Realising the potential of digital twins

This article originally appeared in the June'22 magazine issue of Electronic Specifier Design – see ES's Magazine Archives for more featured publications.

Digital twins enable a range of real-time insights that can enhance quality, performance, productivity, and energy efficiency. A digital twin is a dynamic, data-supported framework that functions as a business enabler, solving real-world problems with real-world data.

One such challenge is that of sustainability.

Sustainability in electrical design

Today’s electrical distribution systems suffer from high levels of inefficiency. The answer is in more innovative design, aided by digital technologies, which provide a safe way to simulate changes and test, develop and evolve systems without high capital outlay.

The Rock of Gibraltar has historically relied heavily on electrical generators but identified their use as a barrier to achieving net zero. Using a digital twin, they could design a battery storage solution and run simulations to improve efficiency.

Similarly, a recent project for a major chemical company used a digital twin to simulate the effect on-site solar photovoltaics, battery energy storage, and adjustments to heating systems would have on energy consumption. With a digital twin, such strategies can be modelled, allowing a view of how the network behaves and its performance under different scenarios.

Cutting through complexity

While digital twin technology for energy management has been under the spotlight for some time, its potential has yet to be fully realised. One reason for this is the perceived complexity of creating digital twins, with specific skills required to model complex processes and systems reliably. While it is true that specialist expertise is needed to initialise digital twins, ‘aftercare’ is much more easily managed.

Therefore, the initial complexity involved shouldn’t be regarded as a barrier, especially when specialists are available to build and provide the training required for organisations to manage responsibility for the twin after integration.

While sustainability is a hot topic right now, the value of digital twins for electrical systems in industrial settings extends much further. For example, the Electricity at Work Act makes specific references to the documentation requirements for all buildings, with single line diagrams providing an essential requirement. Despite this long-required aspect of buildings control, keeping these up to date, accessible – and to remain confident that they are a factual representation has always been challenging. This is again where the value of a proper digital twin is proven.

Building a model of the electrical system that is more easily updated and where elements and characteristics can be added makes it a powerful simulation tool and a reliable source of up-to-date information for other purposes.

Digital tools provide users with the visibility needed to test-drive different routes in virtual surroundings, choosing which is most efficient for the real journey.

The question is, why is this technology not being utilised when the benefits are already so clear, and the potential so vast? Whatever the reason for hesitancy, the urgency to answer sustainability targets must surely make digital twin technology worth serious consideration.