Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) has partnered with REPCO NEX Industrial Solutions (REPCO NEX) in Thailand to introduce the Philippines’ first smart power plants.
Project Arkanghel: The Partnership
“Project Arkanghel” aims to create digital twins for AboitizPower’s current circulating fluidized bed (CFB) coal-fired power plants: the 300-megawatt Therma South Plant in Davao City and the 340-megawatt Therma Visayas Plant in Toledo City, Cebu. These plants will act as prototypes for future installations at other thermal sites.
The Impact of Digitalized Energy Value Chain
Digital twins are virtual copies of physical power plants. They replicate the operational processes and systems, providing operators with a tool to simulate and test various scenarios and anticipate and detect faults and glitches in real time, all within a digital environment.
With CFB technology already recirculating combustion for even greater power generation efficiency, digital twins will further optimize the performance of power plants through data science and artificial intelligence. This will empower operators and engineers to make more informed decisions.
A digitally enabled and integrated power plant system will enhance data collection and review. This will be beneficial for monitoring asset health, managing life cycles, and predicting maintenance needs. Taking proactive measures based on these insights can reduce planned and unplanned downtimes.
Harnessing Data Science and AI for Smart Power Plants
AboitizPower, Aboitiz Data Innovation, and REPCO NEX recently held the ceremonial signing of Project Arkanghel in Bangkok, Thailand. This marks a significant milestone for the Aboitiz Group as it embarks on a journey of innovation and change, aiming to transform the Philippine energy landscape and Southeast Asia’s future.
“The energy landscape in the Philippines is constantly evolving on the path towards transition. Our economy continues to proliferate, requiring new sources of dependable and reliable power supply to support that economic growth,” said AboitizPower Chief Finance Officer Sandro Aboitiz.
“We also see the impact of the continuing decentralization and digitalization of the energy value chain, supported by enabling policies and technological advancement,” he shared. “As more distributed energy resources are added to the grid, and consumers become prosumers, the need for stable and reliable baseload supply becomes even more critical to ensure the security of our grid.”
AboitizPower Thermal’s chief operating officer of Operated Assets, Aldo Ramos, stressed, “This partnership between AboitizPower and REPCO NEX will establish the Philippines’ first smart power plant. We will harness the power of data science and AI to create a digital twin that will unlock the potential of our existing power plants, Therma South and Therma Visayas.”
Project Arkanghel’s Role in Boosting Efficiency and Resiliency
“Project Arkanghel is pivotal in boosting our thermal power plants’ efficiency and resiliency. It will also help to ensure that our plants provide reliable baseload supply and lessen downtime due to forced and planned outages,” he added.
AboitizPower: Leading the Energy Sector
AboitizPower is one of the Philippines’ biggest producers and distributors of electric power. Its balanced portfolio includes thermal and renewable energy assets located throughout the country.
In 2022, the Aboitiz Group launched its Great Transformation campaign to become the Philippines’ first Techglomerate. The aim is to leverage resources and cross-company synergies to deliver more value and help advance the Philippine economy through technological advancement.
REPCO NEX: Providing Asset Performance Solutions
At the same time, REPCO NEX offers asset performance solutions throughout asset and operations lifecycles in diverse industrial sectors, such as oil & gas, petrochemicals, power and renewable energy, utilities, food & beverage, CPG, and general manufacturing.
Source: AboitizPower, REPCO NEX team up for first smart power plants in PH