Altavec
Leveraging remote sensing, imagery, and advanced analytic technologies, Horizon Power’s Geospatial Intelligence Program aims to deliver a geospatial intelligence solution that transforms the utility’s ability to quickly understand the state of the network.
By Patricia Mae Tagabe November 2, 2022. Original article published in Utility Magazine, https://utilitymagazine.com.au/delivering-geospatial-intelligence-for-horizon-power/
Leveraging remote sensing, imagery, and advanced analytic technologies, Horizon Power’s Geospatial Intelligence Program aims to deliver a geospatial intelligence solution that transforms the utility’s ability to quickly understand the state of the network.
With a network spanned across thousands of kilometres, the program will optimise asset performance, and keep the network safe and reliable. Horizon Power has selected geospatial specialist Altavec to deliver the program.
In Western Australia, Horizon Power is leading the energy transition with a clear strategy to deliver cleaner and sustainable renewable energy solutions for regional and remote areas. The Geospatial Intelligence Program will create a common operational view of the network and assets that stakeholders can easily explore, analyse, and visualise to make informed decisions.
When imagery and operational data is available in one system and integrated with analytics, it will become much easier for stakeholders to understand the state of the network – HV and LV distributions assets, clearances, and vegetation. This solution will enhance Horizon Power’s ability to resolve core data issues with network alignment, and implement predictive maintenance strategies aimed at reducing network failures and damages.
The centralisation of knowledge, more accurate data, and enhanced management visibility will significantly reduce risks and improve network reliability while lowering costs. The innovative use of imagery and other remote sensing technologies will lead Horizon Power away from the run-to-failure model and towards a predictive data-driven model.
Actionable insights
Altavec delivers a world-class, cloud-based geospatial intelligence platform. The Altavec AIMS 3D platform is designed to process LiDAR (for network realignment, vegetation analysis and network clearance analysis) and images (for asset condition monitoring) in a highly automated fashion.
The result being the full network rendered in 2D and 3D, matched to Horizon Power’s assets, and tagged with defects for vegetation encroachments. With the addition of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques, Altavec scans thousands of images collected across the network in minutes, and guides Horizon Power to areas of concern.
Streamlined analytics enable the delivery of actionable insights to decision makers who can get the right team to the right place at the right time. Altavec is investing heavily to continually improve the accuracy and breadth of the automation.
Business benefits delivered to Horizon Power include:
• Virtual inspections will provide the ability to plan beyond near run to failure model and gain visibility into the health of asset and equipment that cannot be seen from the ground
• Accurate identification and quantification of non-compliant asset conditions, prioritisation of asset maintenance/repairs and targeted preventive maintenance will increase the life of assets and reliability across the network
• Situational awareness of the network will improve preparedness during emergency events and natural disasters
• Access to geospatial information will assist in planning and prioritising before crews begin field work, reduce site assessment visits and field travel time. The information will also improve permitting workflows, resulting in better data and time savings for both office and field crews
• Reactive maintenance costs will be reduced with improved system reliability and fault response efficiency
Altavec (previously known as Geomatic.ai) is a Tech Mahindra company, specialising in geospatial and network intelligence services to deliver digital asset insights. Designed to empower infrastructure businesses to make truly informed decisions about their assets, the team at Altavec convert LiDAR and imagery into digital network models for compliance, analysis, planning and design purposes.
Having completed over 300,000kms of network survey and analysis work across Australia, Altavec have been trusted partners to Australian utilities for more than 20 years. Ongoing advancements in automated analytics along with developing machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms ensure Altavec delivers the future of network intelligence, now.
This sponsored editorial is brought to you by Altavec. For further information, please visit altavec.com or www.horizonpower.com.au.