Technological Advancement in AboitizPower’s Power Facilities
Fueled by technology and creativity, intelligent power plants are attaining enhanced operational dependability and effectiveness amid the shift towards cleaner energy frameworks.
Dependability and effectiveness in electricity generation are vital to the Philippine energy infrastructure, particularly as it is projected to accommodate both a rise in power demand and fluctuating renewable energy capacities in the foreseeable future.
With minimized downtimes and more anticipatory maintenance initiatives, intelligent power plants play a crucial role in bolstering energy security — ensuring a reliable power supply with consistent access — in the larger scope of the energy transition.
Embodying its mission of Transforming Energy for a Better World and participating in Aboitiz Group’s Great Transformation, Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) seeks to lead the way in sustainable energy innovations driven by cutting-edge technologies and human creativity.
Intelligent Conventional Power Stations
Under Project Arkanghel, AboitizPower aims to convert its existing coal-powered facilities into smart power stations utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and data analysis. The initial phase at the 300-megawatt Therma South Plant in Davao City is already operational, with plans to expand to the 340-megawatt Therma Visayas Plant in Toledo City, Cebu this year, and a further conventional plant in Luzon by 2026.
Project Arkanghel is establishing a Unified Operations Center, incorporating digital twin technologies, anomaly recognition, and early warning systems, along with a fully integrated live asset health monitoring framework. This enables engineers to anticipate potential issues and refine station operations.
AI-driven systems are anticipated to enhance plant efficiency, resulting in reduced heat rates, improved fuel efficiency, decreased outage durations, and extending intervals between planned outages. With data-informed intelligence, these systems allow engineers to make bolder and more precise decisions.
By embracing digital transformation, AboitizPower is refining its operations to facilitate quicker, more informed decision-making. This increases the reliability and availability of its baseload power stations, ensuring a stable grid amidst escalating energy demand.
Enhancing the efficiency of its baseload facilities provides a solid base for incorporating more renewables into the power matrix. As the Philippines undergoes population and economic expansion, reliable and resilient energy will be vital for sustained progress.
In developing Project Arkanghel, AboitizPower has allied with REPCO NEX Industrial Solutions from Thailand. The initiative also employs AVEVA Predictive Analytics, a solution from Schneider Electric, to analyze historical data, identify patterns, and offer early warning capabilities.
Intelligent Renewable Energy Assets
AboitizPower’s technological investments encompass its National Operations Control Center (NOCC), overseen by its renewable energy division, Aboitiz Renewables, Inc. This pioneering center in the Philippine power sector enables the operation and oversight of 28 renewable energy facilities from a single location.
Although many plants are situated in remote, mountainous regions, engineers at the NOCC can monitor, make decisions, and control operations from their computers. Data collection and monitoring are streamlined, simplifying the consolidation of information for strategizing and regulatory compliance.
With centralized operational management and data collection at the NOCC, operators can leverage data analysis, data science, and A.I. to enhance resource management, resulting in more efficient operations and dispatch of the hydropower and solar assets in the system. The NOCC also enables quicker communication of detected plant anomalies within its regulated framework, leading to reduced downtime and losses.
Simultaneously, specific AboitizPower hydropower and solar stations utilize specialized drones to enhance maintenance and rehabilitation tasks.
Power plant operators can eliminate the need for manual inspections of each solar panel, conveyance line, or any other component of a renewable energy facility, as drones can accomplish this task.
Employing drones accelerates inspections, saving AboitizPower considerable resources, as it previously required extensive time and effort for personnel to inspect the vast facilities.
Equipped with high-resolution cameras and advanced sensing equipment, the drones swiftly diagnose maintenance requirements, leading to reduced downtime and increased reliability in clean power generation.
The deployment of drones has empowered operators to implement preventive measures, averting costly malfunctions and ensuring the plant’s capability to generate electricity. The data gathered from drone inspections provided a foundation for detailed evaluations and design processes, guiding focused maintenance initiatives and infrastructure improvements.
AboitizPower
AboitizPower is among the leading power producers and distributors in the Philippines, boasting a diverse portfolio of assets situated in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. To date, in partnership with its allies, it provides the largest renewable energy portfolio in the country based on installed capacity under its operational control. Thermal power stations are also incorporated into its generation portfolio to support baseload and peak energy requirements.
In alignment with the country’s aspirations for its energy mix, AboitizPower is positioned to expand its generation asset portfolio with renewables and selected baseload developments.
The Aboitiz Group initiated its Great Transformation campaign in 2022, aiming to become the Philippines’ first Techglomerate, harnessing resources and inter-company synergies to provide increased stakeholder value and contribute to advancing the Philippine economy.
Beyond the technological evolution, the Great Transformation also represents a shift in human behavior, particularly as navigating challenges and seizing opportunities will always depend on the quality of individuals, including their capacity and eagerness to learn and innovate.
By prioritizing the operational reliability and effectiveness of its generation portfolio and emphasizing human development, AboitizPower is fortifying energy security and delivering reliable electricity amid the Philippine energy transition.
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