Digitally enabled substation service: a structured framework to establish a collaborative asset management environment. The ERG use case in wind power generation

This paper describes a success story of how Digital Transformation becomes pivotal to embrace the challenge of a sustainable energy transition, as an enabler of a Collaborative Asset

Management approach. The authors will describe how Hitachi is developing a brand-new structured service framework through digital transformation, by supporting asset management activities from the initial audit, through a data-centric business process re-engineering down to a digitally enabled SLA (Service Level Agreement), feeding the story with a use case.

As a definition, Digital Transformation means generating new added value thanks to the implementation of digital solutions, streamlining the incumbent business processes of an organization. This concept has been deployed in its entirety by Hitachi Energy in an ERG wind farm substation in Partinico, Italy. The project involves on-site acquisition of hybrid switching equipment operating parameters using a dedicated Switchgear monitoring system to increase asset availability and overall performance. The switchgear working parameters are then sent to a dedicated cloud-based condition monitoring platform, where data are shared with highvoltage technology experts. Early trends and weak signals readings are continuously kept under the attention of a dedicated team in a Collaborative Center, where all the customer base 1 Paris Session 2026

August 23 to 28

Palais des Congrès, Paris, France operational data are collected, monitored and elaborated in regular reports which are shared with the customer. This on-line condition monitoring process, based on the continuous control of dielectric gas pressure, mechanical (# of opening/closing operations, opening/closing speed and time, travel curve) and electric (nozzle wear, voltage and current level) parameters represent a mature and consolidated methodology, which has proven over the last years its effectiveness to prevent early malfunctioning’s to generate service interruption or hazardous events.

This approach constitutes the foundation of predictive maintenance, enabling an optimal service collaboration between end user and service provider. Sharing operational data of most critical assets enables remote monitoring, with the capability to master the maintenance management process and keeping resources investment only when they create added value for the customer.

The outcome is not to be purely considered in the perspective of preserving the asset integrity, rather in terms of the overall expenditure related to the failure of the asset, which has implications in terms of power supply continuity, effectiveness of a scheduled maintenance activity (more affordable than the same job executed in an emergency regime) and (last but not least) the impact on health, safety end environment.

The power of Collaborative Asset Management resides also in the scalability of the approach.

The digitalization implemented on hybrid modules can in fact also be replicated on transformers, inverters, rotating equipment and all the primary assets who can affect the production delivery of the site. Once collected, data will constitute an invaluable knowledge base for the organization, on which more informed decisions can be made.

In conclusion, Digital Transformation represents an opportunity for the energy sector players.

Leveraging the power of data allows to get the most out of primary assets in terms of performance, life range extension and reliability. Moreover, asset data collection over time constitutes a knowledge repository which ensures a solid base to compensate for the loss of historical knowledge related to workforce turnover.