On the evening of Tuesday, December 5th, ULC Technologies was honored to win the Unlocking Data Award [Utility], in partnership with Cadent Gas and ICS Consulting at the 2023 Utility Week Awards in London.
The award, presented by Sir Lenny Henry and sponsored by NTT Data, recognized an unprecedented collaboration. ICS Consulting took historical pipe network data from Cadent Gas and then employed their Asset Investment Manager (AIM) solution to geospatially map cost efficient projects for ULC’s CISBOT cast-iron joint remediation robot. Every project identified for CISBOT remediation has (and will) significantly reduce joint leakage issues for another 50 years without major disruption to road users along some of the United Kingdom’s most congested arterial routes.
The project ensured historical and current data was “unlocked” and transparent including calculating the direct cost to Cadent (for digging and re-instating a pit), the lane rental cost in a particular location of the TfL road network, the CISBOT deployment cost and the significant reduction in carbon emissions when compared to alternative remediation options.
The data-driven decisions made as part of the collaboration ensure resources allocations are optimized. They also reduce the social, environmental and financial impacts of managing London’s critical gas infrastructure without compromising on safety. As each CISBOT remediation project takes place, the empirical data that is captured by the ULC operatives who are operating the robot from their solar-powered control cabins, allows ICS Consulting to continuously refine the data model which ensures future investment decisions are informed and impactful.
This collaborative effort comes at an important time for gas networks in the U.K. as the industry explores a potential transition to Hydrogen as the fuel of the future. Whether that be entirely hydrogen or a blended mixture with natural gas, it will still be transported through the existing pipeline infrastructure, with some of the existing cast-iron pipes laid almost 150 years ago by the local gas providers in each town to transport town gas to the homes and businesses they served.
Further collaboration between the three parties will build on the success to date. Winning the Unlocking Data Award at the 2023 Awards Dinner demonstrates the lasting impact of CISBOT, driving further operational and cost efficiencies while reducing carbon emissions from the gas distribution network operated by Cadent.
