Abstract
Enel Green Power (EGP) is a global leader in the development and management of energy production from renewable sources (wind, solar, hydroelectric, marine, and geothermal).
The Innothon challenge is focused on the realization of an autonomous robotic platform, capable of moving around renewable plants to carry out data collection, inspections, and small maintenance activities.
The Innothon Challenge is a unique opportunity for Europeans or those with a Student Schengen Visa based in Europe from 18 to 28 years old only to showcase their talent to Enel Green Power.
OVERVIEW
Over the last few years, we have pursued advances in various technologies, positioning EGP at the forefront of the energy transition. To reach our global future goal of zero emissions we will leverage technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation robotics, advances that are helping to improve the performance and efficiency of renewable energy plants.
AI algorithms can accelerate the energy transition making energy systems more efficient and smarter. AI can predict energy output, optimize energy production, and identify potential issues before they occur. This can help to maximize energy production and minimize energy losses.
AI can also be used to monitor the health of equipment in a renewable energy plant, identifying potential issues that can reduce downtime and maintenance costs, increasing the overall efficiency of the plant.
Combined with automated technologies, advanced robotics can be used to control and maintain equipment in renewable energy plants and reduce the need for human intervention, increasing overall efficiency and reducing the risk of human error.
By using AI to predict and optimize energy output, and automation to control and maintain equipment, renewable energy plants can be made more efficient, cost-effective, and reliable.
As the world continues to move towards a cleaner, more sustainable energy future, automation and AI will play an increasingly important role in making renewable energy more accessible and affordable for everyone.
BACKGROUND
With the growth of renewables the need for efficient, reliable and safe energy production has become increasingly important.
Turning to data driven tools for performance monitoring, real time diagnostics, prediction of potential future failures, operation and maintenance activities are essential for a generation plant to ensure its profitability through the maximization of the production and the reduction of unavailability events tangibly increasing the resilience of our plants and increasing the speed of reaction to possible damage that may occur.
Furthermore, they are fundamental to preserve the life span of plant components as well as to facilitate and reduce downtime, workforce intervention requirements and possible errors during Operation & Maintenance (O&M) activities. Indeed, the introduction and application of automated robotic solutions within our renewable plants would ensure the elimination of repetitive and dangerous operations by operators, increasing worker safety and speeding up execution.
Advanced robotics can be used to control and maintain equipment in renewable energy plants and reduce the need for human intervention, increasing overall efficiency and reducing the risk of human error.
Description
THE CHALLENGE
The Innothon challenge is focused on the realization of an autonomous robotic platform, capable of moving around renewable plants to carry out data collection, inspections, and small maintenance activities.
The solution must be autonomous in fulfilling the missions, pre-planned in a dedicated opensource software/dashboard where an operator can define the mission goals/constraints/path and other useful needs for the specific task.
Moreover, it should be equipped with AI features to support basic data analytics.
Acquired data/images collected must be automatically synchronized with a supervision software/dashboard at the end of the mission to produce a final report for each mission.
The possibility of live streaming of the information would be a plus.
The solution should include a manual override to take the control in case of emergency or specific need of the operator.
The system will be 100% electrical, either stand-alone (e.g. wheels, tracks, legs) or leveraging on existing structures (e.g. rails, cables, fences, PV trackers, others,...).
A solution able to be used as a multifunctional prototype that can be applied to more than one of the following use cases will be evaluated with an additional score.
EGP is interested in the following use case applications for all or any of the renewable assets (solar, wind, storage, green hydrogen, hydro and geo):
- Inspection of electrical components and substation (to detect: electric arc, partial discharges, temperature hot spots and anomalies or defects in specific components)
- Surveillance and patrolling
- Small operations or maintenance activities: i.e. the robot can be equipped with a small robotic arm with gripper, remotely controlled by human operator, capable of e.g. moving a cable, checking bolts, ...
Moreover, below are described specific use cases for each renewable’s asset:
a) Solar use cases:
- Visual inspection of: pv module, inverter, pv module connectors, pv module soiling, metal structures of PV modules, trackers
- Thermal analysis of: inverter, PV modules, junction box, tracker motors
- Advanced analysis like I-V curve of a PV module
- Acoustic (Fast Fourier Transform) analysis of: inverter, gear box, tracker motor
b) BESS (battery energy storage systems) use cases:
- visual inspection and thermographic inspection of battery modules assembled in racks inside containers
c) Hydro use cases:
- Visual inspection of tunnels or channels
- 3D modelling of pipelines, powerhouses, tunnels, or channels
- Thickness measurement inspection for steel pipes up to 2000 mm diameter
- Thermal analysis of plant electrical components located in harsh environment
d) Wind use cases:
- External inspection by means of photographs (minimum 40 MP) and 4K video with 3D scanner to detect structural defects or faults in tower and nacelle
- Blades internal inspection to detect structural defects or faults. Maximum robotic size up to 400 x 200 mm transverse plane to the blade
- Surface cleaning: blades, tower, blade drainage hole and leading edge
- Surface maintenance: blades coating and painting, leading edge sanding
e) Geothermal and Green Hydrogen use cases:
- Environmental performance analysis, such as gas detection (i.e. CH4/H2S/CO/H2 specific for Geothermal and Green Hydrogen application).
The Challenge will be undertaken in 4 phases:
Phase 1) Solvers will have until April 10, 2023 to prepare a proposal in response to the Challenge. Each group will submit the proposal in the Enel Open Innovability® platform with a general description of how their solution is structured (in terms of scope, type of materials needed for realization, list of plant parameters to evaluate, algorithm). Tutors will be available for any doubts, at the following mail enelopeninnovabilitychallenges@wazoku.com and through two webinars:
- 1/03/2023 from 10 to 11 a.m. Italian time at the following link
- 08/03/2023 from 10 to 11 a.m. Italian time at the following link
Phase 2) EGP will select the best proposals at its sole discretion, considering the accomplishment of the Solution Requirements described in the Section below. EGP will provide a customized kit to each group selected from the RS catalogue (https://it.rs-online.com/web/) up to max 5.000€- and will evaluate case by case any additional tool necessary for the prototype realization.
Phase 3) Group members of the selected teams will be advised of their selection by email. They will then work on a prototype of the idea proposed, using the customized kit provided by EGP, within 2 months from the selection notification. During the prototype realization, if needed, EGP tutors will be reachable via mail address that will be provided to each group and through webinars.
Phase 4) At the end of the prototype phase, the selected team will be invited to the Innovation Hub&Lab in Catania, Sicily, for prototype refining helped by EGP experts, using an advanced kit. Travel and accommodation costs will be covered by EGP for this attendance. The event will take place for three days in July 2023.
The finalized prototypes will be evaluated by a jury and the best one(s) will be awarded with an economic prize.
All members of the selected teams will have the possibility to participate in an employer branding session.
SOLUTION REQUIREMENTS
Submissions should address the following Solution Requirements.
The submission ‘must haves’ are:
- Be clear, intuitive, and relevant;
- Detail the technical features using a maximum of 5 pages that:
- Describe the solution;
- Describe the use cases;
- Detail the technical tools needed to implement a prototype: each group will specify the equipment list and RS catalogue code of each tool (https://it.rs-online.com/web/), together with the description, the quantity, the cost, the place of delivery and a telephone number for the carrier;
- Present a preliminary software code;
- Describe the steps to produce the prototype;
- Specify a target price for the final prototype;
- Demonstrate technical and potential feasibility: the proposed technological solution must be able to be implemented / used and must have a high level of quality;
- Easy to be managed/maintained.
Moreover, the proposed solution should (the 'nice to have’ requirements below will be considered a plus):
- Be innovative and sustainable
- Be scalable, with possible deployment on a global scale, hence following the best practices in terms of handling and disposal regulations
- Optimize or increase power production
- Detection in advance critical paths of components’ behavior to anticipate future failures before they occur
- Minimize the stoppages of the asset
- Speed up the troubleshooting process
- Minimize critical accidents by acting on precursor signals (trip for low consequence event before critical events)
- Be cost-effective for business
- Be proposed by a team with heterogeneous competences (i.e. software languages, 3D printing, electronic and mechanical skills)
- Have a standard data base system useful for Enel business
Additional documents can be attached if needed (i.e. electrical and mechanical project details) – maximum of 5 attachments.
PROJECT DELIVERABLES
The submitted proposal should comprise:
- Technical report about the solution proposed with all the “must have” requirements
- Preliminary software code
- List of technical tools needed to produce the prototype
- Proposed CANVAS business model
Optional deliverables:
- Report all the 'must have’ and ‘nice to have’ requirements reached
- Schematic of project design
The solutions will be submitted in the Enel Open Innovability® platform and will use Times New Roman, 14 point font.
SDGs
This Challenge provides contribution to the following Sustainable Development Goals:
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- SDG 13: Climate Action
Challenge rules
All solvers are invited to carefully read the Challenge and the Regulation of this Challenge, attached below in the Attachments section, before submitting a solution.
By submitting a solution, they automatically accept the attached Regulations other than the Terms of Use of this platform.
Eligibility
Only Europeans or those with a Student Schengen Visa based in Europe from 18 to 28 years old are eligible for participation in this Challenge.
Individual or teams consisting of up to 5 eligible members are allowed to participate.
The submission will be completed by a Team Leader and the list of team members must be specified in the application. The proposals should be explained clearly and with attached documents if needed (max 5 files, 25MB total size).
The best proposals will be selected to participate in a physical event where they will have the opportunity to join an employer branding session, in order to understand the job opportunities available in Enel SpA (or any other of its subsidiaries and how to carry on an eventual recruiting process.
In addition to the uploading of the solution on the Open Innovability® platform, each Applicant must upload his/her personal resume (CV), together with the CVs of the other members of the same group, in the platform.
Challenge, award, IP rights
This is a Reduction to Practice Challenge that requires written documentation, experimental proof-of-concept data, and prototype delivery for the purposes of evaluating the effectiveness of the solution.
Deadline
Submissions to this Challenge must be received by April, 14 2023.
Late submissions will not be considered.
Specific regulation in the CSA attached at the bottom of this page.
Regulation
What happens next?
Enel will evaluate the proposal using the following criteria:
- Overall scientific and technical feasibility of the proposed solution.
- Completeness of the proposal’s description.
- Examples/use cases to support the capabilities of the solution.
- Novelty and creativity.
- User's capabilities and related experience.
- Realism of the proposed solution.
- Maturity level of the proposal.
Upon completion of the evaluation, you will receive feedback.
In case of success, Enel Green Power will select up to 10 proposals and contact the team leader to discuss the next steps:
- Send customized base kit to the winning group;
- Prepare a prototype of the idea proposed with the base kit (if needed, Enel tutors will be reachable via videoconferencing calls);
- Prototype refining with Enel experts at the Catania Innovation Lab.
The final award for this Challenge is contingent upon satisfactory completion of the verification process, including acceptance of the Challenge-Specific Agreement (CSA) that is the regulation for this Challenge.
The verification process includes obtaining the following from the Solver: signed affidavit (based on the CSA), employee waiver (if applicable), proof of identify, and Counterparty Analysis Questionnaire (CAQ).
ABOUT THE WAZOKU CROWD
Wazoku collaborates with Enel to manage this Challenge.
Imagine a world where any problem you have can be looked at by millions of experts, motivated eyes. The Wazoku Crowd makes this possible. With twenty years of experience in crowdsourcing, Wazoku is the gold standard for open talent and external innovation solutions. Commercial, governmental and humanitarian organizations engage with the Wazoku Crowd to solve problems that can impact humankind in areas ranging from the environment to medical advancements.
Attachments
FAQ
Do you have any questions regarding the Challenge, the use cases or anything else that comes to mind? In this section you can easily find the information you are looking for.
The presence of unauthorized persons or wildlife, garbage or unusual objects, breaches of the perimeter fence, smoke or fire, and liquids that have been spilt on the ground.
The typical current-voltage curve represents the current as a function voltage of a PV cell, a PV module or an entire string at a given level of solar irradiation and temperature.
The I-V curve analysis provides us with:
- information on the nature of any damage: from the shape of the curve we are able to see whether a loss of performance is due to faults, including shading, cell corrosion, cracks in the glass cover, a faulty junction box, etc. Any damage to a PV cell/module/string that alters the design specifications also reduces the energy output, as it reduces the peak voltage (VMP) or the peak current (Imp) or both.
- information regarding a loss of performance that the panel may have suffered over time, compared to the performance specs supplied by the manufacturer on the technical data sheet.
The tunnels can be made of concrete or steel and range in diameter from 1.5 meters to 4 meters. The channels are more than 2 meters wide and can have a variable height of between 1 and 5 meters with a trapezoidal or rectangular shape.
The parts of the plant which require thermal analysis include: transformers, underground pipelines, and mechanical parts that are subject to friction.
In the hydroelectric sector, the environments that are considered “difficult” for traditional inspections include:
- Set-ups requiring the diversion of water, or those with a single access with a diameter of about 60 cm, with a high level of humidity, sometimes with an uneven bottom and/or with water residues at the bottom up to 10 cm
- power plants or other locations on several levels with gradients and obstacles that need to be overcome
- areas subject to electrical voltages such as sub-stations or cable ducts.
Yes, but only if it has been opened up beforehand; otherwise it is impossible, given the firewalls that are often installed.
Reference: the ISO 40-foot container, with a central corridor that allows the passage of a "human" operator (width approx. 90 cm) and battery racks arranged on either side.
The rack height is about 2 meters.