2021-05-17
Voith Hydro and HYDROGRID successfully complete pilot phase of cooperation
- Milestone in delivering the benefits of digitalization to the hydropower industry.
- Unique two-dimensional approach of combining asset health status information with optimal operational planning and dispatch.
- Strong demand for new digital product offering validated in selected European markets with global rollout to follow.
The software, HYDROGRID Insight, which was awarded with the Austrian “National Digitalisation Award” in 2019, uses meteorological data and self-learning algorithms to predict hydropower inflows and optimize water management while ensuring operational restrictions are obeyed. Additionally, the software automatically positions hydropower plants in the power markets in an optimal way to increase profitability. By using the software, hydropower operators in Norway, Sweden, Finland, UK and Turkey already benefit from up to 18% additional revenues and 20 hours less operational effort per week.
In combination with Voith’s HyCon Automation and cutting-edge digital “Intelligent Hydropower” solutions, these effects can be further enhanced through an optimal integration of products along the entire value chain:
Up to now, existing solutions were focusing mainly on long-term maintenance cost reductions and a safe plant operation. Together with the information on short-term impacts on power generation delivered by HYDROGRID both companies will maximize insights for operators supporting them in their daily business. This special two-dimensional approach of taking into account the assets’ health status and, at the same time, the operational conditions and constraints is unique in the industry.
Over the last six months, the parties have already successfully validated the strong demand for a joint offering of digital products in selected European markets, with the first contracts already signed in Italy and numerous requests-for-offer currently in progress:
As a next step, Voith and HYDROGRID are looking to expand the joint market roll-out in further selected countries and to offer clients optimally integrated, cutting-edge digital solutions along the entire value chain.
“Joining our efforts with Voith Hydro offers us market access on a global level and is thereby supporting our vision to achieve smart plant operation for operators worldwide even faster. So far, we already saw a very successful roll-out of our product in Europe, and we look forward to taking the next steps towards intelligent hydropower around the globe”, reports Janice Goodenough, CEO of HYDROGRID.
“Our partnership really puts operators and optimized energy production into the focus as it aims to combine all relevant data for them. I am convinced that having HYDROGRID’s market specialists and software expertise matched with our domain know-how will be very fruitful”, says Uwe Wehnhardt, CEO of Voith Hydro. “I am looking forward to see how we can both learn from each other in order to advance our offering.”
About HYDROGRID
HYDROGRID offers fully automated software solutions for the optimal, real-time control of hydropower plants, enabling hydro operators to save up to 20 hours per week while at the same time increasing revenues by up to 18%.
The privately-owned company was founded 2016 in Vienna and is currently operating in 5 European countries as well as in Turkey. In view of the important role that hydropower plays in achieving a zero-carbon future, HYDROGRID has been supported by Climate-KIC, the European Comission’s main climate innovation initiative. In 2019, HYDROGRID also received the Austrian Government’s “National Digitalisation Award”.
About the company
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its wide range of plants, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets for energy, oil and gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, Voith today has more than 20,000 employees and earns 4.2 billion euros in sales. It has locations in over 60 countries and is one of Europe’s larger family-owned companies.
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The Group Division Voith Hydro is part of the Voith Group and a leading full-line supplier as well as trusted partner for equipping hydropower plants. Voith develops customized, long-term solutions and services for large and small hydro plants all over the world. Its portfolio of products and services covers the entire life cycle and all major components for large and small hydro plants, from generators, turbines, pumps and automation systems, right through to spare parts, maintenance and training services, and digital solutions for intelligent hydropower.
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