Ireland’s Asset Owner and Distribution System Operator, ESB Networks, has partnered with Neara, the leading AI infrastructure modelling platform, to mitigate the impact of extreme weather events on energy supply and speed up the clean energy transition for millions of households through the innovative use of technology to identify and address risks across their network.
With the frequency and intensity of storms increasing across Ireland in recent years, ESB Networks is taking an innovative approach to climate-proof its network and protect its 2.4 million customers from the growing risk of weather-related power outages. Through this new partnership, ESB Networks is deploying Neara’s AI and digital modelling technology to transform the way they identify, evaluate, and address risks across their Transmission network spanning over 7,500km.
ESB is leveraging Neara’s technology to create a ‘digital twin’ model that maps all their infrastructure using high accuracy LiDAR down to the level of individual structures (poles, towers) and the conductors strung between them. For this reason, LiDAR data is essential in building the ‘digital twin’. Asset Managers, Risk managers as well as contractors, planners and engineers can then use the model to analyse and stress-test key parts of the network in granular detail within a simulated digital environment.
Neara’s ‘digital twin’ models are built by combining multiple data sources – including LiDAR, geospatial data and imagery. This provides a much higher degree of accuracy compared to deploying staff to inspect different areas of the network in person. Neara’s technology provides a single, trusted source of information for the various teams involved in maintaining and repairing the network’s infrastructure.
The adoption of this technology also allows for much quicker reporting and analysis; Neara’s digital models take around two weeks to provide detailed insights, compared to an average of three to four months for manual reporting. This will help ESB Networks to remedy identified risks much faster and will avoid forced outages as a result.
ESB Networks is using the platform to address one of the central causes of power outages during extreme weather: falling trees and vegetation near power lines. The Neara technology is enabling ESB Networks to identify high-risk areas where these hazards might cause power lines to fail. Teams are then able to prioritise vegetation management, such as tree trimming, accordingly, to prevent potential damage or power outages. The Neara technology also detects the grow-in risks arising from longer growing seasons associated with climate change.
Moving forwards, Neara’s technology will also support ESB Networks’ strong commitment to advancing the clean energy transition through its investment in key infrastructure upgrades. The platform can model the impact of power lines and conductors on surrounding buildings and vegetation and in the near future the partnership will aim to optimise the use of existing infrastructure by identifying latent capacity where more renewable energy could be run.
Use of the platform could also empower ESB Networks to enhance network design and construction, and automate further management processes to optimise performance and strengthen vital infrastructure in the face of growing climate threat.
Taco Engelaar, Senior Vice President of Neara, said, “Preparing for more violent weather events in advance will be central to keeping communities safe and connected as the climate crisis escalates. Proactively managing the hazards that cause distress for families and businesses, like falling trees, is the first step on an exciting road to strengthening our infrastructure. It’s extremely encouraging to see utilities like ESB Networks leading the charge by innovating and exploring new ways of assessing and predicting climate-related risks.”
