Thailand’s state power utility EGAT plans to adopt the internet of things (IoT) technology to optimise the use of existing infrastructure. It will install internet connected sensors at Mae Moh, a lignite-fired plant in the northern province of Lampang. Two of the plant’s 10 generators will be used as test subjects. These are older generators that have been in commercial operation for more than 25 years, each producing 300,000 kW of power.
Multiple sensors on the generators will help in assimilating data on heat, pressure and other factors. This information will be stored in the cloud and analysed with artificial intelligence in order to determine optimal settings and gauge malfunction risks. After a joint feasibility study with Marubeni, a Japanese trading house, EGAT aims to fully operationalise the system by end-2018 or early 2019.