As the energy sector looks to become more efficient and sustainable, robotics is playing an increasingly important role. From exploration and production to transmission and distribution, robots are being used in a variety of ways to help reduce costs and improve safety.
Robots are being used in the oil and gas industry at many different stages. The most common use has been during exploration, as robots can perform tasks that humans cannot.
For example, they have become instrumental in finding crude oil deposits deep underground. However, they are also proving useful in other areas as well. In petroleum engineering, for example, robots can be used to help build carbon capture and storage projects.
How Robots And Automation Improve The Renewable Energy Sector
In the Renewable Energy sector automation saves costs, improves quality and increases production.
Automation is used in all stages of the Renewable Energy chain, from harvesting to transmission and distribution. From harvesting, to collecting data and monitoring generation, to connecting renewable energy producers to grid operators, automation has become a critical cog in the renewable energy machine that is driven by efficiency gains as a result of new technology.
Furthermore, automation has on-board advanced features such as remote access for maintenance more efficiently utilised public-private partnerships for financing projects.
While increased automation can be a difficult process, especially in the case of those complex machines that need to be moved around, it is the exact reason why technology keeps evolving and in fact is adopted more rapidly by the industry.
Renewable Energy sector automation has seen dramatic improvements over the last few years as technology becomes cheaper and more accessible. While it may appear that energy providers are using automation for energy storage with solar installations, for example, it can be seen that automation goes beyond this as well.
In fact, there have been many examples of manufacturers merging with electricity providers to provide integrated systems – such as Siemens’ Power Automation unit – working with both wind farms and solar installations and provide their customers with energy storage systems.
How Robotics Is Transforming The Energy Sector
The global market for robotic waste management is expected to gain immense traction over the forecast period because of increase in municipal solid waste management requirement.
Electricity theft and fraud cost the energy and utilities sector up to $96 billion annually, with up to $6 billion in losses occurring in the United States alone.
Robots are being used across commercial, industrial and retail environments for a number of valuable applications that range from monitoring and surveillance to security operations.
Robots are key to making these operations more efficient as well as improving safety at sites. For example, during power outages or emergencies robots can be used to help shut down systems automatically or respond quickly when issues arise.
Robotics in the construction industry is becoming increasingly popular, especially in terms of automating tasks and allowing projects to be completed faster by using automated construction machinery including cranes, excavators, bulldozers and so on.
The Potential Of Robotics In The Energy Sector
The global energy industry not only has a significant impact on the economy of a country, but also has an overwhelming impact on the environment. By 2030, the market for energy storage is expected to increase 20-fold.
With increased automation across the energy sector being used to help save costs in some areas while increasing productivity, efficiency and quality in others, it is important to consider how robotics are changing the way we approach energy usage.
The Future Of Robotics In The Energy Sector
As the energy sector looks to become more efficient and sustainable, robotics is playing an increasingly important role. From exploration and production to transmission and distribution, robots are being used in a variety of ways to help reduce costs and improve safety. Over the next ten years, 70% of GDP growth will be driven by AI, machine learning, and robots.
Robots are being used in the oil and gas industry at many different stages. The most common use has been during exploration, as robots can perform tasks that humans cannot.
For example, they have become instrumental in finding crude oil deposits deep underground. However, they are also proving useful in other areas as well. In petroleum engineering, for example, robots can be used to help build carbon capture and storage projects.
Benefits Of Robotics In The Energy Sector
Argonauts, a 1.04m high, 90 kilogramme robot, won Total’s 2017 ARGOS competition iii (Autonomous Robot for Gas & Oil Sites) on land. It features a 1.3 m-long articulated arm that travels along tracks. By 2020, it is anticipated to begin using industrial locations.
Oil and gas companies are looking to develop energy efficiency projects as the energy sector moves towards a low-carbon future. Smart energy storage systems are seen as a key part of this transition, and the global energy storage market is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years.
1. Increased Safety
As the human workforce is made to work ever longer hours, the potential for mistakes and accidents increases. With robots now being commonplace in the energy industry, they are increasingly being used as tools to perform dangerous tasks such as welding and to work in harsh environments. This helps to get more work done, with improved safety and productivity.
2. Increased Productivity
With increased safety comes increased productivity, as robots can work around the clock without tiring or getting distracted. In addition, they can be programmed to complete repetitive tasks quickly without human error slowing them down. They can also be used to take on roles that are too dangerous for humans to do by hand.
3. Reduced Costs
Robots in the energy sector can be used to help explore and develop natural resources, which may reduce the cost of projects. They are also used increasingly by oil and gas companies to increase efficiency and improve safety.
4. Increased Efficiency
Robots are able to work in areas that humans cannot, meaning that they can carry out much of their tasks in dangerous environments, including underwater exploration. In doing so, they help to limit the amount of time taken on projects, which cuts down on costs while also improving quality.
5. Increased Flexibility
Robots are able to work around the clock without needing breaks or food, meaning that companies can use them to complete tasks even when humans cannot. In addition, they can be programmed to take on a variety of different roles, which means that they are becoming more flexible and are able to be used for a number of different tasks that may have once been impossible.
6. Improved Human Safety
It may seem counterintuitive that by introducing robots into the energy sector we are also increasing safety. However, this is the case. Many dangerous tasks in mining and oil & gas exploration that have historically been carried out by humans are now being done by robots. Robots are able to work around the clock with little risk of human error, reducing accidents and enabling companies to work in areas where humans cannot safely go.
7. Decreased Operational Costs
By taking care of a number of different tasks, robots can help companies save money on production costs while increasing efficiency. By using fewer people, companies can spend less on their wages and human error is also reduced.
8. Increased Performance
The more tasks that robots can be used to do, the more useful they become to energy companies. As more are developed and deployed in the oil & gas industry, they will help to improve performance as well as profitability.
Artificial intelligence is being used increasingly in the energy sector because it allows robots to not only perform specific tasks with improved accuracy and efficiency, but also learn from experience and change their approach accordingly.
Cases Of Robotics In The Renewable Energy Industry
AI is predicted to contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, which is more than China and India’s combined present production.
Energy infrastructure is the backbone of any economy and energy demand is constantly growing. Energy storage systems are therefore becoming increasingly important as they can help to even out peaks and troughs in energy usage.
There are a number of different energy storage technologies available, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The most important thing is to choose the right technology for the specific application.
1. Solar Power Station Controllers
Advanced robotics and automated control systems are being used to make Solar power stations more efficient.
Automation allows production to be maximized, while consistent performance is maintained through the use of advanced on-board monitoring systems and connectivity. By connecting every single piece of equipment online, production is maximized while all issues are identified in real-time and eliminated before they become a problem. In addition, automation can also increase safety by reducing human errors that may occur due to fatigue and ensure that no time is lost during breakdowns.
2. Wind Turbine Blades
Robotics have allowed production lines to work around the clock without stopping, which has unlocked potential for greater efficiency.
3. Wind Turbine Towers
Robots and automation have been used for many years in the construction of wind turbine towers, guiding them from start to finish with little human intervention necessary. Newer generation robots can also work at height and are increasingly able to perform a number of different tasks as well as assisting workers in completing their tasks safely.
4. Wind Turbine Polishing
By using robots, wind turbine polishing can take place in a factory rather than on-site, which allows both efficiency and quality to be improved while costs are reduced.
5. Water Pumps
Robots can be used to simulate how a new pump will perform prior to being installed on site, leading to fewer installation issues and a more efficient energy producing machine.
The Challenges Of Robotics In Energy Sector
62% of CEOs are making preparations to flourish in a future of connected devices and intelligent automation; 16% have already made investments and are doing well.
As energy companies move to monitoring energy generation and flow, they are able to create virtual power plants and manage energy flow more effectively. This allows for a more efficient use of resources and helps to avoid blackouts or other disruptions.
1. Data And Data Analytics
The process of monitoring energy usage requires the collection of vast amounts of data. Robots can help collect data in a more efficient and cost-effective way, though some areas may be difficult to automatically extract such information.
For example, on-site monitoring equipment is needed to collect energy usage data such as that from power plants. However, there are some other aspects of the industry that cannot be easily monitored by robots.
These include computer hardware, which makes up a large part of the energy industry; as well as software and applications across the sector. These are necessary for many types of industrial or business processes but cannot be easily tracked by robots because they are complex and are dependent on human interaction.
2. Regulating Demand
Robots cannot regulate demand at a rapid enough rate, meaning that energy companies may need to respond quickly to changes in energy usage or production. For example, providing power on demand may be possible with large-scale industrial applications but will not work in residential situations. Robots cannot change the amount used at any time, they can monitor and detect leaks and spikes in usage but cannot magically adjust them back down again.
3. Changing Complex Systems
Complex systems such as those found in different areas of the energy sector are necessary for producing electricity, heating homes or manufacturing items like cars for example. These systems are similar to an engine, which can be manually examined and then repaired.
However, with the amount of data available from automated systems it is possible to design systems that function in the same manner but can also be changed or adjusted when necessary to ensure efficiency.
4. The Environment
The energy sector has a significant impact on the environment and can use robots to monitor and remove environmental hazards such as oil spills or fire outbreaks, which could result in serious problems for energy companies both in terms of quality and safety. This is because robots are able to detect these issues more quickly than humans and so need not cause delays that may result in accidents if not dealt with promptly.
Final Note
It is increasingly important that energy companies are able to remotely monitor their energy production equipment, which is not only safer but also reduces costs of human labour.
Robots can be used to log data, detect problems and repair or upgrade machines when necessary. Automation also saves time and money on installing new equipment due to less time needed for installation or upgrades on-site.
Last Updated on October 11, 2023 by Priyanshi Sharma