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Capture the Carbon Digitalisation for Decarbonisation

This measure is typically implemented when other Digitalisation plays a vital role in all three
options are not viable, either due to the limitation of significant steps that are being undertaken towards
process or higher cost. The present carbon capture decarbonisation. Switching to low carbon RE has a
& storage technologies can capture about 80-90% considerable challenge of managing the variability
of the CO emitted from conventional coal-based from RE sources. Accurate forecasting of the RE power,
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thermal plants. Carbon capture and storage facilities load management in short intervals of fluctuations, and
are becoming popular in Europe. However, it would electricity grid stability during unpredicted weather
still need policy support for implementation at scale. A conditions are possible only using digital tools.
nature-based approach, like reforestation, has also been Smart grids help manage RE sources’ variability through
adopted for carbon capture. demand-side management using smart meters and
big data tools. AI/ML algorithms and big data tools
Decentralisation for Reducing T&D Loss are successfully being adopted worldwide to manage
and Improving Access modern RE dominated grids.

As per Energy Progress Report, 2019 published by UN, In the Power sector, the digitalised process optimisation
about 13% of the global population lack access to can lead to a 5% increase in the electricity output per
modern electricity. They are either far away from the unit of fuel input for all subcritical and supercritical
power grids, or the modern grids are not affordable coal-fired power plants. Further, about 5% reduction
for specific regions. The growth of RE power and in O&M costs in power generation and electricity
its decentralised nature ensures more sustained networks can be achieved from digitalisation as per
electrification, improving electricity’s access rate. IEA report of 2017. Digital tools are proven to be
reliable means for Real-Time Analysis and Optimisation.
The world average T&D losses stand at about 8.3% in This is a low hanging fruit to reduce emissions in the
2014. In India, the Aggregate Technical and Commercial energy transition journey. Policymakers can explore
(AT&C) losses stand at 19.89% which is more than incentivising the first digital tool deployments in the
twice the world average. Longer distances between plants to accelerate such digital tools.
the power generation and load centres would add
to the T&D infrastructure cost and AT&C losses. The Most industrial plants are instrumented adequately and
decentralised nature of renewable energy generation generate a large amount of digital data related to the
and distribution will minimise the cost, AT&C losses complex processes. Analog to Digital Converters (ADC)
and increase the power system’s efficiency. Mini/ is used to get the data converted to a digital format in
microgrids connecting RE power with battery storage analogue signals. The digital tools analyse the data
or pumped storages are proven decentralised options quickly and provide the operator with useful insights
for electrification. and actionable information into the processes that
otherwise would not be available to the plant operator.
Digitalisation can help achieve a more stable operation The digital tools can streamline the data ingestion
of such grids. Such decentralised, stable mini/micro of structured or unstructured data on a real-time
girds would reduce blackouts’ risk and improve quality basis using the Machine Learning (ML) pipelines. The
power access. The decentralised RE dominated mini- performance optimisation/ improvement tools use AI/
grids can also support EV charging stations in remote, ML-based hybrid algorithms and advanced analytics to
inaccessible locations yield desired results.

Digitalisation - Driving force for A plantwide performance optimisation covering all
Decarbonisation& Decentralisation critical equipment and process is generally planned
though a digital platform capable of customising
Digitalisation enables and catalyses the energy process/ equipment, interfacing and data ingestion,
transition by making it more efficient, flexible and data analytics and visualisation. Plant/ Fleetwide digital
reliable. It would be interesting to analyse in detail transformations are typically implemented through
about how digitalisation helps decarbonisation and such digital platforms.
decentralisation of energy.

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