Guiding renewable projects from conception to completion with automation
If organisations create clear roadmaps for scaling clean power projects, it should be easier to meet net zero targets and objectives. We ask an experts to sketch out the route.
Without immediate intervention, the UK looks set to fall a long way short of its goal of net zero emissions by 2050. Central to this transition is the development of the renewables industry. It’s predicted that renewable sources will need to contribute 65% of the grid’s electricity by 2030 to make this ambition a reality.
The obvious challenge is actually delivering the clean energy projects that will bring about the necessary change. In recent years, far too many renewable endeavours have been prematurely scrapped, with the Cornwall Insight Renewables Pipeline Tracker revealing that 63% of new renewable energy projects were abandoned from 2018 to 2023.
There are myriad reasons for this disruption, ranging from planning permission rejections to bureaucratic obstacles to lengthy waiting times for grid connectivity.
Government policy is pivotal to reducing the impacts of these roadblocks. However, the energy providers themselves should invert their gaze and consider how they can streamline operations to ensure a greater proportion of initiatives see the light of day.
Ultimately, this hinges on one key factor: repeatability. If organisations can create a clear roadmap for successfully scaling projects, meeting targets and objectives will become a far simpler process.
An endless mass of documentation
As renewables companies expand, incorrectly managing and sharing ever-increasing masses of asset information, and documentation in general, can lead to compliance breaches or missed deadlines. The reality is that not all content is created equal: some is public facing, some is sensitive, and the automation of file permissions is key to making sure data leaks do not happen by accident.
The sheer amount of documentation that operators are responsible for can be overwhelming. Retention periods often last tens of years, as projects transition through myriad phases such as planning, auctioning and surveying, leasing, installation, qualification, pre-commissioning, operation and, at some point down the line, decommissioning.
During these stages, it is vital an environment is cultivated where audits can be run efficiently, operating procedures and policies are accessible, and asset information is up to date. This relies on creating a reliable source of truth for all projects and integrating as much automation as possible, with the possibility of human error considerably higher when employees have to manually control file access.
Seamless processes with workflow automation
Successfully moving from the planning to deployment phase of a renewable energy project requires considerable groundwork – it can be challenging to keep track of how far various applications are along the approvals process. This is where the value of automation becomes clear, with tech-driven solutions capable of ensuring that deadlines are met, and projects proceed as agreed.
Automated workflows enable the seamless progression of tasks, allowing companies to track the status of activities and assign them to the party responsible, whether those are internal or external stakeholders. Routing document reviews and approvals, pointing out differences between two site plans with the help of GenAI, and applying a visual interface to follow activities are all examples of workflow automation that can drive efficiency and productivity.
It’s also essential that renewable energy operators are able to share information securely with other stakeholders, for instance vendors and regulatory bodies. When there are rigorous processes in place for the management of data, disseminating information becomes simple, with access rights and audit trails automated when files are passed on.
This allows companies to safely collaborate with their stakeholders, while employees can work together efficiently using tools that are appropriate for each client or partner.
Data should be an asset, not a headache
Failure to organise information in a structured way can ultimately be the downfall of a renewable project, with a missed deadline potentially resulting in serious consequences. It also hinders the reusability and repeatability of best practices.
Intuitive software taps into existing systems in place for master data management, such as HR or ERP resources, and builds context around documents for easier access. Ordering this information with metadata tags allows employees or AI agents to search for the files they need with keywords, increasing the speed with which they can locate crucial information. As a result, saving and finding essential documents becomes quick and smooth, with users relying on a navigable central system rather than their own memory of where files are saved.
Additionally, the support of AI assistants means it is easier than ever to pinpoint information and onboard employees, as these tools provide answers to natural language questions. For example, staff working on solar projects can enquire about procedures for solar panel maintenance and receive an instant response.
Minimising threats
At the beginning of any renewable project, there are inevitably large quantities of sensitive documents that must only be shared with authorised personnel.
Removing the risk of human error by digitising procedures can drastically reduce the risk of breaching confidentiality. Automated security features set permissions by document type, workflow state, user role, client, project or any other criteria, allowing teams to operate safely in the knowledge that only the right people have access to restricted information.
Similarly, automatic version histories that enable staff to bring up past iterations of files prevent key documentation from getting lost, with audit trails not only mapping the content itself, but the process of who has approved it at each stage.
Implementing these solutions enforces company policies or regulatory controls without the need for human intervention, ensuring that energy companies have a greater level of in-built compliance. With employees also able to view how tasks were completed for previous projects, repeatability improves which is a key element in scaling a renewable enterprise.
Enabling sustainable growth
Establishing a thriving renewable economy should sit at the top of the list of priorities for both energy providers and governments. Embedding repeatable processes across business functions, where all files are easy to access and share, can lay the foundation for a thriving clean energy sector.
Samppa Lahtinen, is Senior Industry Solutions Manager at automation specialist M-Files.
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