Profitable and Sustainable Power Generation

Posted: 13 April, 2021

Please enjoy the informative blog below. Learn how AVEVA helped Arizona Public Services achieve operational excellence and lowered its carbon footprint by reading the case study.

The move to renewable sources of electricity generation can be felt in every region of the world. However, this move cannot happen overnight. There is willingness by governments and citizens to adopt greener sources of electricity. However, economic and technological factors still point to fossil fuels being a significant contributor to the fuel mix for the next 10-20 years. The picture below depicts the projected electricity generation mix for different world areas for the year 2030, according to the Energy Information Administration.

For the next 10 years, the fossil generation fleet will be comprised of natural gas, coal and much less oil. Some countries like the US will continue to replace their aging coal fired plants with more efficient, cleaner natural gas combined cycle plants (NGCC). MENA is expected to replace oil fired generation with NGCC. China, India and other coal rich countries will continue to burn coal to meet their growing electricity demand.

The question then becomes:  How do you operate your fossil fuel fleet efficiently and sustainably?

The good news is that this is not an either/or proposition.  Operational excellence in your power generation leads to more efficient resource consumption (fuel and water) and lesser amounts of byproduct waste (gas emissions and ash). Producing more with less increases your profit margins and decreases your carbon footprint.

The journey to operational excellence should answer the following questions: 

1. Is my plant running as efficiently as possible?
2. Is my plant operating reliably?
3. Does my organization have a continuous improvement culture?

Consider AVEVA Advanced Process Control (APC) to Improve Process Efficiency

Utilizing Artificial Intelligence and Neural Networks, Advanced Process Control from AVEVA helps power generators with state-of-the-art solutions to extract maximum value from their existing fleet. AVEVA APC improves your process efficiency, without the need to replace hardware or software. AVEVA’s experienced personnel is uniquely qualified to perform a needs assessment of your plant and operations to design a turn-key solution, using best in class software and project execution methodologies. Real-time combustion optimization and intelligent soot blowing are prime candidates for AVEVA APC. However, the same software can be used to achieve the following:

• Improved Ramp Rates – better dispatchability to efficiently capture ancillary power market
• Sliding Throttle Pressure Control – improved heat rate
• Feedwater Heater Control – increased production
• Cooling Tower Optimization – increased production
• Lower SCR ammonia consumption
• Lower Opacity and Loss on Ignition (LOI)
• Reduced Slagging and Fewer Tube Ruptures to decrease Equivalent Forced Outage Rate (EFOR)

Consider AVEVA Asset Performance Management (APM) to improve Reliability

Power plant operations are increasingly more digital. The combination of assets with connected devices, and most importantly, the data captured for each of these assets, introduces the need for technology solutions to harmonize disparate data. A single view of maintenance needs, downtime predictions, and the scheduling of proactive maintenance eliminates information silos.

AVEVA’s Asset Performance Management Assessment provides an understanding of the current status of your operations and where improvement opportunities will provide the quickest financial return.

Predictive analytics from AVEVA provides power plant operations with early warning notification and diagnosis of equipment issues days, weeks or months before failure. AVEVA’s Mobile Operator Round (MRO) provides field workers with decision-making information, using commercially available off-the-shelf mobile devices. MRO allows operations and maintenance procedures, equipment diagrams, and operating history to be readily available anywhere, at anytime. Lastly, employ Artificial Intelligence-infused AVEVA Insight to gather data from multiple sources in a single cloud environment. This combination of predictive analytics, Mobile Operator Round and AVEVA Insight helps power companies gain operational awareness to enhance asset reliability and operational performance.

Promote Learning and Knowledge Capture with AVEVA Learning Solutions

Whether the trigger is an aging workforce or turnover in a competitive labor market, reducing time-to-competency has become a major issue to sustaining productivity. A continuous improvement process requires comprehensive training that is key to workforce empowering and retention.

AVEVA delivers engaging custom and generic training programs for power plants, combining the latest technologies with sound instructional design to deliver competency-based experiential learning. AVEVA Dynamic Simulation for the power industry creates flexible, dynamic simulation models that can be combined with a DCS simulation for engineering validation, control system checkout, and operator training. The training system can be via traditional on-premise access or via a secure cloud platform.

The fossil fuel fleet will continue to play an important role in the power generation industry. The pressure for more efficient and sustainable operation requires emphasis on plant efficiency improvements, reliability and a culture of continuous improvement.

Learn how your power industry peers use AVEVA’s digital solutions to achieve these objectives.