Renewable Energy Operation Centres (CORE)
Iberdrola renewable energy operation centres: 15 years at the forefront of technology
Informatics Iberdrola projects Renewable energy
The Renewable Energy Operation Centres (CORE by their Spanish initials) are the platform from which Iberdrola group operates and controls its renewable generation facilities, in a centralised and standardised way in the different countries in which it operates.
The CORE platform is a ground-breaking solution developed internally and owned by Iberdrola which arose 15 years ago from the necessity to meet the challenges posed by the operation and maintenance of renewable facilities. The system can optimise these processes, but can also increase the availability of the facilities, ease the integration into the network of new assets, and enable centralised and uniform information management.
An internal team of specialists is in charge of expansion and the introduction of the CORE platform in the various countries in which the company operates. Their missions are:
- To serve and develop new business needs.
- To maintain and apply global technical and operating standards.
- To carry out market and technology surveillance to develop best practices.
What is CORE?
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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF CORE
CORE is an open system whose technical characteristics make it suitable for centralised operation, analysis and maintenance of renewable power plants.
Bulk information
Efficient and standardised processing of large amounts of data in real time.
Alert management
Direct operation based on information from alarms in case of incident.
Flexible, centralised configuration
The capacity to grow by adding — not replacing — equipment and applications.
Rapid incorporation of installations into the system
The centralised database, advanced graphics and objective-oriented technology optimises new power plants configuration and installation.
Optimum use of communications channels
Due to the collection of value-change data in real time.
Integrates in applications
Full capacity for application development and integration to suit business needs and regulatory changes.
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IN CONSTANT EVOLUTION
The most successful aspect of the COREs has been their enormous flexibility and their constant evolution. The platform has been integrating all the information that is important for the business — for example, energy measurements, atmospheric data and weather forecasts — as well as new types of renewable generation, such as the US and UK offshore wind farms and the Spanish photovoltaic plants. Pioneers in the development of computerisation for Iberdrola's digital systems, the COREs are also currently in a position to face the challenges posed by cybersecurity.
Over the next few years, the system will need to meet two main challenges: firstly, to consolidate the operation of all the company's renewable assets; and secondly, to support the growth, and guarantee the centralised and standardised operation and maintenance of all these assets. Something that will only be possible if the platform remains at the forefront of technology.
