Using data intelligence in smart cities
How the United Arab Emirates is using the IIoT to help drive a sustainable future #WFES2017
The digital transformation driven by the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has an impact on social, environmental as well as economic aspect of the society. IoT bridges the gaps between things, services and people making them connected, hence enabling real-time data flows and mobile sharing of that data allowing us to act proactively to enhance the future towards sustainability. It provides means to the societies to tackle the challenges of energy and industrial revolutions, and unlock value from this era.
Smart cities dealing with growing population and energy demand challenges employ connectivity to maximize efficiency and to exploit resources to their full potential. Digital transformation enables an efficient way to manage assets for performance optimization in the utilities, industries, transportation and infrastructure sectors. Environmental and economic benefits can be achieved for example in terms of energy efficiency.
In the Middle East, the UAE is leading the way by ensuring that its cities are truly smart by optimizing energy infrastructure and consumption. The UAE Energy Plan 2050 highlights the target to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 70 per cent, increase clean energy use by 50 per cent and improve energy efficiency by 40 per cent by the middle of the century, resulting in savings worth Dh700 billion. The policy’s targets for the source of energy include broadening the energy source mix from current over 90 per cent met by natural gas and the ambition is to have 44 per cent of consumption to be generated from renewable energy.
Already today, ABB’s products and solutions are harnessing IT/OT integration and connectivity to enable heightened communications and early decision making based on analytics of the relevant data, turning it into actionable intelligence. Our smart solutions are at the heart of a modern city’s critical infrastructure including city communication platforms, buildings, electricity networks, water networks, district heating and cooling and transport. Smart grids integrating renewables are revolutionizing the energy infrastructure. At the Mohammed bin Rashid (MBR) solar park, ABB substation will be the first 400kV station in the UAE connected to integrate solar energy, facilitating reliable and efficient transmission of clean power.
Transportation can account for 20 to 40 percent of total city emissions, which can be reduced by electrifying metro trains, buses, cars and even berthed ships. ABB is at the forefront of Internet-based charging infrastructure, supporting all EV charging standards.
We, at ABB, believe that a digital economy integrated with digital utilities and industries will help create a sustainable nation which uses its resources responsibly.
Join us at the business breakfast session to discuss more on digital opportunities for smart cities at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, January 17 at 8.45am onwards, and visit us at Hall 5 January 16-19, 2017.
Photo: Petr Kadlec via CC License on Flickr