Activity
  • Ready to ROCC?

    With the rise in renewables has come a paradigm shift in the layout of power generation operations. Generators need more variability and versatility, not only to serve increasing demand, but also to hedge against increasingly severe weather and other unpredictable global events. As a result, more and more companies are expanding their portfolios, acquiring assets of many different types, often across wide geographic areas…
  • Ready to ROCC?

    With the rise in renewables has come a paradigm shift in the layout of power generation operations. Generators need more variability and versatility, not only to serve increasing demand, but also to hedge against increasingly severe weather and other unpredictable global events. As a result, more and more companies are expanding their portfolios, acquiring assets of many different types, often across wide geographic areas…
  • Looking at Ovation in a Whole New Way

    One of the exciting improvements coming in Ovation 4.0 is a significant overhaul to the human machine interface (HMI). The rise of renewables, and their integration into more and more power generation portfolios has made operations more complex than ever. Consequently, HMIs have had to evolve alongside to give operators access to their wide scope of operations without slowing them down or causing confusion via information…
  • Looking at Ovation in a Whole New Way

    One of the exciting improvements coming in Ovation 4.0 is a significant overhaul to the human machine interface (HMI). The rise of renewables, and their integration into more and more power generation portfolios has made operations more complex than ever. Consequently, HMIs have had to evolve alongside to give operators access to their wide scope of operations without slowing them down or causing confusion via information…
  • Realizing the Potential of Renewable Energy

    Renewables are a primary topic of discussion at Emerson’s 2024 Ovation Users Group conference in Pittsburgh, and in a presentation by James Fraser , Brett Benson , Ole Binderup , and Matthew Roberts , attendees could quickly see why. The group shared the many ways the energy landscape is changing, and first and foremost among them is the rise in renewables—often outpacing fossil production. Consequently, it’s not surprising…
  • Realizing the Potential of Renewable Energy

    Renewables are a primary topic of discussion at Emerson’s 2024 Ovation Users Group conference in Pittsburgh, and in a presentation by James Fraser , Brett Benson , Ole Binderup , and Matthew Roberts , attendees could quickly see why. The group shared the many ways the energy landscape is changing, and first and foremost among them is the rise in renewables—often outpacing fossil production. Consequently, it’s not surprising…
  • Diving Into Ovation Green SCADA

    We’ve talked a lot in this space about the benefits of Emerson’s Ovation Green SCADA —built-for-purpose renewable energy software that provides a top-down approach to view, monitor, control, and optimize a wide variety of renewable energy and storage assets, across a single piece of equipment or even a full fleet of assets. It can do some impressive things, but just how impressive became even more obvious in Sarah Morgan…
  • Diving Into Ovation Green SCADA

    We’ve talked a lot in this space about the benefits of Emerson’s Ovation Green SCADA —built-for-purpose renewable energy software that provides a top-down approach to view, monitor, control, and optimize a wide variety of renewable energy and storage assets, across a single piece of equipment or even a full fleet of assets. It can do some impressive things, but just how impressive became even more obvious in Sarah Morgan…
  • True Cybersecurity Relies on Quality Engineering

    One of the key highlights of Emerson’s Ovation Users’ Group is the wealth of outside perspectives users are exposed to across the week in Pittsburgh. Tuesday morning’s Cyber-Informed Engineering session was no exception. Virginia Wright , program manager for the Cyber-Informed Engineering program at Idaho National Laboratory shared her expertise with the audience, introducing what, to many, was a new concept in operational…
  • True Cybersecurity Relies on Quality Engineering

    One of the key highlights of Emerson’s Ovation Users’ Group is the wealth of outside perspectives users are exposed to across the week in Pittsburgh. Tuesday morning’s Cyber-Informed Engineering session was no exception. Virginia Wright , program manager for the Cyber-Informed Engineering program at Idaho National Laboratory shared her expertise with the audience, introducing what, to many, was a new concept in operational…
  • Improving Cybersecurity in the Water Industry

    At the 2024 Ovation Users Conference, Emerson’s Alejandro Cruz presented Power & Water Cybersecurity Suite (PWCS)—Mapping to the NIST & CISA Cyber Action Recommendations. Here is his presentation abstract: Top Cyber Action for Security Water Systems. The Power and Water Cybersecurity Suite (PWCS) supports customer practices and compliance needs related to NIST, ISO, ISA and other standards. To develop an effective security…
  • Improving Cybersecurity in the Water Industry

    At the 2024 Ovation Users Conference, Emerson’s Alejandro Cruz presented Power & Water Cybersecurity Suite (PWCS)—Mapping to the NIST & CISA Cyber Action Recommendations. Here is his presentation abstract: Top Cyber Action for Security Water Systems. The Power and Water Cybersecurity Suite (PWCS) supports customer practices and compliance needs related to NIST, ISO, ISA and other standards. To develop an effective security…
  • Cleared for Takeoff: Future-Ready Innovations

    As always, Rick Kephart hit the stage ready to talk about technology, once again focused on Emerson’s Boundless Automation vision—from the field to the cloud. While Rick’s entire roadmap for innovation plans for today, tomorrow, and the distant future, his opening presentation focused on short-term technology innovations; those that are coming in the next few years. A new Ovation Everything that is new and exciting…
  • Cleared for Takeoff: Future-Ready Innovations

    As always, Rick Kephart hit the stage ready to talk about technology, once again focused on Emerson’s Boundless Automation vision—from the field to the cloud. While Rick’s entire roadmap for innovation plans for today, tomorrow, and the distant future, his opening presentation focused on short-term technology innovations; those that are coming in the next few years. A new Ovation Everything that is new and exciting…
  • Soaring to New Heights

    The Ovation Users’ Group is a conference by and for the users themselves, and that hasn’t changed in the 37 years it has been running. Bob Yeager brought that group together by sharing how those users have made Ovation the leading platform for the power industry around the world—automating 20% of the entire world power generating capacity. In fact, Bob explained, “We have a huge install base in the United States. Sitting…
  • Soaring to New Heights

    The Ovation Users’ Group is a conference by and for the users themselves, and that hasn’t changed in the 37 years it has been running. Bob Yeager brought that group together by sharing how those users have made Ovation the leading platform for the power industry around the world—automating 20% of the entire world power generating capacity. In fact, Bob explained, “We have a huge install base in the United States. Sitting…
  • Understanding the Evolving Cybersecurity Landscape

    Over the years, I’ve commonly seen organizations view cybersecurity in a siloed way. While everyone recognizes that cybersecurity is necessary, of course, it’s not typically considered core to the organization’s overall strategy and operations. I suggest a different perspective. For instance, let’s compare cybersecurity to a team sport. A sports team typically has offensive and defensive strategies. The team follows…
  • Understanding the Evolving Cybersecurity Landscape

    Over the years, I’ve commonly seen organizations view cybersecurity in a siloed way. While everyone recognizes that cybersecurity is necessary, of course, it’s not typically considered core to the organization’s overall strategy and operations. I suggest a different perspective. For instance, let’s compare cybersecurity to a team sport. A sports team typically has offensive and defensive strategies. The team follows…
  • Understanding the Evolving Cybersecurity Landscape

    Over the years, I’ve commonly seen organizations view cybersecurity in a siloed way. While everyone recognizes that cybersecurity is necessary, of course, it’s not typically considered core to the organization’s overall strategy and operations. I suggest a different perspective. For instance, let’s compare cybersecurity to a team sport. A sports team typically has offensive and defensive strategies. The team follows…
  • Application of Edge Control in the World’s Largest New City Water System Gives Good Advice to all Systems Integrators

    In a recent edition of Control Engineering magazine , I had the opportunity to discuss a very unique and interesting case study involving a new water system in the world’s largest greenfield city, NEOM. I’d like to share some of the details of that article with you. Working on greenfield projects, of course, represents an opportunity to employ new technologies that can optimize performance, reduce footprint, accommodate…
  • Application of Edge Control in the World’s Largest New City Water System Gives Good Advice to all Systems Integrators

    In a recent edition of Control Engineering magazine , I had the opportunity to discuss a very unique and interesting case study involving a new water system in the world’s largest greenfield city, NEOM. I’d like to share some of the details of that article with you. Working on greenfield projects, of course, represents an opportunity to employ new technologies that can optimize performance, reduce footprint, accommodate…
  • Application of Edge Control in the World’s Largest New City Water System Gives Good Advice to all Systems Integrators

    In a recent edition of Control Engineering magazine , I had the opportunity to discuss a very unique and interesting case study involving a new water system in the world’s largest greenfield city, NEOM. I’d like to share some of the details of that article with you. Working on greenfield projects, of course, represents an opportunity to employ new technologies that can optimize performance, reduce footprint, accommodate…
  • Optimizing Pump Performance with Measurements and Analytics

    Emerson’s Melanie Novacek presented Ovation Advanced Process Control Pump Performance Algorithm at the 2023 Ovation Users Group Conference. Melanie opened by highlighting the APC Toolkit Pump Performance Algorithm in Ovation 3.8 systems and later. APC Toolkit pump performance algorithm calculates the following for centrifugal pumps based on the ASME Power Test Codes: Efficiency Head – suction, discharge, and total…
  • Optimizing Pump Performance with Measurements and Analytics

    Emerson’s Melanie Novacek presented Ovation Advanced Process Control Pump Performance Algorithm at the 2023 Ovation Users Group Conference. Melanie opened by highlighting the APC Toolkit Pump Performance Algorithm in Ovation 3.8 systems and later. APC Toolkit pump performance algorithm calculates the following for centrifugal pumps based on the ASME Power Test Codes: Efficiency Head – suction, discharge, and total…
  • Optimizing Pump Performance with Measurements and Analytics

    Emerson’s Melanie Novacek presented Ovation Advanced Process Control Pump Performance Algorithm at the 2023 Ovation Users Group Conference. Melanie opened by highlighting the APC Toolkit Pump Performance Algorithm in Ovation 3.8 systems and later. APC Toolkit pump performance algorithm calculates the following for centrifugal pumps based on the ASME Power Test Codes: Efficiency Head – suction, discharge, and total…