Decarbonisation Technology May 2026 Issue

can cost millions, reliability is not an abstract concept; it is a daily requirement. Companies need systems that continue to run under pressure. The strongest evidence of reliability is continuity of operations. One long-standing European chemicals facility has relied on the same automation platform for more than 20 years, evolving gradually from one generation to the next without interrupting production. In Singapore, a large combined cycle gas power plant upgraded its turbine control system with ABB’s latest technology, boosting reliability and efficiency while avoiding costly downtime. Reliability rests on two pillars. The first is technology systems designed with high availability, built-in redundancy, and cybersecurity at their core. The second is service and long-term support, which gives operators the confidence they can modernise at a pace that suits their business. In industries that society relies on, both are indispensable. Autonomous operations The next frontier is autonomy. Today’s systems already deliver predictive analytics and real- time optimisation. Advances in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital twin technology are moving us toward semi- autonomous, and eventually autonomous, industrial operations. The path toward autonomy will be gradual, with operators remaining central, particularly in sectors where safety and accountability cannot be compromised. However, the trajectory is clear: intelligent systems will increasingly analyse vast datasets, detect anomalies, and recommend or implement actions faster than human operators alone could. Autonomy has profound implications. It enables continuous optimisation of energy use, predictive management of assets and near-instant response to changing conditions on the grid or in process facilities. It also reshapes the workforce. Engineers can spend less time on routine tasks and more time on higher-value tasks, such as innovation, system improvement, and strategy. We are already seeing this shift. In offshore operations, new projects are being designed as unmanned platforms controlled remotely from

onshore centres. Digital twins simulate and test control strategies before deployment, reducing engineering hours and minimising risk. Remote operations are not just about a relocation of the control room; they are a rethinking of how expertise is deployed. This allows fewer people to be exposed to hazardous environments and means more capability is concentrated in centralised hubs. Automation has always been about doing more with less. Autonomy takes that principle further, enabling industries to operate with unprecedented flexibility and resilience. “ Intelligent systems will increasingly analyse vast datasets, detect anomalies, and recommend or implement actions faster than human operators alone could ” Conclusion The story of energy expansion cannot be told in absolutes. The world needs more energy, not less. This goal is to reduce emissions while retaining competitiveness. It requires resilience in the face of uncertainty and rising demand. The challenge of balancing energy security, affordability, and sustainability is why automation is indispensable. Automation is the true enabler. It ensures critical operations run safely and reliably, integrates renewables at scale, and makes industrial decarbonisation achievable. It turns today’s complexity into tomorrow’s advantage. The time for automation is now because the demands on industry have never been higher. Every efficiency gain matters. A percentage increase in productivity or an hour of downtime prevented – these marginal gains compound into transformative change. Automation may not be the headline act of energy expansion, but as the brain of industrial operations it is the infrastructure that makes everything else possible.

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Per Erik Holsten