AI will provide real-time cyber-secure interactive support for plant operation and maintenance (O&M)
TOMONI HUBs powered by Artificial Intelligence
Mitsubishi Power, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, is introducing a global network of TOMONI HUBs that use artificial intelligence to provide real-time, cyber-secure interactive support of plant operation and maintenance (O&M) decision making.
TOMONI HUBs include connected software, hardware and services that provide pre-warning of impending issues or needed corrective action to avoid unit trips or load reductions, eliminate energy efficiency losses, and avoid unnecessary maintenance.
The global network includes TOMONI HUBs in Takasago and Nagasaki, Japan; Orlando, Florida, United States; and Alabang, Philippines, with a fifth HUB to be commissioned in Duisburg, Germany, in the third quarter of 2021.
Each HUB accesses cybersecure cloudbased analytics and uses distributed knowledge databases that incorporate knowledge gained from global Mitsubishi Power experience.
TOMONI HUBs support all types of energy systems, including traditional steam power plants and gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) plants, as well as renewable power plants, distributed generation, emerging smart energy systems, and allduration energy storage.
“In planning for the Intermountain Power Project’s 840 megawatt power plant, which will be an early adopter of green hydrogen technology, we sought a partner that could provide actionable insights to ensure that multiple new technologies are working together to ensure availability and operability,” said Jon Christensen, Manager of Special Projects and Vice President, Intermountain Power Service Corporation in Delta, Utah, United States.
“With the TOMONI HUB, the Intermountain Power Plant will be the smartest, most resilient plant in the Americas when it comes online. It gives us confidence that we will have resources to help us react not only to O&M issues, but also to challenges such as weather extremes and operational flexibility.”
Power plants using Mitsubishi Power’s TOMONI solutions on average have 2–4 fewer days of unplanned downtime and 3–4 fewer days of planned downtime per year than similar unconnected plants, providing millions of dollars of annual value for their owners.
“The name HUB conveys the central role our facilities are increasingly playing in channeling expert O&M support for on-site personnel and an evolving workforce,” said Hiroyasu Ishigaki, General Manager of the Mitsubishi Power ICT Operations Department in Yokohama, Japan.
Mitsubishi Power remote monitoring has already become an integral element in the support of many plants’ successful O&M results.
With TOMONI HUBs, it can now provide valuable support far beyond just monitoring—further extending the Japanese TOMONI concept of working ‘together with’ its customers to increase real-time collaboration among the energy system operators and the worldwide resources and expertise of Mitsubishi Power.
“TOMONI HUBs extend the advanced capabilities that Mitsubishi Power’s Remote Monitoring Centers provided for more than 20 years to make power plants more reliable and profitable,” Ishigaki added.
“New technical capabilities introduced in recent years include remote inspection and maintenance via virtual presence technologies as well as remote operation."
Terraplus Solutions has launched a sustainable agritech irrigation system known as T+ after successful trials on date palms in Dubai. If deployed across 20,000 farms in the UAE, which contain 20 to 40 million date palms, it is estimated it could save a trillion litres of water per year.
The results show that the T+ system saves between 40,000 to 50,000 litres of water per date palm per year, compared to traditional systems. The date palms produce higher yield, better quality fruits. In addition, the root zone area of each date palm has increased by around 40 to 50%, creating healthier roots and stronger trees.
“There is tremendous potential for the T+ system to help the UAE reduce its agricultural water consumption,” said Terraplus Solutions co-founder and Managing Partner, Patrick Stevens.
“The UAE is the fourth-largest producer of dates in the world and accounts for around 12% of global production, but date palms also require a lot of water. Through T+ we aim to help the UAE towards its Food and Water Security goals and save a trillion litres of water every year. It is simple to install for open-air agriculture without specialist teams and far more cost effective than building multi-billion dollar desalination plants.”
Mohamed Khalifa Bin Thaleth, Operations Director at Al-Nakhli Sector said that Al-Nakhli was committed to finding the most effective ways of preserving water in agriculture.