Connecting RenewablesEPUG, 29-30 Oct 2019

Peter-Emil Johannessen (NorthConnect)

Ian Peebles and Dean Moiler (Exprodat, a Getech Group company)

Overview

• The future of energy will be low-carbon

• NorthConnect Project Overview

• Challenges and solutions with implementing

a suitable GIS platform for the NorthConnect project

• Summary and Conclusion

The future of energy will be low-carbon

• How do our geospatial skills apply in Renewables during the Energy Transition?

• The fundamental challenges remain the same• Connecting Teams• Connecting Data• Tools for Decision Support• Tools for Design and Planning

• 1400 MW + dynamic overload capacity

• Connecting the heart of Norway’s hydropower system with renewable energy in Scotland

• 2 x 665 km HVDC cables

• Capex estimate: € 1.8 billion

• Bi-directional power flows

NorthConnect Project OverviewConnecting flexible Norwegian hydro power and

Scottish wind power Integrating renewable energy sources

• Project of Common Interest and co-financed by the EU

4

• Large welfare benefit for both Great Britain and Norway, combined with CO2reductions

5

NorthConnect Project OverviewTimetable

Seabed Survey

• Concession and licenses in 2019• Evaluation of tenders for Cable and Converter stations

during 2019• Investment decision Q2 – Q3 2020• Construction of converter station in Simadalen

& Peterhead Q3 2020 – Q4 2023• Installation of two HVDC cables 2022 - 2023• Commissioning Q1 – Q2 2024

• NorthConnect conducted detailed seabed surveys of the cable corridor in the summer and autumn 2017 and has collected detailed information on the seabed’s nature and environmental conditions.

• Based on this data, NorthConnect has optimized the cable corridor according to technical and economic conditions, environmental and cultural heritage sites.

Challenge 1 – Connecting Teams

• The Challenge• Large amount of location data from seabed survey• Joint venture project• No one central IT system• Range of requirements for different users

• The Solution• ArcGIS Online (AGOL) - one GIS platform to view the data

• Teams access data regardless of location / IT• Low-cost entry to enable scaling of solution at suitable points

• Desktop GIS in Cloud (AWS)• Enable ‘power users’• Accessible regardless of location

Challenge 2 – Connecting Data

• The Challenge• Integrate and manage 100+ datasets

from various sources• Seabed survey data• Additional environmental and other third-

party data

• Interrogate bathymetry data • Key requirement to see depth values

• The Solution• Expanded to use Enterprise GIS

• Deployed on EC2s• SQL DB for SDE to manage data• Image server to serve bathymetry data• Continue to use AGOL front-end

ArcGIS Online

ArcGISDesktop/Pro

Data storage (including S3)

Web Application Builder

User management

NorthConnect GIS +/- Exprodat

Stakeholders

Publish

System management Content access

ArcGIS Online

ArcGISEnterprise

ArcGISDesktop/Pro

Data storage (including S3)

Web Application Builder

User management

NorthConnect GIS +/- Exprodat

Stakeholders

Publish

System management Content access

Challenge 3 – Connecting More Data• The Challenge

• Stream video footage• ROV video tracks

• Custom basemaps• Admiralty Charts and others required

• Link to key project documents • Engineering design attachments• Alignment sheets

• The Solution• Configure first

• Additional WMS basemaps accessed (Norway only)• Photos and documents stored in SQL Server / SDE

• Customise where necessary• JS/CSS for video pop-up scaling

• Crossing agreements

Challenge 4 – Secure Connections

• The Challenge• Sensitive data in nearshore Norway

• Data must be secure• Usage must be tracked

• The Solution• Service-level access logging

• AGOL and AD authentication• Logging / reporting of who-accessed-what

Challenge 5 – Continuous Connections

The Challenge

• Keep system active and up to date

• Maintain data and provide support; tenderer process

The Solution

• Ongoing support and service

• Automatic back-ups

• Tenderer access (EU regulations)• Anonymised access (Tenderer 1, 2, 3, etc.)

Conclusions

• Phased approach• ArcGIS Online has enabled a solid foundation• System in-place and delivering benefits…• …And ready to scale-up to Enterprise

• Benefits of hybrid system• No central IT system required• Met needs of multiple access points• Configure first, customise second

• ArcGIS scales-up for subsequent phases• Facility construction & management• Monitoring & optimisation• Local community engagement

Q&AThanks!

Connecting RenewablesOverviewThe future of energy will be low-carbonNorthConnect Project OverviewNorthConnect Project OverviewChallenge 1 – Connecting TeamsChallenge 2 – Connecting DataChallenge 3 – Connecting More DataChallenge 4 – Secure ConnectionsChallenge 5 – Continuous ConnectionsConclusionsQ&A