Pgee Unveils Cutting-Edge Asset Management System To Combat Wildfires

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has signed a 5-year agreement with Sharper Shape to leverage their cutting-edge CORE software for utility asset management, aiming to create a comprehensive digital twin of PG&E’s infrastructure. This partnership, which began in 2019, integrates data from various sources such as sensors, software platforms, and historical records.

Digital twins have emerged as a game-changer in the utilities sector, offering a virtual replica of physical assets that capture real-time data and behavior. AI algorithms can be applied to this rich dataset to simulate scenarios, predict potential issues, optimize operations, and facilitate data-driven decision-making.

The integration of LiDAR and RGB imagery analysis with AI algorithms offers a powerful combination for asset management. LiDAR technology provides high-resolution 3D models of infrastructure, while RGB imagery offers insights into vegetation health and potential fire risks.

Industry experts recognize the importance of digital twins in utility management, enabling utilities to apply AI-powered analysis for enhanced understanding and management of the grid as a whole. By harnessing the power of digital twins and AI, utilities can improve grid reliability, enhance maintenance strategies, integrate renewable energy sources more effectively, and respond swiftly to changing demands and potential disruptions.

The partnership between PG&E and Sharper Shape comes at a critical juncture for the utility sector, with recent wildfires in California placing additional stress on the grid. CORE’s AI-driven approach offers several benefits, including reduced field visits through optimized workflows for pole loading calculations and asset estimation, compliance support by adhering to regulations like California’s GO95.

Kristy McDermott, Vice President of Sales at Sharper Shape Inc., emphasized the significance of this partnership: “The innovative application of our CORE platform demonstrates the immense value of combining advanced AI, remote sensing data, and digital twin technology to create safer and more resilient utility infrastructure.”

As California continues to grapple with wildfire threats, this partnership represents a significant step towards more resilient and efficient utility operations. PG&E aims to enhance safety and improve its response to the challenges posed by an increasingly stressed grid.

The benefits of digital twins and AI in utility management extend beyond asset management to offer a range of benefits, including improved grid reliability, enhanced maintenance strategies, increased integration of renewable energy sources, and swift response to changing demands and potential disruptions. By harnessing the power of digital twins and AI, utilities can create a safer, more reliable, and sustainable energy infrastructure for the future.

The growing recognition of the importance of digital twins in the utilities sector is reflected in industry reports such as one by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), which highlights their potential to revolutionize utility management by enabling utilities to apply AI-powered analysis for enhanced understanding and management of the grid as a whole.

As the energy landscape continues to evolve, the importance of digital twins and AI in utility management is becoming increasingly clear. The partnership between PG&E and Sharper Shape represents a significant step towards embracing this technology and creating a safer, more reliable, and sustainable energy infrastructure for the future.