Smarter Asset Management with Big Data

Smarter Asset Management using Big dAta (SAMBA) was a 3-year industry innovation project headed by Statnett, partially founded by the Norwegian Research Council and involving several partners: SINTEF ER, GE Grid Solutions, ABB and IBM. The project focused on the significant potential for improving the transmission system's asset management by optimizing decisions on maintenance and reinvestments using developments in information and communication technology (ICT) and existing business specific knowledge. The premises for SAMBA where that data that Statnett historically gathered - about the assets and the system was not fully used in analyses and decision support. Data about condition and remaining lifetime was not readily available for analysis and decision-making. SAMBA started in WP1 by discussing and mapping possibilities and challenges within asset management in Statnett, in close cooperation with our research and industry partners. During early stages the project identified a large potential for added value by activating more online, automatically collected condition and system operation data which combined with maintenance data collected on site will be crucial for estimating asset's condition, probability of failure and remaining lifetime. Further on, use cases have been developed in (WP2). Through the use case methodology, central asset management functions and decision processes, with accompanying data were efficiently described. In WP3 the necessary data for testing of WP2 use cases have been identified and mapped in Statnett's systems. Large-scale exploration of data has been the focus area in WP4. The aim of this WP was to investigate new ICT-solutions, architecture, data models and methods of analysis to enable the use of big data in asset management. Reporting from WP2/WP3 and WP4 can be found here: http://www.statnett.no/Samfunnsoppdrag/Forskning-og-utvikling/Resultater/Prosjektrapporter/Prosjektrapporter-2018/. Another important activity was WP6 focusing on the functionality of future risk monitoring in Statnett. One of the most intensive activities in the project was the testing of selected use cases in WP5 using Statnett data. The tests were conducted inhouse at Statnett, at SINTEF Energy Research and industry partners. The results and experiences from the testing are documented and provide useful information for future ICT-architecture and asset management in Statnett. WP7 summarizes the innovations and recommendations from the SAMBA-project. The project was executed according to schedule. The partners were involved through workshops and have been invited to contribute to the development of use cases. Information about the project and results from the project were communicated both internally and externally on the Statnett's website or at the Statnett's FoU- conference. The project also offers opportunities to discuss and collaborate internally in Statnett, between component experts and maintenance optimization groups. We see an increasing awareness for the potential that lies in the data and the importance of correct data collection and analysis. The results from SAMBA are an important input to Statnett's digitalization strategy and most of the use cases will be use as input for further testing and implementation in pilot projects.

The project motivates Statnett to transform into a data-driven organization. SAMBA has provided an overview of where data can be found, data quality and potential for improved decision making. The experiences and lessons learned in the SAMBA project will reduce the risk exposure of this transformation. The industry partners have improved their knowledge on customer needs and increase their competitive strength. SINTEF has strengthened its position as an internationally recognized research institute. The society will benefit as the result will lead to better asset management of the transmission network, hence improving security of supply. DSOs and other TSOs might benefit from the results as these can be adapted and reused. Statnett has recently initiated a digitalization program for asset management called FRIDA. The aim of the program is to make asset management in Statnett more efficient, and to contribute to the digital transformation. FRIDA will build on results from SAMBA.

The main objective of the SAMBA-project is to develop a system architecture, data models and analysis methods for big data driven asset management of the Norwegian transmission system. The project is based on the idea that reinvestments and maintenance can be optimized using business sector independent developments in information- and communication technology (ICT) and existing domain knowledge to facilitate a more efficient analysis of incipient failures, ageing mechanisms and remaining lifetime of power system components. The project will contribute to the ENERGIX-target of ensuring Norway's security of supply and strengthen innovation in Norwegian trade and industry. Today, condition data is not readily available for analysis and decision-making. In addition, much of the R&D done for Statnett has resulted in monitoring schemes and ageing models that, for various reasons, has remained stand alone tools, not fully integrated in the larger fleet management. There is an absolute need for research to bring this knowledge together and combine it into useful information, both for modelling (i.e. input into ageing models) and ICT (interoperability, protocols.). The existing commercial asset management systems need to be tested in order to find out which needs these systems can meet. There exists a nonutilized potential for added value in the management of Statnett's fleets of components by activating more online, automatically collected data in condition modelling. The SAMBA-project will unleash this potential through close cooperation between Statnett, industry and research. A Research Council-supported project will create an arena for such a pre-competitive dialogue aiming at improving asset management.