Data Protection Laws And Their Importance
Plants and factories have become highly digitalized over the past 10-20 years and this change will continue to innovate the energy sector. Sensors collect data on processes and allow for efficient automation and control. Sensors are also used to measure outputs and productivity, identifying bottlenecks and weak spots. Such technology is becoming increasingly more important to increase productivity. Unfortunately, not enough emphasis is placed on protecting the data.
Last year, 2019, the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) was hacked. Little is known of the attack, it was said that no processes, control systems or critical functions were affected, at the same time one of its plants shut down the week following the breach. Reports suggest that the attack was most likely a targeted espionage operation, where a foreign body was seeking specific information about KKNPP or of India’s nuclear programme. In such a situation it is increasingly more important to have advanced data protection measurements in place, if foreign governmental body singles out a target, they will have the funding, expertise and motive to penetrate defences in order to get the data they are looking for. Making data protection in the energy sectors a huge undertaking.
EDF Launches the 1st Edition of the EDF Pulse India Award Competition
From April 27th to June the 3rd 2020, EDF invites Indian entrepreneurs and start-ups to participate in a call for projects as part of the 1st edition of EDF Pulse India Competition Award. Through this initiative, EDF wants to support socially inclusive Indian-based innovations for an electric world that’s more eco-friendly and better connected. EDF, one the world’s leading energy companies, develops innovative solutions for a low-carbon energy mix and strives for a more efficient electricity consumption. EDF launched the ‘EDF Pulse’ programme to support innovation in society and boost progress. So far 1,800 start-ups have applied, and more than 60 projects are being supported by the Group.
EDF Pulse India Start-ups who have been established before April 26th, 2020, based in India with less than 500 employees and have not already raised more than USD 5 Million capital can participate in this programme by applying to one of the three categories: ‘Sustainable Smart Living’: innovative products and services improving the standard of living while reducing the environmental impact towards CO2 neutral and zero waste objectives; ‘Resilient smart Infrastructure’: innovative products and services improving the operational performance of existing electrical assets infrastructure and reducing downtime by predictive maintenance including but not limited to: smart devices, IoT platforms etc.; ‘e-Mobility infrastructures’: innovative products and services improving the e-mobility infrastructure value chain including charging and battery-swapping stations, Electric Vehicle system components such as electricity network, energy production and storage. To participate, project promoters can submit their application online before June 3rd, 2020.
Covid-19 Impact: India’s power demand falls over 20 per cent in May
India’s power demand has dropped by over 20 per cent in the first five days of May as compared to the corresponding period last year. The fall, captured in official data released by Power System Operation Corporation (POSOCO), is attributed to the slump in the economic activity in the wake of the ongoing lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The fall in peak demand — the highest energy supply during the day — in the first five days of May hovered between 19 per cent and 23 per cent, with the average fall in demand being 20.42 per cent. On May 5, the peak power demand dropped to 134.89 gigawatt (GW) as compared to 168.62 GW last year, registering a drop of 20 per cent.
The drop in demand has already pulled spot power prices to the lowest level in more than two years and could spell further financial troubles for the ailing discoms. In April, the average power price in the market stood at Rs 2.42 per unit, registering a 25 per cent decline from Rs 3.22 per unit registered in the corresponding period last year.
