The energy sector is leading digital twin adoption. Innovators in the sector have already accumulated years of best practices, and consider real-time 3D technology for creating digital twins key to digital transformation programs.
Reduced production downtime and higher return on investment (ROI) are some of the benefits that can result from digital twin deployment, particularly through:
Simulating what-if scenarios at higher or lower speeds for individual assets
Harnessing Internet of Things (IoT) sensor data to monitor variables like energy consumption, overall system throughput, and proactive maintenance requirements
Digital twins are suitable for multiple use cases. This three-phase model describes the categories and level of complexity required in each case.
The maturity model describes the different levels of complexity that a digital twin fulfills.
Explore digital twin solutions in each of these categories from across the energy sector.
Phase 1: Ingest, Transform & View
Definition: A physically accurate realistic digital representation of an asset, facility, or product that emulates its real-world counterpart and enables cross-functional collaboration. At this phase, complex data (like BIM, CAD, or GIS) is consolidated into a single visualization environment.
Key use: Advanced teleoperations with live 3D visualization
Description
Discover how Unity’s real-time 3D technology enables immersive virtual interfaces to industry-standard robotics equipment. Through deployment of industrial robotics, it’s possible to process depth sensor data from multiple sources to provide a high-fidelity digital twin of a site. From that, you can create a virtual environment that enables operators to view and collaborate on a worksite from any vantage point.
Outcomes
Reduces costs of placing staff onsite by enabling remote collaboration
Enables recreation of complex sites from a single depth sensor data source
> Robotics training for materials packaging
A digital twin enables this company to deploy equipment faster.
Key use: Robotics training
Description
In this scenario, a fuel production company uses digital twin technology to apply machine learning to a robotic arm used in fuel container processing. They utilize an accurate replica of the robotic arm in its production environment (a digital twin) to simulate the process of its real-life counterpart.
Outcomes
Allows for review and refinement of the robotic arm prior to deployment
Minimizes potential downtime and delays in initiating new equipment
Description
This engineering and advisory company uses Unity’s real-time 3D technology to plan large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. The digital twin of the proposed site includes the terrain, location, and solar tracking. Using the digital twin, engineers can quickly review the impact of design decisions under any possible condition during an operational year. The digital twin is updated throughout site construction with drone data, enabling the engineers to monitor and make adjustments during construction to ensure optimal performance.
Outcomes
Reduces the time required to develop design-level insights
Decreases costs by enabling an efficient decision making process
Allows for multiple design review and optimization iterations
Description
In the case of this oilfield services company, a digital twin is used for remote site monitoring and maintenance. The digital twin is of a remote wellhead operations site in an area that is not easily accessible. However, using real-time data integrated into the digital twin, operators can view and act on maintenance alerts, and access supporting data like historical site data, charts, and documentation.
Outcome
Facilitates cost savings by minimizing the need for employee deployment and travel expenses
> Virtual reality turbine monitoring with live data feed
Description
This energy infrastructure company uses a 3D virtual and immersive digital twin of a wind farm, showing relationships between the topography, turbine layout, and data streams. Multiple data types from various sources are consolidated and incorporated into the digital twin for easy reference. The virtual reality environment enables the operator to explore the site, investigate assets, view all the data, and receive additional information in pop-up windows. Live telemetry data from the windmills is used to drive real-time wind turbine operational data.
Outcomes
Enables more efficient decision making with a real-time data feed
Improves performance analysis due to data consolidation on one platform
> Real-time payload distribution tracking for heavy machinery fleets
Real-time payload data improves efficiency.
Key use: Immersive training
Description
Created by an integrated energy company, this digital twin provides an immersive training solution for shovel operators. In this training environment, mine shovel operators receive real-time actionable information to improve efficiency. The digital twin can receive data from a live feed and align with an onsite video feed to provide additional real-time feedback. This environment enables new shovel operators to achieve the required skill level more quickly than traditional methods.
Outcomes
Improves efficiency per shovel load with real-time feedback
Shortens onboarding period for new shovel operators
Definition: Leverages advanced modeling and real-time simulation to predict issues and run potential future scenarios, as well as prescriptive analytics and recommendations.
> Driving efficiency across a complex infrastructure site
Complex digital twins integrate and analyze multiple data sources.
Key use: Operational efficiency
Description
The Open Digital Platform (ODP) was created by JTC Corporation, Singapore’s leading government agency responsible for planning, building, and operating industrial areas. The platform collects data from a range of sensors, capturing metrics like temperature, weather conditions, power consumption, and building occupancy. The digital twin integrates and monitors multiple data sources to drive operational efficiency. Using ODP, operators can accurately predict energy demand and supply in the area, enabling them to efficiently make decisions about how, where, and when to adjust power supply in order to meet demand.
Outcome
Facilitates projected cooling system savings of 30%
Accelerate your energy transition program with Unity Industry, a suite of creation tools and enterprise-level support for building immersive and connected digital twins.
The maturity model describes the different levels of complexity that a digital twin fulfills.