Sri Lanka government entities are slow to adapt to new technological advances, said Global Industry Director for Energy and Utilities IFS Colin Beaney.
He however said this mindset in now changing and already the Mahaweli Authority has adopted IFS Solutions. Beaney said that he attend Ceylon Electricity Board Workshop in Kandy and also made a presentation on Enterprise Assisted Management to the participants. “Subsequent to this the Mahaweli Authority contact IFS and then they implemented our solutions.”
These solutions have helped the Mahaweli Authority streamline their water and power management systems and today they can see a breakdown well in advance and take precautionary masseurs before a breakdown.”
After the Mahaweli Authority adopted IFS Solutions they once again installed additional solutions which has also has helped the Authority to streamline distribution of water for irrigation. “We also hope to work with Mahaweli authority to explore the possibility of engaging in Solar power generation.”
Beaney who worked for nearly 15 years has been involved in implementing and project managing IFS software into many project and Asset Intensive organisations in Europe and worldwide. These cover many industries including Energy, Utilities, Pulp & Paper, Aviation and Defense.
He said that IFS regional office was also opened in Sri Lank 30 years ago and since then it has been expanding. “Lankan private companies in tea, appeals and food and beverage are adopting tier solutions.”
He said that IFS is also involved in power and water management project s in India for the past 30 years. “We are now looking at Bangladesh”
He is therefore ideally placed to understand the real challenges faced by organisations working in the Service and Asset Intensive Industries. He is a key member of the IFS product directions board and plays an instrumental role in the decisions regarding IFS product strategy.
Commenting on globe energy trends he said that every year they are seeing a virtuous circle speeding up around renewables and 2018 will be no exception.
In 2009, it cost just under $300 to generate 1 MW of electricity using solar photovoltaic panels. In 2016, the cost was down to $100. All around the world, renewables companies are now able to offer cheaper energy alternatives. In September 2016 in Nevada, state energy provider NV Energy lost almost six percent of its customer base overnight as 15 of the top casinos and hotels in Las Vegas switched over to smaller renewable energy providers.
“We also hope to work with The Mahaweli Authority to explore the possibility of engaging in Solar power generation.” Meanwhile Gartner, Inc., Managing VP, Chief of Research and Chief Gartner Fellow, Daryl C. Plummer, said that though most of the companies in the world are adopting to change heritage customers (Family owned Businesses) are still not looking at new technology and ‘cloud’ comfortably. “This is because they still value their privacy and think that adopting technology will give away their ‘secrets’ which is a myth.” (SS)