences. “Of course, that's not perfect,” clarifies Peters. “The human element is always going to offer a compelling reason to improve cybersecurity beyond present capabilities.” This takes the conversation not only back to the utility of “zero-trust access” but also behaviouralbased endpoint security. “[The latter] raises the bar by recognising threats and learning from them. It gives you not just cyber resilience but a thorough comprehension of what's going on. I think that's really important: We never want to become complacent. Complacency is the enemy in this business because you’ll never reach the end destination; cybersecurity is just a continuous maturation.” Looking ahead, Peters suggests that 2021 will symbolise a year of growth for the company, both financially and in the ongoing evolution of the Security Fabric. With the size of its initiatives in the North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions doubling in the last 12 months alone, it’s clear that Fortinet has achieved a truly global appeal. Moreover, it will be capitalising on the power of partnerships to expand its problem-solving capabilities. “No one is solving [security] problems alone. We can't be everywhere

- we're not omnipresent - but I think our offering [via partnerships] allows us to be so much more agile and effective working with organisations and businesses of all sizes.” However, commitment to the journey of cyber resilience is, has been, and will be Fortinet’s enduring focus. Peters explains, “Too often, leaders get trapped believing they can just commit a set amount of resources to a particular problem and then consider the issue to be resolved with a point solution. In today’s business world, whether you're in IT or OT, that approach amounts to becoming complacent.” Fortinet is combating this culture through cutting-edge technology and a determination to help others consider cybersecurity in a new way. This, Peters hopes, will grant customers a level of cyber resilience they can trust indefinitely, as Fortinet will share an equal dedication to their organisational objectives. “Our message is that resilience comes through persistence and the ability to continually grow and mature in the solution space. Let's make sure we're protecting that which is most important to our businesses so that we can remain sustainable and viable, not just this year but a decade from now.”

energydigital.com

SMART BUILDINGS

September 2021

SMART BUILDINGS

COVID FORCES A SMART BUILDINGS RETHINK The pandemic is revolutionising office designs with more emphasis on healthier, smarter and more efficient environments WRITTEN BY: DOMINIC ELLIS

he return to offices has started. But while there may be disagreements between companies on how often staff should attend the office, there can be no question that the notion of corporate life has changed irrevocably during the pandemic. The advent of remote working, rush to digitalisation and emphasis on sustainability has consigned pre-pandemic practices to history – and no more so than in the buildings and construction sector. According to a recent Honeywell report, Rethinking Buildings Post-COVID-19, 75% of surveyed US facility managers say COVID-19 has caused them to permanently rethink how their facility operates. Nearly 60% are more likely to invest in indoor air quality optimisation, and other healthy building solutions, rising to 70% who are willing to invest in smart building solutions that help drive efficiency and support sustainability efforts. "A notable transformation driven by the COVID-19 pandemic is prompting US facility

leaders to reconsider their operational strategies and invest in smarter, healthier technologies," said Vimal Kapur, president and chief executive officer, Honeywell Building Technologies. "As occupants become more aware of how the buildings they use for work, school and care can affect their well-being, we expect them to push building owners and operators to implement new procedures with efficient, sustainable solutions that better support occupants' safety, comfort, and enhance their experiences, not only for the immediate return to office but for the long term as well." The survey results from facility managers in the US underscore five key themes: The pandemic will likely have a lasting impact on facility management and operations Many believe changes and upgrades made during the pandemic will be kept in place in some form, yet only 36% of those surveyed expect updates to the air quality system to remain permanent. COVID-19 is also driving facility managers to adjust their priorities and investments. For example, 62% are more likely to invest in indoor air quality optimisation and other healthy building solutions, and 56% are more willing to invest in occupant experience solutions like contactless building access, smart parking and personalised experiences. energydigital.com

SMART BUILDINGS

T:297 mm

“ A notable transformation driven by the COVID-19 pandemic is prompting US facility leaders to reconsider their operational strategies and invest in smarter, healthier technologies” PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, HONEYWELL BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES

A healthy building is a top priority and will remain important A majority (58%) of respondents consider having a healthy building a top priority right now, and 62% say it will continue to be a top priority post-pandemic. Improving indoor air quality ranks as the most important aspect of a healthy building for those working in healthcare and educational facilities, while those working in data centres and commercial real estate buildings cite cleaning procedures as their top priority.

COVID-19 remains a source of widespread unease Among surveyed US facility managers, 22% mention pandemic-related issues as their top concern.

Digital transformation of facilities is accelerating Since COVID-19, more than half (54%) of respondents have seen digital transformation accelerate in pace as

VIMAL KAPUR

energydigital.com

SMART BUILDINGS

OpenBlue Healthy Buildings Our Vision Is a Healthy World

the need for remote facility management became more acute. More than 9 in 10 facility managers (93%) said that remote facility management is important now, and 67% of respondents indicated they are more willing to invest in smart building solutions that drive efficiency or sustainability, including data aggregation, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Yet respondent input shows a gap in the technologies currently deployed in buildings. More than half of those surveyed say the buildings they manage do not have air quality solutions (57%), integrated lighting that improves occupant productivity (66%), contactless building entry (67%) or an app that provides realtime information on building health (73%).

Respondents are interested in upgrades to improve the occupant experience, with a contactless building experience ranking high According to surveyed US facility managers, there is strong interest in upgrades such as improving indoor air quality, energy efficiency and sustainability efforts and supporting an inviting and innovative building environment.

Wireless key to smart designs Jennifer Grenz, Chief Revenue Officer of Ossia, said the safety of wirelessly powered buildings was a major benefit. “It’s easy to imagine the convenience, flexibility and innovation of having power without wires. There are multiple hazards associated with batteries and battery chargers, so the safety of swapping the manual power charging method with

September 2021

SMART BUILDINGS

safe automatic wireless power charging methods is tremendous.” When designing or remodelling a commercial or residential space, whether it’s a supermarket, apartment complex, or office building, the challenges for designers are beyond estimations of where outlets will be needed the most, she added. “Even with extensive planning to determine where and how the wiring cables will be placed to power essential utilities, such as security and safety systems, lighting, generators, and many more, over and underestimation occurs. With wireless power, miles of cabling and loads of components will become obsolete.” Cost savings regarding commercial electricity needs are another important factor. “Manufacturers are building IoT equipment with dozens of tiny sensors that can learn usage patterns and save companies revenue,” she said. “Real Wireless Power can help power those sensors only when they need it, which saves on utility costs and help administrators manage and monitor the usage of their equipment. The data alone would lead to cost savings strategies.” Core4Grid trial from geo shows emissions savings Households are saving an average of 49% on their annual energy bills and cutting their carbon footprint by 14% as part of a trial led by smart energy specialist, geo, to assess how real-time smart meter data enables Whole Home Optimisation of energy. Funded by the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the trial, known as Core4Grid – backed by £1m

Johnson Controls launches net zero services Johnson Controls has announced OpenBlue Net Zero Buildings as a Service. Johnson Controls will provide a onestop shop for companies looking to achieve net-zero carbon and renewable energy goals. It covers a full spectrum of sustainability offerings tailored to schools, campuses, data centres, healthcare facilities as well as commercial and industrial companies.

of government funding – uses geo’s Whole Home Optimisation solution and the data generated by an EDF smart meter to manage the use of rooftop solar generation and home battery storage in 24 homes across the country. Once users have opted in, it connects to the home’s smart meters and uses machine learning to assess how best to use the smart energy tariff supplied by the energy retailer and any energy the home is generating to accurately calculate the homes’ energy needs. At the same time, the system uses that knowledge to balance stored and selfgenerated energy to minimise waste, energy costs and household carbon emissions. energydigital.com

SMART BUILDINGS

“The Core4Grid trial is the clearest proof to date of the immense potential of Great Britain’s smart meter rollout to homes across the country,” said Steve Cunningham, Chief Executive Officer at geo. “Whole Home Optimisation is driven by real-time smart meter data, allowing us to predict and balance individual household energy usage to save consumers far more than UK Government had initially estimated for the rollout. This moves theory into practice and clearly shows how households can actively – and automatically – reduce their carbon footprint, reduce their bills and

Mighty Buildings secures $100m funding Mighty Buildings, a construction technology company that is revolutionising the construction industry by using 3D printing, advanced materials, and robotic automation to create sustainable homes, has raised an additional $22m to accelerate its carbon neutrality roadmap, swelling its overall funding to $100m.

September 2021

at the same time, play a critical part in the drive towards net zero.” Camilla McCorkell, Head of Blue Lab Proposition Innovation at EDF, said the trial showed how smart meters could enable whole-house optimisation. “This means customers can utilise cheaper, zero-carbon off-peak energy through our GoElectric] tariff, and store energy to heat and electrify their homes or electric vehicles throughout the day. This extracts significant value for both customers – as we can see from the savings – and the grid, as the data allows us to predict supply and demand, helping customers reduce their emissions in the UK’s transition towards Net Zero by 2050.” The trial is funded by BEIS Energy Innovation Programme and involves partnerships with energy supplier EDF, electricity distribution network operator UK Power Networks, energy aggregators Upside Energy, consultancies Cambridge Energy and Everoze, and the Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust. One Beverly Hills to showcase sustainable design One Beverly Hills is adding three environmentally sustainable buildings - two residential condominium towers and a third building housing a 42 All-Suite luxury hotel and 37 shared ownership condominiums – all set around eight acres of botanical gardens. Some of the biggest names are behind the project, which aims to open in 2026, with designs from Foster + Partner and Gensler, working with holding company Alagem Capital Group and private real estate firm Cain International. Glumac, the global sustainable building design and engineering firm, is coordinating

SMART BUILDINGS

“ The Core4Grid trial is the clearest proof to date of the immense potential of Great Britain’s smart meter rollout to homes across the country” STEVE CUNNINGHAM

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, GEO

systems that aim to achieve LEED Platinum and WELL certifications. The new buildings, spanning 1.375 million square feet, will be built from recycled, low embodied carbon and low toxicity materials. They will use a central geothermal system, harnessing the earth's constant

soil temperature to efficiently create heat, hot water and reject heat for cooling without the use of gas. The system also reduces the number of cooling towers needed saving millions of gallons of water annually. In a bid to support grid harmonisation and safeguard local energy infrastructure, the project is designed with a significant centralised battery storage system, an onsite PV array, and a chilled water thermal energy storage system. This will allow the project to be flexible in managing electrical demand by minimising imported electricity in realtime intervals when grid generation is composed of dirtier fuel sources. Using collected rainwater and recycled greywater, the extensive One Beverly Hills landscape will be 100% water sustainable. energydigital.com

INDUSTRIAL

CYBERSECURITY:

MORE CRITICAL THAN DATA SECURITY ? WRITTEN BY: LAURA BERRILL PRODUCED BY: GLEN WHITE

September 2021

CLAROTY

energydigital.com

Simon Chassar. CRO, Claroty

September 2021

CLAROTY

Strengthening the cybersecurity of industrial supply chains is arguably more critical than protecting against data breaches

urrently, Claroty is experiencing data — they can also disrupt the physical a period of what Chassar calls industrial processes that underpin global ‘hyper growth’ which, he says, supply chains. Recent incidents have shown means the company is rapidly that with the expanding attack surface, gaining momentum as the certain types of breaches can shut down levels of connectivity operations. When in industrial this happens, the “MALICIOUS HACKERS systems increase. resulting impact ARE INCREASINGLY This increase in on organisations is UNDERSTANDING THAT connectivity has typically far worse resulted in the THEY CAN DO MORE THAN than that of a data creation of a wider breach. This is not COMPROMISE DATA — attack surface that only in terms of lost THEY CAN ALSO DISRUPT cybercriminals and revenue, people’s THE PHYSICAL INDUSTRIAL wages, and income other adversaries can exploit. PROCESSES THAT UNDERPIN — but it is also in “Malicious hackers terms of physical GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS” are increasingly safety. This is one of understanding that the primary drivers SIMON CHASSAR they can do more of the market’s CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, than compromise momentum. At CLAROTY energydigital.com

CLAROTY

Industrial cybersecurity: more critical than data security?

“ ON THE INDUSTRIAL SIDE YOU ARE OFTEN LOOKING AT TECHNOLOGY AND SYSTEMS IN PLACE WHICH ARE SOMETIMES DECADES OLD AND THEREFORE DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, TO UPDATE AND PATCH” SIMON CHASSAR

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, CLAROTY

September 2021

the same time, there is a growing need to address the problem, which is our mission.” Chassar said that this accelerating demand is driving 100% growth on a quarterly basis for Claroty, and the team is scaling the business accordingly. He noted that half of all Claroty employees were hired in just the last nine months, and that a strong company culture has allowed Claroty to address the challenges that inevitably come along with such rapid growth. So apart from the expanding attack surface, what else is impacting Claroty and its services? Chassar says there is also something referred to as the Purdue Model. He explains that this is a network segmentationbased reference architecture for industrial

CLAROTY

control systems (ICS) that was created by Theodore Williams in the ‘90s. He said this model is now starting to collapse because of the increased levels of connected technology, including IoT and 5G. This, along with the aforementioned attack surface, means much bigger perimeters that stretch beyond just one building that CSOs and CIOs need to protect. He uses car production as an analogy. “Take for example a brake manufacturing plant in the Czech Republic. The car manufacturer may use a headlight manufacturer in Poland and a computer component manufacturer in China. All of these places reflect the expanding attack surface, so you are now trying to protect this massive perimeter and at the same time you have to be aware of the greater potential for

lateral movement across connected supply chains. This could be someone gaining access through a back door and then moving across the network. This is one of the biggest challenges we face and is critical when it comes to securing industrial environments.”

energydigital.com

Cybersecurity for Industrial Environments = Digital Safety + Process Integrity Velta Technology encompasses decades of experience as practitioners in OT and IT across all industrial verticals. Our team consists of executives, engineers, and technology professionals. Our solutions are best in class, scalable from regional to global.

You can’t protect what you can’t see. Velta Technology Get Safer Sooner.

Velta Technology: Industry visibility to stop cyber attacks Gain visibility into your industrial space and bridge the gap between OT and IT with Velta Technology - Claroty Partner of the Year in North America Industry visibility to stop cyber attacks is the focus of Velta Technology. “We help industrial environments protect themselves from security breaches by providing full visibility into their industrial networks,” said Dino Busalachi, Chief Technology Officer. “The doors are open and the hackers are finding their way in! If you cannot see into your Industrial Control Systems (ICS) environment from the ICS application down through the stack into the network, then you are blind!” said Busalachi. Founded in 2018, Velta Technology understands industrial assets and infrastructure, and bridges the gap between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT). “We expand the footprint of the OT platform. We move it all the way from awareness to integration and optimisation, which sets us apart from our competitors,” Busalachi. Velta Technology was named Claroty Partner of the Year in North America. “Since we formed a partnership four years ago we haven’t looked back since.” By providing Digital Safety as a Service (DSaaS), Velta Technology focus on protecting four primary areas of vulnerability: • • • •

TWITTER

Process integrity IP protection Human safety Remote access

YOUTUBE

Busalachi stressed that with the rapid growth of IoT and continued expansion of 5G is increasing the risk of cyber attacks. Visibility study identifies key vulnerabilities Velta Technology provides a three-week visibility study which delivers the first phase of a digital safety program and pledge that within 30 days any industrial environment will be safer. DSaaS solutions Velta Technology brings their DSaaS solutions to industrial platforms and mimics what IT has done within the end visibility on the control system side. We create a database of any vulnerabilities and assign an index which is recognised by regulatory bodies such as NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology).” By implementing NIST framework helps the industrial environment to: • • • • •

Detect Identify Respond Protect Recover

Learn more

It’s not the usual “However, on the “RECENT INCIDENTS case of personal and industrial side you are often HAVE SHOWN company data theft looking at technology and THAT WITH THE Industrial cyber attacks systems in place which are differ from other EXPANDING ATTACK sometimes decades old kinds of well-known and therefore difficult, if not SURFACE, CERTAIN cybercriminal activity, impossible, to update and TYPES OF BREACHES such as personal and patch. And when there is corporate data breaches any kind of attack, processes CAN SHUT DOWN and loss, which can lead can grind to a halt. Imagine OPERATIONS” to reputational damage a major car manufacturer and fines. Chassar that produces a vehicle SIMON CHASSAR said the difference is every 50 seconds. If that CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, that with the latter, is stopped for five hours, CLAROTY there are mitigations how many cars are then not in place. “When personal data is breached produced? On top of that, the next question and extracted there are mechanisms such to then ask is, how many people cannot earn as insurance, backup, encryption, multimoney because they can’t work on making the factor authentication, and others that cars? In this respect, industrial cyber attacks are widely implemented to help further can have a much more tangible impact than protect that particular data,” he says. data breaches.” 62

September 2021

CLAROTY

“WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A TECHNOLOGY COMPANY RATHER THAN A SERVICES-BASED ONE. BECAUSE OF THAT WE HAVE BUILT VERY STRONG TECHNICAL INTEGRATIONS WITH OUR IT SECURITY PARTNERS” SIMON CHASSAR

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, CLAROTY

Simon Chassar TITLE: CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER COMPANY: CLAROTY INDUSTRY: INDUSTRIAL CYBERSECURITY

EXECUTIVE BIO

LOCATION: SURREY, UNITED KINGDOM Simon Chassar is Chief Revenue Officer at Claroty, where he leads the global sales organization including territories, partnerships, sales engineers, sales development, and revenue operations. He brings more than 20 years of IT industry experience across the go-to-market on hardware, software, and services at multinational organizations such as NTT, Cisco, Avaya, VMware, and Actifio. Prior to joining Claroty, he served as CRO of the security division of NTT, where he ran a sales, channel, and marketing organization of more than 300 people, delivering $1.5 billion in revenue across products and services. Chassar is part of the World Economic Forum for Oil & Gas Security.

energydigital.com

The critical benefits of industrial cybersecurity protection The first important thing to establish with Claroty’s customers, Chassar says, is identifying the assets they have operating within their industrial environment. This is because, he adds, customers aren’t always aware that, say, their heating controls are connected to this environment. The same goes for engineering workstations, controllers, sensors, and other devices. Chassar advises they need to start with finding out which parts of their operation are connected to their industrial environment, because you cannot protect what you cannot see. “This is how Claroty helps at the start of the journey — by identifying the devices and connections and which ones pose inherent 64

September 2021

risks, such as a control system that hasn’t been updated in ten years. Once you understand what and where those inherent risks are, the next step is prioritization. Our threat detection capabilities enable customers to know when they are being attacked and exactly what the residual risks are. We apply our standard cybersecurity procedures to the perimeter and everywhere within their environment.” Chassar says the firm also takes the approach of looking at vulnerabilities from the hackers’ point of view with risk scoring, so organisations can more easily prioritise and then make the changes and also keep them up to date with regulatory requirements. He adds that the company is backed and adopted by the top three industrial automation vendors globally: Siemens,

CLAROTY

“ THESE ARE THE SAME COMPANIES THAT HAVE CONTROL OF THE FIREWALLS, SIEMS AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES THAT OUR CUSTOMERS ALREADY RELY ON. WE CAN PLUG AND PLAY DIRECTLY INTO THESE ENVIRONMENTS. THAT CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO EASILY INTEGRATE OUR PLATFORM WITH THEIR EXISTING TECH STACK” SIMON CHASSAR

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, CLAROTY

Schneider Electric, and Rockwell Automation. Claroty’s strategic partnerships with all three have allowed the company to build a solid understanding and awareness around all their protocols, capabilities, and vulnerabilities. He explains, “This in turn has also enabled Claroty, via our Team82 research team, to know where the threats are coming from, the constant changes within the threat landscape, and the reality of the dark world.”

How partnerships matter Off the back of the investment, Chassar says the company has been able to grow its coverage of what has long been the sector’s most extensive library of industrial protocols. He said this means Claroty’s

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“ WHEN THERE IS ANY KIND OF ATTACK, PROCESSES CAN GRIND TO A HALT. IN THIS RESPECT, INDUSTRIAL SECURITY IS CRITICAL” SIMON CHASSAR

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, CLAROTY

platform is fully compatible with both greenfield IoT and IIoT environments and traditional brownfield OT environments. Developing and expanding support for the various protocols utilized within these environments requires close collaboration and a strong relationship with the industrial vendors — including those that are Claroty investors and partners. “We have always been a technology company rather than a services-based one. Because of that we have also built very strong technical integrations with our IT security partners. These are the same companies that have control of the firewalls and other technologies that our customers already rely on. Not only does this enable us to work in harmony, we can also plug and play directly into these environments. That creates opportunities for our customers to easily integrate our platform with their existing tech stack,” he states. Chassar says the company has three partner categories which have different values but are equally important. The first, he says, is the service partners that are driving enterprise transformation and include the likes of Deloitte, KPMG, NTT, and Kudelski Security. The second is ICS/automation vendors including Siemens, Schneider Electric, Yokogawa, and Rockwell. And then there are strategic 66

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CLAROTY

FUTURE PROJECTIONS The number of internetconnected devices is expected to increase from 31 billion in 2020 to 35 billion in 2021 and 75 billion in 2025 Security Today’s The IoT Rundown for 2020

energydigital.com

integrations with CrowdStrike, Check Point Software Technologies, and Tripwire. “We consciously focus on the industries that have absolute excellence in what they do and have a very large customer base. We are strongly committed to taking a ‘partner first’ approach. There is a real skills shortage in OT and specifically in OT security, so we are enabling our partners to develop these skills and giving them the economies of scale needed to address the shortage.” 68

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The future of these partnerships These relationships are going to become tighter, Chassar says. “Just in the last six months we have increased our focus on driving up our partners’ certifications and their capabilities within OT cybersecurity. At Claroty we have taken our core central knowledge and skills and shared these

CLAROTY

“THE BOTTOM LINE IS EVERYONE, NO MATTER WHICH FIELD OR SECTOR THEY ARE IN, SHOULD BE AWARE OF INDUSTRIAL CYBER SECURITY AND HOW VITAL IT IS TO PROTECT THE WORLD’S INCREASINGLY CONNECTED INDUSTRIAL PLANTS AND PRODUCTION FACILITIES” SIMON CHASSAR

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, CLAROTY

openly with them, which has driven up He offers the example of developing the volume of skills and capabilities so technology for a car production line they can take advantage of our hyper whereby a breach would halt the supply growth that I mentioned at the start. of vehicles. “On the industrial side it is This tightening of partner relationships more about business continuity than is the future right now.” reputational damage and Chassar said this was fines. Look at the Colonial significant because it was Pipeline incident, in which FUTURE vitally important for those operations halted after PROJECTIONS in industrial cybersecurity the breach, as well as JBS to be aware of the foods. Stopping production criticality of protecting Gartner projected that of things consumers need these environments. businesses would spend leads to lost revenue and an This stems from the more than $123 billion impact on stock markets, momentum caused by the on security in 2020 and which is very difficult to convergence of OT and IT. projects that figure to grow repair. It can mean people He cites everything from to $170.4 billion by 2022 can’t go to work anymore vaccinations and pharma because the tins of beans companies to automotive and cars aren’t being made.” production, all the way through to food and Chassar concludes: “The bottom line is drink manufacturing. everyone, no matter which field or sector “Our mission is to be the industrial they are in, should be aware of industrial cybersecurity company and to protect cybersecurity and how vital it is to protect everything within the four walls of an the world’s increasingly connected industrial site — and ultimately keep industrial plants and production facilities. enterprises going. We’re not focused on This issue has huge significance to us as preventing the extraction of personal individual consumers and the economy information or, for instance, credit card at large.” numbers. Our goal is to help companies maintain their production and overall business operations.” energydigital.com

AUTOMATION

AUTOMATION’S KEY ROLE IN ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING By automating charging to minimise carbon impact, carbon emissions from EV charging could be reduced 8-14% on average across the US WRITTEN BY: DOMINIC ELLIS 70

September 2021

AUTOMATION

new study from Sense and Singularity Energy, which analysed 100,000 charging sessions, has demonstrated the potential for significant carbon reductions from electric vehicle (EV) charging using a combination of smart home automation and location- and time-based carbon emissions data from the power grid. It found that by automating charging to minimise carbon impact, carbon emissions from EV charging could be reduced 8-14% on average across 44 US states, and an average reduction of 43% in California due to its higher proportion of renewable energy. Carbon reductions from automated EV charging could have a significant impact on

reaching carbon emissions goals to slow climate change, and while EV charging is the most obvious case, similar opportunities for savings apply to other large loads in the home. The utility industry is facing pressures to meet CO2 reduction goals while keeping pace with more intermittent sources of power and anticipating new energy loads from EVs. The ability to jointly optimise for CO2, cost and grid constraints can provide the best performance at a system level. Dynamic signals from the power grid combined with EV charging automation could be used to shape consumer behaviour, modulate energydigital.com

AUTOMATION

Get reliable network coverage and security protection, fast. A modern network must be able to respond easily, quickly and flexibly to the growing needs of today’s digital business. Must provide visibility & control of applications, users and devices on and off the network and Intelligently direct traffic across the WAN. Be scalable and automate the process to provide new innovative services. Support IoT devices and utilize state-of-the-art technologies such as real-time analytics, ML and AI. And all these must be provided with maximum security and minimum cost. This is the power that brings the integration of two cloud managed platforms, Cisco Meraki and Cisco Umbrella. This integration is binding together the best of breed in cloud-managed networking and Security.

cisco.com

cisco

CiscoSecure

AUTOMATION

peak demand as EV adoption grows, inform utilities’ incentive programs and reduce carbon, the report adds. Sense CEO Mike Phillips said the study shows what can be done as we add intelligence to home infrastructure. “As we work on decarbonising the grid, because of the increased use of intermittent low-carbon energy sources, it is becoming increasingly important to influence not only how much power is being used, but when it is used. Fortunately, there are many things in the home where people only care about the result — not when the energy is used. EV charging is a great example, but automation can extend to other key consumers of energy as we build intelligence into the infrastructure of the home." With EV adoption predicted to grow rapidly, propelled in part by the Biden administration's plan to build out a national network of 500,000 EV charging stations, utilities are predicting big increases in electricity usage from EV charging over the coming decade. At the same, aggressive carbon reduction goals at the state and federal levels have mandated that utilities must reduce carbon emissions.

“ For healthcare professionals, the availability of power infrastructure and mission-critical systems is a non-negotiable” MARC GARNER

VICE PRESIDENT, SECURE POWER DIVISION, SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC UK&I

Schneider Electric powers Birmingham Women and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust Schneider Electric, in collaboration with its Elite Partner, Advanced Power Technology (APT), has deployed its EcoStruxure IT Expert software at the Birmingham Women and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. The open, vendor-agnostic and interoperable data centre infrastructure management (DCIM) platform will provide the Trust with a dedicated remote monitoring solution, offering data-driven decision-making, increased resiliency and uptime for its distributed IT and critical backup power systems. EcoStruxure IT Expert is an advanced remote monitoring tool providing wherever-you-go visibility, alarms, preventive management capabilities, and data-driven recommendations to mitigate security and failure risks and drive efficiency. It is part of Schneider Electric’s IoT-enabled EcoStruxure architecture. “For healthcare professionals, the availability of power infrastructure and mission-critical systems is non-negotiable,” said Marc Garner, VP, Secure Power Division, Schneider Electric UK&I. “Our EcoStruxure software offers the Birmingham Women and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust greater visibility, increased resilience and will help mitigate downtime across its distributed edge environments.”

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AUTOMATION

Deepinder Singh Founder & CEO, 75F

75F receives Siemens funding 75F, which specialises in IoT-based building automation technologies to optimise indoor air quality and energy efficiency in commercial spaces, has announced an investment from Siemens AG. Next47, the global venture capital firm backed by Siemens, led the investment on behalf of Siemens Smart Infrastructure. The latest influx in 75F's Series A funding round brings the Minneapolis-based company's total funding to $28 million.

While meeting CO2 reduction goals and anticipating new energy loads from electric vehicles, utilities need to keep pace with more intermittent sources of power. The ability to jointly optimise for CO2, cost and grid constraints can provide the best performance at a system level. Dynamic signals from the power grid combined with EV charging automation could be used to inform utilities’ incentive programs, influence consumer behaviour, modulate peak demand as EV adoption grows, and reduce carbon. Automation is key to increasing assembly safety, quality and traceability and delivering battery technologies cost-effectively, which is critical to the expansion of electric vehicles, 74

September 2021

believes Tanja Vainio, Managing Director of ABB Robotics Auto Tier 1 Business Line. “With production speed and flexibility essential to the successful scale-up of the EV battery industry, our cellular production architecture enables manufacturers to quickly validate a cell design and then roll out production cells globally with uniform quality, safety and productivity standards. Roll-outs can be scaled to demand with the flexibility to adjust capacity in real-time.” Infosys and Daimler drive innovation, Comau UK and Ilika collaborate on APC project Infosys recently announced the launch of its Automotive Digital Technology and Innovation

AUTOMATION

Infosys inks deal with Daimler to grow it's automotive biz

“ Through cutting-edge technologies such as cloud, artificial intelligence, automation, and electrification, the Innovation Centre will be a catalyst for accelerating the development and availability of pioneering technology DR. JÖRG SOMMER

CEO, INFOSYS AUTOMOTIVE AND MOBILITY

Centre in Stuttgart, uniting automotive and IT experts from across Germany in a space for shared knowledge, skills and innovation. As a part of Infosys’ partnership with Daimler, automotive IT infrastructure experts based in Germany will transition from Daimler AG to the new Digital Technology and Innovation Centre. Encouraging sustainable growth within the German automotive sector, it will provide its customers with tools to meet the country's growing demand for electric vehicles. The centre promotes a multi-cloud and carbon-neutral approach to IT infrastructure transformation, leveraging Infosys Cobalt, a combination of Infosys services, solutions energydigital.com

AUTOMATION

and platforms that supports enterprises in accelerating their cloud journey, alongside other leading cloud providers. “Through cutting-edge technologies such as cloud, artificial intelligence, automation, and electrification, the Innovation Centre will be a catalyst for accelerating the development and availability of pioneering technology in the market, as well as simplifying and standardising hybrid cloud stacks across the industry," said Dr.-Ing. Jörg Sommer, Chief Executive Officer, Infosys Automotive and Mobility GmbH & Co. KG. Comau UK and Ilika plc, a pioneer in solid-state battery technology, are collaborating on a 12-month Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) funded project to design the scale-up of Ilika’s lab-based manufacturing capacity. The initial aim is to increase the production of Ilika’s solid-state battery cells from 1kWh per week to 10kWh per week at its pilot facility. Comau will also conduct a feasibility study of the customer’s Goliath solid-state technology process and will design a manufacturing strategy that can be cost-effectively scaled to reach mass production levels. The project, which highlights Comau’s continued investments in the electrification sector, leverages the industrial automation leader’s more than 45 years of expertise in automation and digitalisation technologies.

“ As we work on decarbonising the grid… it is becoming increasingly important to influence not only how much power is being used, but when it is used” MIKE PHILIPS

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SENSE

September 2021

AUTOMATION

Fluid Automation Station teams up with Alliance OGP, Turntide Technologies wins award Fluid Automation Station has entered into a partnership with Alliance OGP to offer dual-fuel solutions, providing oil and gas exploration and production operators and completions companies access to cleaner and more affordable energy. Alliance OGP combines its dedicated mobile fuel gas conditioning and distribution systems with its technical expertise in treating natural gas to help operators use wellhead gas, CNG or LNG to fuel their operations. Fluid Automation Station will use its patented fuel distribution technology in conjunction with Alliance to offer a complete dual-fuel solution. "Many of our oilfield customers have dual-fuel fleets and were looking to single-source their diesel, LNG and CNG supply," said Fluid Automation Station's Founder, Chairman and Owner Sam Simon. “This is a service that very few suppliers currently offer. Today's climate demands greener forms of energy. Our team strategically executed a plan to meet the increased need.” Turntide Technologies has received a Top Product of the Year Award from the elite Environment + Energy Leader Awards program. The win is an indication that the program's expert judges consider Turntide's Smart Motor System to be a premier example of products and services that improve environmental and energy management and increase bottom lines. The system leverages patented switched reluctance motor technology, intelligence automation, and cloud connectivity to precisely control motor speeds, cutting energy use by up to 64% and energy spending by up to 50%. energydigital.com

HISTORY OF SUSTAINABILITY PREPARES FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

WRITTEN BY: JOHN PINCHING PRODUCED BY: GLEN WHITE

September 2021

SIEMENS AG

energydigital.com

SIEMENS AG

September 2021

SIEMENS AG

A long history of excellence in industry, energy, mobility, healthcare and infrastructure has propelled the German company into a new era “Rising to the challenges of modern infrastructures is in the Siemens DNA – it defines our approach to industry, infrastructure, transport and healthcare.” Jenny Bofinger-Schuster is a problem solver and loves the enduring task of finding solutions. Indeed, she’s made a career out of it. Having spent many years as a successful management consultant at Siemens she was seen as the perfect individual to help lead the sustainability era. Subsequently, she has held several leading roles at Siemens, culminating in her present position as SVP Sustainability & Operational Excellence. It is fair to say, of all the conundrums Jenny has faced, this is truly the challenge of a lifetime, but one she is relishing on a daily basis. “I had a consulting project during university and really loved taking a challenge and solving it within a team,” explains Jenny. “Since then, I have been in the consulting business outside and inside of Siemens, working on the toughest strategic challenges – all over the world and in many different businesses.” energydigital.com

SIEMENS AG

History of sustainability prepares Siemens for current climate

Since moving into sustainability, Jenny has recognised that its new agendatopping status will be instrumental in the next decade and, for her, a career-defining chapter: “Having sustainability at the height of our strategy is absolutely essential if we want to compete in today's business world. I view it as one huge strategic pillar at the heart of what we do as a company, now and in the future. To be involved in this game-changing area, at such a trailblazing organisation, makes me very proud.” Past sustainability solutions hold key to the future Unlike the majority of companies currently wrestling with their responsibilities to the planet, sustainability for Siemens is nothing new. Since being founded by the German engineers Werner von Siemens and Johann Georg Halske in 1847, Siemens has been rising to the greatest challenges on earth 82

September 2021

– reinforcing its mission and ethos with each decade that passes. Jenny raises an example of innovation which could sit very comfortably in 2021: “During the early days of Siemens, Werner worked on the ‘pointer telegraph’ which could connect continents. All of a sudden, you were able to send messages from one continent to the other, eliminating the need for laborious journeys. You could deliver a message from Calcutta to London within 28 minutes, instead of 30 days. Ever since, we've been working on these time-efficient and energy-saving projects, making use of the latest innovations and pioneering new technologies.” Siemens has a very long track record of sustainability and was the one the first industrial companies to pledge its commitment to becoming CO2-neutral by 2030 – before the Paris Agreement had even been finalised. This foreseeing of the future

SIEMENS AG

JENNY BOFINGER-SCHUSTER TITLE: SVP SUSTAINABILITY & OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

EXECUTIVE BIO

LOCATION: MUNICH Jenny leads a Corporate Department to drive and shape crucial activities of Siemens. Her role covers the global sustainability program and its implementation. Jenny’s professional focus encompasses resource and energy efficiency, sustainability management and Siemens’ Business-to-Society approach, addressing challenges like urbanization, climate change and globalization. Since 2021, Jenny also drives critical Cross-Business activities including Sales Excellence, Service Business Excellence and Product Lifecycle Management. She focuses on the sustainable development of Siemens processes, tools and approaches to make these functions future-ready. With more than 12 years experience in global management consultancy, Jenny was made a Partner of Siemens Management Consulting where she developed trendsetting strategies in areas like mobility, industry or healthcare.

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SIEMENS AG

has been vital not only for the Siemens business and the customer needs, but also for engendering a sustainability lifestyle among employees at the company. “I don’t need to push much for a cultural change,” enthuses Jenny, “The awareness for sustainability was already embedded within Siemens. That holds true for all our employees and that’s the vital foundation I have the pleasure to work with.” Listening to customers and responding Make no mistake, the dynamics around sustainability are exceptionally demanding and the situation requires a brand of agility, 84

September 2021

“ The sustainability culture was already embedded at Siemens. It holds true for all our people and that’s the vital foundation I have the pleasure to work with” JENNY BOFINGER-SCHUSTER SVP SUSTAINABILITY & OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, SIEMENS AG

SIEMENS AG

ingenuity and speed for which Siemens is renowned. The company’s stakeholders and customers are setting the sustainability bar higher with each month that passes, and it is this kind of pressure that really allows Siemens to flourish. For Jenny, the pursuit of answers and the expectation that comes with the need for green credentials in the business ecosystem, has established several key areas of particular focus. “Climate change is a reality and we have to work faster than ever to reach our goals,” says Jenny. “Decarbonisation is a clear priority at Siemens and for our customers.

Since 2015, we have reduced our own emissions by more than 54%. We have achieved this by applying our own technologies, setting a benchmark and demonstrating to the wider world exactly what is possible.” Last fiscal year alone, Siemens’ customers saved around 150 million tons of CO2 emissions by using the company’s range of technologies including energy efficiency solutions in buildings or with its highlyefficient transport solutions. Vast energy efficiency strides have also been made in manufacturing. The company is aiming to increase these gains further by continuing to reshape business models, exploring new technical solutions and applying digitalisation to manufacturing processes. Siemens is also one of the companies to have signed-up the ‘Science Based Target initiative of 1.5°C’ (while many others were satisfied with well below 2°C). “This is the gold standard of what you can do as a company,” notes Jenny. “I’m so proud of my team for reaching such an important milestone, as there are very heavy calculations behind this commitment.” In addition, the company has included ESG components in its long-term incentive scheme for all Siemens board members and the global senior management – a crucial step in ensuring long-term principles of sustainability. All these progressive steps are typical to a company whose mission statement is to keep evolving, using every achievement as a stepping stone to the next one. Embracing digital for a better world The digital era is transforming companies around the world and, as with the ages of architecture, computers and telecommunication, Siemens is at the forefront of the changing landscape. energydigital.com

SIEMENS AG

Even before COVID-19 the company was improving the work-life balance of its people by leveraging digital to support mobile working, remote meetings and business communications. Meanwhile, the intricate detail and minutiae of modern data has delivered new perspectives and a vast sustainability panorama. “Digitalisation changes everything,” insists Jenny. “If you look into worldwide data, according to Forbes, 90% has been created within the last two years alone. Do you mean big data or small data? Shall we define this? This shows how the digital is really transforming our lives. And, at Siemens, we believe that combining the real and the digital worlds will ultimately hold the key to overcoming many sustainability challenges.” “To give an example, one of our latest innovations is the Digital Twin, a virtual model of, a process, a product or a service, which connects the real and the virtual worlds. By using a digital twin you can save resources through virtual testing on your systems, including an ability to carry out checks on whether you can use more recycled material in your production. Consequently, remote testing will play an increasingly vital role in decarbonisation.” The long history of Siemens, of course, has provided the springboard to enter an exciting future with increasing confidence, knowledge and influence. It is this structure, based on past successes, that continues to drive the company forward in 2021 and beyond. This strong link to the past, even in the age of digital, is an essential part of the Siemens apparatus. “Our history helps to set our internal ambition level,” says Jenny. “If you know what this company is about and what your colleagues have already achieved in the past, it sets the standard and, for us, 86

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SIEMENS AG

“Decarbonisation is a clear priority at Siemens and, in the last few years, we have reduced our own emissions by more than 54%” JENNY BOFINGER-SCHUSTER

SVP SUSTAINABILITY & OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, SIEMENS AG

energydigital.com

SIEMENS AG

that's pretty high. It drives us to innovate and keep delivering the best technologies to our customers throughout the world.”

'DEGREE' — Siemens new sustainability framework ‘D’ for decarbonisation ‘E’ for ethics ‘G’ for governance ‘R’ for resource efficiency ‘E’ for equity ‘E’ stands for employability

DEGREE framework navigates the road ahead Just recently, Siemens has launched its new worldwide sustainability framework – ‘DEGREE’ – which goes straight to the heart of the company’s philosophy. “We are really positive about this unique framework, as it embraces a very holistic view of our wider sustainability goals,” observes Jenny.

“ DEGREE refers to the level of ambition we need to succeed in the area of sustainability and that we must always be aiming for a higher ‘degree’ of action” JENNY BOFINGER-SCHUSTER SVP SUSTAINABILITY & OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, SIEMENS AG

September 2021

SIEMENS AG

The name DEGREE is not taken lightly and it references several motivating factors, as Jenny explains: “We called the framework DEGREE, because when we speak about sustainability, it's absolutely crucial that we take a 360-degree perspective and really consider the impact that all our stakeholders can have. It also homes in on that vital 1.5°C degree target, which should always be at the forefront of everything we do. So, at the end of the day, every degree counts.” The individual letters of DEGREE stand for each of the six focus areas that define

Siemens’ sustainability agenda on a global scale: ‘D’ for decarbonisation, ‘E’ for ethics – fostering a culture of trust and secure handling of data. ‘G’ for governance – ensuring the correct governance is in place. ‘R’ for resource efficiency – striving for more circular business models to save resources and ‘E’ for equity – fostering a culture of diversity and inclusivity. Last but not least, the second ‘E’ stands for employability, which is Siemens’ way of truly acknowledging the fast and changing world in which we live, while also ensuring that its people stay resilient and relevant. In terms of the overarching culture at Siemens, Jenny regards those final letters as pivotal. “We call it a culture of belonging,” she says. “Everyone at Siemens can come to work exactly the way he or she is – just how people want to be.” The company is determined that DEGREE creates an environment which is both ambitious and measurable. Clear and measurable targets have been set for all of these focus areas and the company will be determined to hit new heights over the next five years and beyond. “DEGREE refers to the level of ambition we need to succeed in the area of sustainability and that we must always be aiming for a higher ‘degree’ of action,” Jenny adds. From a personal perspective, Jenny knows the scale of the task ahead but sees the pressure as a great privilege. She recalls: “The other day, I had dinner with a colleague and he said, ‘You know what? I really believe you have the most exciting job at Siemens.’ I thought about it and I guess he might just be right! Driving sustainability solutions at such a huge company is extremely rewarding and that is what gets me out of bed every morning.”

energydigital.com

AI ML: AND

THE POWER OF TEAMWORK

From the efficient running of data centres to school buses, innovative partnerships are driving change across the energy industry

WRITTEN BY: DOMINIC ELLIS

o one can doubt the potential of either AI or ML. According to global tech market advisory firm ABI Research, their services are estimated to grow within the IoT domain at a CAGR of nearly 40%, reaching US$3.6bn in 2026. Technology may be individually empowering, but in the emerging world of AI it’s all about collaboration to improve safety, reduce emissions or boost reliability and performance. ST Telemedia Global Data Centres recently collaborated with ABB to conduct an AI energy optimisation pilot in Singapore, whereby the objective is to leverage AI and ML technology and advanced analytics to optimise energy use within a data centre and reduce a facility's overall carbon footprint. The two-phase pilot will cover an initial data exploration, modelling and validation phase,

September 2021

TECHNOLOGY

energydigital.com

TECHNOLOGY

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres

followed by deployment of AI control logic in a live data centre environment. The pilot aims to achieve at least 10% reduction in energy usage by the cooling systems, which contributes most to the consumption of electrical power in a data centre after IT equipment. Optimising the cooling efficiency will, in turn, improve power usage effectiveness and reduce the carbon footprint, with an estimated reduction of 1,100 tons of carbon in the atmosphere for every 10MW of IT load utilised. Going further than previous AI research work constrained to white-space of data centres, STT GDC's pilot is taking a holistic approach and developing AI neuralnetwork models for the entire DC cooling plant, including the upstream chiller and distribution systems.

Daniel Pointon, Group Chief Technology Officer, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, said it would also assess future AI-based applications such as predictive maintenance, capacity management, security analytics and other business processes. With the ability to glean AI-generated insights, leveraging ABB Ability Genix for industrial analytics and AI, STT GDC can effectively track and analyse the wealth of data generated by monitoring systems in the data centre and better facilitate dynamic cooling optimisation to reap the desired outcomes. This initiative by STT GDC comes in the wake of its pledge to achieve carbonneutral data centre operations by 2030, with energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy being key to the Group's sustainability ambitions. energydigital.com

TECHNOLOGY

The AI project will be jointly developed by STT GDC and ABB. It will be an on-premise solution that will tightly integrate with the existing ABB Ability Data Center Automation system on-site, which provides comprehensive monitoring and control of the entire data centre infrastructure. In another innovative collaboration, AutoGrid, which specialises in AI-powered flexibility management software for the energy industry, and student transport company Zūm have teamed up to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in a nearly century-old school transportation business that has previously relied on emission-intensive diesel yellow buses. The partnership will leverage AutoGrid’s Virtual Power Plant technology (VPP) platform to deploy 10,000 electric school buses managed by Zūm in the next four years to create over one gigawatt of flexible capacity - the equivalent of powering more than one million homes for one to four hours - when the electricity grid is overloaded. When fully deployed, this is expected to be one of the largest VPPs in the world. "School buses have predictable daily schedules and are typically used only a few hours each day, making them an ideal resource as part of a virtual power plant. Virtual power plants play a crucial role in providing stability to a renewable-powered grid, and the extra revenues from these grid services enable school districts and EV fleet owners to reduce the total cost of ownership as they strive to meet their sustainability goals," said Rahul Kar, General Manager of New Energy at AutoGrid. Sharper Shape, a pioneer in powerline inspection solutions for the utility industry, has formed a strategic partnership with AI and Industrial IoT company BLP Industry. AI (Industry.AI), part of BLP Group. The 94

September 2021

partnership aims to provide large-scale AI-based asset management solutions for electricity transmission, distribution lines, and substations in India. This advancement in the Indian utility market is the latest step in Sharper Shape’s global growth strategy. Tejpreet S Chopra, Founder and CEO of the BLP Group, said: “Disruptive innovation and bold ideas are needed to transform grid operations, and we have extensive experience

in deploying this through advanced computer vision AI technologies for safety and security in grid operations and substations across India. “Collaborative efforts with partners such as Sharper Shape will see this momentum continue as we stay ever-committed to developing new technologies that solve industry and societal challenges, such as net-zero emissions, grid resilience, and accessibility to power.”

The US Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced the selection of four projects to receive up to $3.5 million to apply machine learning techniques to geothermal exploration and production datasets. This work constitutes the Phase 2 portion of research and development (R&D) conducted under the DOE Geothermal Technologies Office’s (GTO) FY 2018 Machine Learning for Geothermal Energy funding opportunity. energydigital.com

TECHNOLOGY

September 2021

TECHNOLOGY

“ Machine learning and artificial intelligence can provide impactful insights on large, complicated datasets – like those used to analyse geothermal energy” KELLY SPEAKES-BACKMAN

PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE)

Hellisheidi geothermal powerplant in iceland

These four projects, led by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Colorado School of Mines (CSM), University of Houston, and Penn State University, will build on previous work on machine learning algorithms and large geothermal datasets. Machine learning – the use of advanced algorithms to identify patterns in and make inferences from data – could assist in finding and developing new geothermal resources. If applied successfully, machine learning could lead to higher success rates in exploratory drilling, greater efficiency in plant operations, and ultimately lower costs for geothermal energy operators. “As evidenced by the progress made by these four teams over the past 18 months, geothermal developers will soon be the newest researchers able to use this cuttingedge technology in their chosen field.” The surging number of applications being deployed on the cloud in several industries, rapid improvements being made in the internet of things (IoT) domain, advancements in numerous smart applications, and growing popularity of AI software are the major factors driving the expansion of the global edge AI software market. Due to these factors, the market generated $600 million in revenue in 2020, and it is expected to exhibit huge expansion during 2021–2030, according to P&S Intelligence. energydigital.com

TOP 10

TEXAS SOLAR PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION Texas is driving the US solar industry, and here are the 10 key up and coming projects

September 2021

TOP 10

he US project location map on the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) website is dotted with circles that illustrate the breadth of solar development underway. In Q1 alone, the US solar market installed just over 5GW of capacity. Utility-scale solar set a record for Q1 installations at 3.6GW, and Texas made up the largest share, accounting for more than 1.4GW, according to the Q2 Solar Market Insight Report. The West and East coasts are seeing an increased concentration of projects under development, but it is Texas that is leading the charge – at least in terms of construction and capacity. Here are the top 10 projects that are now well underway in the southern, solar-loving state.

WRITTEN BY: DOMINIC ELLIS

energydigital.com

TOP 10

10 Coniglio Solar 135MW

Located in the northeast of Texas, Coniglio Solar is expected online this year to have 135MW capacity. It is close to Hallmark (42MW) and G.S.E One (83MW), two other projects under development in the solar-loving state.

Aragorn Solar Project 180MW

The Aragorn solar project is located in Culberson County and has a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Austin Energy. The project, developed by Intersect Power with long-term investment from SoftBank Energy, is expected to reach commercial operation in autumn 2021. Once operational, the project will produce over 575GWh per year, enough to power more than 55,000 TX homes with clean solar energy. The project is located on disturbed, former grazing land to minimize its environmental impact. The equipment for the project will be provided by First Solar and NEXTracker. 100

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Pisgah Ridge Solar Park 250MW

Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions has announced the start of construction of the 250MW Pisgah Ridge Solar project in Navarro County. Once in operation, it will be the largest utility-scale solar facility in Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions’ fleet. Charles River Laboratories International, a leading provider of critical research tools and integrated support services that enable innovative and efficient drug discovery and development, has signed a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) for 102MW of the project over 15 years. This commitment will address the entirety of the company’s North American electric power load with clean, renewable energy by 2023.

Galloway Solar Farm 250MW

The Galloway I solar farm, located in Paint Rock, Texas, is a solar renewable energy plant that converts sunlight into bulk electrical power. The plant distributes electrical power to the ERCOT electrical grid in the Concho County area. Skyline Renewables, a leading US renewables company backed by Ardian, will finance and manage the construction of a 250MW solar project in Central West Texas. The project, acquired from 8minute Solar Energy, is scheduled for operation by the end of 2021. energydigital.com

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Titan Solar Project 260MW

The Titan solar project is located in Culberson County, Texas and has a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with an undisclosed offtake. Intersect Power developed the project and brought in its long-term investor, SoftBank Energy. The project is expected to reach commercial operation in summer 2021, at which point it will produce approximately 800 GWh annually, powering the equivalent of almost 77,000 Texas homes. Titan is sited on former grazing land, which was previously disturbed, minimizing the project’s impact on the local environment. The equipment for the project will be provided by First Solar and NEXTracker.

Juno Solar Project 300MW

The Juno solar project, located in Borden County, has two longterm power purchase agreements (PPAs), one for a portion of the project output with the Lower Colorado River Authority and the other, for the remaining capacity, with an undisclosed offtake. Juno was developed by Intersect Power, and SoftBank Energy is a long-term investor. The project is expected to reach completion by autumn 2021. Upon operation, Juno will produce about 890 GWh per year, enough to provide clean solar power for over 85,000 homes.

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Taygete Energy Project 344MW

At 344 MW, the Taygete Energy Project will be one of the larger solar projects to be built in Texas and contain around 856,000 modules. 7X Energy, the originating and sole developer, is currently managing construction and owns 100% of the project’s equity.

Fighting Jays Solar Project 350MW

Fighting Jays Solar is expected to be operational by summer 2022. Due to its close proximity to the Houston metro area, it is expected to experience minimal curtailment and basis risk to the premium Houston Zone of ERCOT, the grid that services 90% of Texas. Plus Renewable Technologies and Avondale Solar entered into an agreement in March 2020 to sell their interests in the solar PV project in Fort Bend County that they are developing via their affiliate AP Solar Holdings, to an affiliate of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. 104

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2W Permian Solar Project 460MW

The Permian Energy Centre is a 460MW combined PV solar and battery storage facility under construction in Andrews County, Texas. Ørsted is the owner and operator of the project, which features 1.3m solar panels. Ørsted started construction of the integrated solar and battery storage project after reaching a final investment decision (FID) in November 2019. The Permian Energy Center will comprise 420MWac of solar PV and 40MWac of battery storage located on the 3,600-acre site alongside existing oil and gas installations. Scheduled for commissioning in 2021, the 460MW solar and battery storage facility will be capable of powering approximately 100,000 US households in the West Texas region.

“ Ørsted is the owner and operator of the project, which features 1.3m solar panels” energydigital.com

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America’s Largest Solar Farm Being Constructed in Texas

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September 2021

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“It is expected to be one of the biggest of its kind in the US”

The Samson Solar Energy Center 1,310MW

The Samson Solar Energy Centre is a 1,310MW PV solar energy generation facility under construction in northeast Texas. It is expected to be one of the biggest of its kind in the US upon completion and will be phased in from 2022/23. The project is being developed by Invenergy, a US-based developer and operator of sustainable energy solutions.

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