In the ever-evolving realm of energy infrastructure and asset management, Stephan Heberer emerges as a seasoned professional with a rich history spanning over 30 years, leading to his current role as CEO of Ampacimon. His expertise lies in the field of condition monitoring, where he has played a pivotal role in optimizing transmission and distribution infrastructure worldwide. With a focus on asset management, Stephan has spearheaded numerous strategic monitoring and analytics projects across various sectors, including power generation, transmission, distribution, offshore wind farms, and the oil and gas industry.
This wealth of knowledge has made Stephan a critical addition to the vaunted Energy Central Network of Experts, specifically in Grid Professionals Community. As a part of this status, Stephan took time out of his busy schedule to join us for a Power Perspectives Interview. In this conversation, read how Stephan is looking to the future needs of the grid while encouraging utilities today to embrace innovative technologies.
Enjoy!
Matt Chester: Thanks for agreeing to join our Expert Network, Stephan. Let’s start at the beginning and can you give us a bit of your background in the power sector and how you found yourself in your role today as Ampacimon’s CEO.
Stephan Heberer: Firstly, thank you very much, Matt, for providing me with this opportunity to engage with the community, particularly here in the U.S. I've actually been in the energy sector for the past 30 years. It all began with my career at ABB, which is now known as Hitachi Energy. Throughout this time, I've held various management positions, primarily focused on the supply side, catering to utilities for transformers, switchgear, distribution transformers, and other equipment.
Over the past 15 years, my focus has shifted significantly towards the sector of condition monitoring and assessments of electrical apparatus. This transition stemmed from my realization of its growing importance as a pivotal pillar, especially outside the realms of major organizations like ABB or Siemens. There's a burgeoning demand and emergence of new technologies in this sphere.
For instance, I had the opportunity to work with companies like Qualitrol as a General Manager in locations such as Zurich and Glasgow, overseeing the condition monitoring business in both places. Subsequently, I spent nine years with a company formerly known as TECHIMP, which later merged into Altanova before being acquired by Doble. During this time, I was deeply involved in overseeing the international condition monitoring business, maintaining close connections with clients across Europe, the US, the Middle East, Asia, and South America.
My experience in the condition monitoring sector has been immensely rewarding. I've cherished the collaboration with customers and the solutions we've brought to the table, enhancing their operational efficiency. This brings me to my current role at Ampacimon, which I find incredibly exciting. Here, we're engaged in developing technologies aimed at enhancing the energy sector's capacity and efficiency to meet the demands of today.
MC: Given your focus on optimizing T&D infrastructure, what emerging trends do you foresee shaping the future of asset management in these sectors from power to oil and gas to offshore wind?
SH: I think the trends are driven by basically 4 main pillars. The first one is very obvious: the trend for transitioning to renewables and reducing carbon emissions in energy production. This shift not only impacts energy production but also transmission and distribution. The second pillar is the significant increase in demand, particularly due to the rise of electric vehicles, which also adds to decentralization. Then, there's the issue of aging infrastructure. Many of our customers are dealing with infrastructures that are reaching ages of 30, 40, or sometimes even 50 years. And last but not least, there's the HR factor, with experienced individuals, particularly from the boomer generation, retiring and not enough new talent entering the field. This means we need to supplement experience with technologies like artificial intelligence.
Regarding renewables, the change in loadings in the system is significant. The infrastructure of transmission and distribution grids has dramatically evolved due to the introduction of wind and solar power, which introduce harmonics into the network, contributing to aging. This accelerated aging isn't always readily apparent, as networks were historically designed for specific load scenarios over 30-40 years. With changing loads and the introduction of harmonics, the aging of equipment is heavily impacted, and the industry is still grappling with understanding the full extent of this impact.
The decentralized production of renewables further compounds these challenges, leading to significant changes in transmission systems' loads, especially combined with the heavier consumption resulting from electric vehicles. When we combine all these factors, it becomes clear why the industry is facing such dramatic changes. However, adaptation to these changes is often slow.
MC: As an experienced professional dealing with innovative technology, what strategies do you employ to foster innovation and adaptability within your organization, especially in an industry that undergoes rapid technological advancements? And what do you see holding back the stakeholders in the power sector that have less been able to do the same in terms of keeping up with advancing technology?
SH: So first and foremost, we prioritize our customers. It's crucial to understand their needs, pain points, and where they require assistance. How can we contribute to simplifying their lives, facilitating smoother business operations, and aiding in predictive decision-making? All this feedback is channeled back into our organization, where we focus on providing cutting-edge technologies in optimization and transmission capacities.
We're fortunate to have top talent within our organization, particularly in R&D, who are dedicated to applying the latest technologies, including artificial intelligence, to enhance the precision of forecasts and assessments. Additionally, we've established an innovation department. When we receive consistent feedback from customers, this department explores potential technical solutions to address recurring issues.
Overall, we've established a robust feedback loop with our customers, leveraging their input to understand current needs. Then, with the expertise of our technical departments, we strive to develop solutions that go beyond our current offerings, supporting them in their transitions.
MC: In your opinion, what role do advanced analytics and predictive maintenance play in enhancing the reliability and resilience of transmission and distribution infrastructure, and how are these technologies being leveraged in your current projects?
SH: Our customers in the transmission grids face issues such as congestions due to the integration of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. We've engaged in discussions with our customers on how to enhance capacity and overall system performance. Our solutions, whether sensor-based or software-based, assist our customers in efficiently operating their systems, maximizing capacity utilization, and even predicting transport capacity, crucial for planning purposes.
Additionally, we offer solutions for condition assessment, providing customers with vital information, particularly regarding aging infrastructure. Identifying potential faults and distinguishing between different assets based on their progression is essential. With our solutions, customers can make informed decisions, prioritizing maintenance or replacement works based on real equipment aging rather than scheduled intervals. This approach allows for more precise budget allocations and optimization of assets.
MC: What advice would you give to professionals in the utility sector looking to enhance their approach to condition monitoring and asset management in today's dynamic and interconnected energy landscape?
SH: It is high time for every utility to develop a comprehensive digitalization strategy, considering all aspects and leveraging available technologies to enhance business operations. This strategy should ideally originate from the top, either from the CEO or the C-suite, to ensure alignment throughout the organization.
Currently, we observe fragmented approaches in many cases, with certain departments embracing new technologies driven by a few individuals. However, this momentum can be lost when these individuals move on to other positions without a clear successor to continue driving the initiative forward. Conversely, when digitalization is driven top-down by the CEO or the executive team, it results in a harmonized solution, adding significant value to the organization.
While implementing digitalization initiatives on a case-by-case basis can yield benefits, scaling requires a holistic approach, garnering support from the entire organization despite initial reluctance towards new technologies. Fortunately, advancements in artificial intelligence and intuitive software solutions have made adoption easier, facilitating smoother operations.
MC: Why did you feel compelled to get more involved in the Energy Central Community? And what value do you hope to bring to your peers on the platform?
SH: What personally drives me is the opportunity to be involved in a business where we can make tangible contributions towards achieving net zero emission targets. This means that through our solutions, we play a part in increasing renewable energy production, such as wind and solar power, within the networks. Being a part of this endeavor is incredibly exciting.
We accomplish this by providing cutting-edge technologies and engaging with our customers to expedite the implementation of these solutions. I believe this acceleration is not only important but also beneficial for society as a whole and for the future of the industry, as well as for the well-being of our children.
MC: Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know as a final lasting message?
SH: What I would really focus on is the speed of implementation. We're losing valuable time due to regulatory hurdles and misplaced incentives, preventing investments in technologies that could significantly benefit society. Finding ways to accelerate the adoption of new technologies and recognizing their contributions to the broader scenario is crucial. My biggest hope is to witness substantial progress on a larger scale, where we can truly see the tangible benefits of such endeavors.
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Thanks to Stephan for joining me for this interview and for providing a wealth of insights and expertise to the Energy Central Community. You can trust that Stephan will be available for you to reach out and connect, ask questions, and more as an Energy Central member, so be sure to make him feel welcome when you see her across the platform.
The other expert interviews that we’ve completed in this series can be read here, and if you are interested in becoming an expert, you can reach out to me or you can apply here.