In conversation with charulatha, correspondent, silicon- india Magazine. Anirudh Kala shares his views on how AI predicts a plant's energy generation potential based on factors such as ambient conditions, plant per- formance, reliability, and efficiency.

Anirudh Kala is a CEO- Cofounder at Celebal Tech- nologies. Anirudh is an expert in Machine Learning techniques, Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing using Azure and Cortana Services. He has led AI/ML COE for various organizations throughout the globe.

1. What steps can energy companies take to achieve their net-zero emissions goal?
The energy sector stands at the forefront of the climate change challenge, responsible for over two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions. It is imperative that energy companies make a resolute shift towards renewable energy sources to confront this issue head-on and achieve their net-zero goals.

The transformative potential of technologies such as Digital Twin, IIoT, Edge Computing, and Cloud is profound and constantly evolving. Combining these technologies with advancements in Big Data Analytics and AI opens up infinite possibilities.

Embracing digitalization, given the time we are living in, is crucial for businesses to overcome challenges, make informed decisions, and drive transformative change in the energy industry.

2. What are some of the key benefits of using digital technologies to support the transition to renewable energy (RE) sources and achieve net zero goals?
We are at the forefront of leveraging digital technologies to unlock numerous benefits for supporting the transition to renewable energy sources and achieving net-zero goals:

• Energy Demand Forecasting: AI algorithms analyze historical data and factors like weather patterns to accurately predict energy demand. This enables optimized resource allocation and stable energy supply.

• Predictive Maintenance: AI-powered predictive maintenance uses sensor data and advanced analytics to anticipate equipment failures, minimizing downtime and improving operational efficiency.

• Asset Optimization: AI algorithms optimize the performance of energy assets such as power plants and wind farms, enhancing their efficiency and output.

• Energy Trading and Pricing: AI analyzes diverse data sets to support energy trading decisions by considering market trends, weather patterns, and regulatory changes.

• Energy Efficiency and Conservation: AI identifies energy-saving opportunities in buildings, industrial processes, and energy infrastructure, promoting sustainability.

• Grid Optimization and Stability: AI optimizes power grid operations, monitors stability, and predicts potential failures, ensuring reliable and resilient energy distribution.

• Renewable Energy Integration: AI facilitates the seamless integration of renewable energy sources into the power grid, enhancing their efficiency and effectiveness.

• Environmental Monitoring and Compliance: AI analyzes data from various sources to monitor environmental parameters and ensure compliance with regulations.

By leveraging technology, we can develop sophisticated control mechanisms that continuously monitor and adjust energy production, distribution, and consumption to align with sustainability goals.

3. How can technology, particularly computing, help create a control loop for protecting the planet and achieving net-zero emissions?
Through data collection and analysis, computing enables a comprehensive understanding of energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental impact. Real-time monitoring and control capabilities offered by advanced computing systems allow for immediate detection of anomalies and enable optimization of energy usage and emissions reduction. Furthermore, computing power empowers modeling and simulation of complex energy systems, facilitating the exploration of various scenarios and the identification of optimal strategies for achieving net-zero emissions. By leveraging technology, we can develop sophisticated control mechanisms that continuously monitor and adjust energy production, distribution, and consumption to align with sustainability goals. This control loop, powered by computing, acts as a vital tool in driving the transition to renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, and ultimately safeguarding the planet for future generations.

"AI technologies have the ability to delve into vast amounts of data and extract valuable insights, empowering businesses to make more informed choices."

4. Can you describe how AI predicts a plant's energy generation potential based on factors such as ambient conditions, plant performance, reliability, and efficiency?
Simply put, AI leverages sophisticated algorithms and machine learning techniques to predict a plant's energy generation potential. By analyzing ambient conditions, plant performance data, reliability metrics, and efficiency parameters, AI models can accurately estimate the energy output of a plant. These predictive models consider historical data and real-time inputs to identify patterns and correlations. This enables plant operators to make informed decisions regarding energy generation, optimize plant operations, and maximize efficiency.

5. Can you share any success stories or examples of how Celebal Technologies has helped energy companies achieve their net zero goals through technology solutions?
Our recent partnership with a leading solar energy company yielded transformative results in addressing their performance challenges. The client sought our assistance in addressing issues related to unpredictable downtime, escalating maintenance expenses, and operational inefficiencies. Through predictive maintenance and forecasting techniques, we proactively identified and prevented potential failures while optimizing energy load, generation, and pricing through advanced models. Our intervention generated impressive outcomes, including substantial reductions in maintenance costs and unscheduled downtime, resulting in notable improvements in overall profitability and revenue growth.

6. In what ways is AI transforming decision-making in business, and what is the future of business intelligence?
In my view, AI is a total game-changer when it comes to how businesses approach sustainability and decarbonization. AI technologies have the ability to delve into vast amounts of data and extract valuable insights, empowering businesses to make more informed choices. As I mentioned earlier, AI can also anticipate future scenarios, improving efficiency, supply chain sustainability, and aiding in risk management.

The future of business intelligence looks promising given the ongoing advancements in the field. I believe in the coming days, we will witness better use of data, increasingly intelligent AI models and increased collaboration between AI and humans. All of which will eventually lead to an enhanced strategic approach and leave a favorable impact on the environment.

7. With the increasing focus on decarbonization, what role do you see digital technologies playing in the energy sector in the future?
Decarbonization is widely recognized as the crucial factor in accelerating the energy transition. In my opinion, achieving decarbonization requires a significant shift in how we generate, transport, and consume energy. This is where digital technologies step in.

Based on my experience, I can say that digitalization will play a pivotal role in this transformative journey. Technologies such as digital twin, IoT, AI and data analytics will facilitate the seamless integration of renewable energy sources like solar and wind power into the energy mix. They will also assist companies in effectively addressing the challenges associated with renewable energy adoption.