A Digital Twin is a virtual model that replicates the real behavior of the system and simulates its response under any conditions. The power of a Digital Twin lies in its ability to bring the real and virtual worlds together. In the water industry, this enables utilities to fully understand the processes that are taking place.
Thanks to this in-depth knowledge, organizations can avoid problems, prevent downtimes, try out new business opportunities, plan future scenarios and actions through simulations and optimize system performance, amongst other functionalities.
How to start with Digital Twin Technology
When a water utility is interested in implementing Digital Twin technology, there are several key aspects to take into consideration.
1. Define your utility’s goals
Why do we need a Digital Twin? What are we going to use it for? What are the benefits for the organization? The answer to these questions is the starting point for adopting the technology and defining how it should be configured and set up.
2. Analyze your starting point
It is also necessary to be aware of the type of digital information available in the organization and assess the steps that need to be taken before implementing a Digital Twin.
3. Control the evolution of the project
It is very important to establish different milestones and indicators to control the progress of Digital Twin initiatives. By including checks and balances, organizations can implement this technology in a more confident way.
The fact is that Digital Twin technology provides major benefits for organizations aiming to improve their system operations, transform their water cycle management and extract value from their distributed data.
Discovering the potential of a Digital Twin
GoAigua’s Digital Twin developed by Idrica and implemented in the water utility Global Omnium (in Valencia, Spain) is considered ‘best-in-class’ in the industry.
It enables the city to optimally manage its daily operations, plan real-time scenarios, and predict the future behavior of the network. This Digital Twin, thanks to GoAigua’s IoT and Big Data Platform, constantly leverages data from 1M smart meters, pressure/flow sensors, SCADAs, and other systems to virtually replicate the behavior of the network in real time with outstanding accuracy.
In addition, other technologies, such as hydraulic modeling and AI algorithms, improve the Digital Twin’s capabilities and exploit its full potential.
Idrica, the leading company in digital transformation for the water industry, offers innovative services and the GoAigua solution, including the Digital Twin technology, for water cycle management.