Digital disruption

Many devices and technologies we take for granted were once considered disruptive, but now they are part of everyday use.

Disruptive innovations are those technological advances that fundamentally change a market or industry, often by displacing an existing technology.

While often met with initial resistance, such technologies should be seen as transformative rather than destructive as they often increase productivity, resulting in countless benefits and paving the way for further innovation. As technology advances, routine tasks are made more efficient, freeing up more resources to direct towards other efforts and further progress.

In the recent past, wireless technology fundamentally changed the nature of communications, and over the last century, machines have continued to replace people. For instance, sewer inspections are frequently completed using CCTV, reducing the need for workers to venture directly into the system. Advances in renewables like solar PV and energy storage seem poised to transform the electricity industry.

In the information age, as industry becomes more data intensive, many disruptive technologies take a digital form. In the report titled ‘Digital Disruption - Short fuse, big bang?’, consultancy firm Deloitte suggests that many of the largest Australian companies face a huge shake-up from emerging digital technologies within the next three years. Digital disruption is driving the next wave of technological evolution and the utility sector is no exception.

Shaking up the utility locating sector

One of many fields to have experienced innovation is that of utility locating technology. Understanding underground assets remains vital for utilities and construction contractors as more and more assets are located underground.

In the past we have seen a move away from manual records and from more destructive methods of determining asset locations, such as exploratory digging or potholing. Non-invasive surveying technologies like ground penetrating radar (GPR), sounding technology, radio detection and electromagnetic induction have experienced widespread adoption. Services like Dial Before You Dig (DBYD), which collate information submitted by contractors and offer it freely, also play a pivotal role.

The next phase in the field’s development looks likely to involve augmented reality overlays on mobile devices, which use GIS data to visualise underground assets. Solutions that display geographic asset data as maps, text or as a 3D visualisation transposed over a device’s live video feed can also update data in the field and upload information in real time.

Like many of the most promising digital innovations in utility asset management, augmented reality may help reduce operational overheads and can be used on already familiar mobile devices. Mobile solutions are becoming more common in utility asset management, as processes involving paperwork or multiple devices are now completed more efficiently.

Digital innovations in locating technologies may be especially significant in the utility sector, where other disruptive innovations (such as the integration of renewable energy into the grid) and the resulting changes in demand mean that many companies are seeking ways to reduce capital expenditure. Despite the need to reduce costs, underground utility location is too vital to neglect. Advances in mobile technology improve efficiencies, are often more cost effective and reduce physical waste.

An industry opportunity

The benefits to utilities that adopt these new technologies are manifold. Knowledge-rich employees who have stayed with a company for decades are now reaching retirement age and the newer workers only stay in the same position for an average of four to five years. Forecasts predict that this trend will become even more pronounced, with the next generation of workers switching positions every few years.

In high-turnover conditions, staff don’t have years to understand the intricacies of every task as they once did, so user-friendly utility location technologies with intuitive interfaces may be increasingly vital in making sure workers are equipped with the information they need.

This is especially relevant for utility location given the drastic consequences of inadequate knowledge regarding the location of buried services. Hitting live underground assets can cause disruptions to important services, huge financial costs, injuries and even the loss of lives.

Most utilities cite the safety of workers and the public as one of their foremost priorities. Unintentionally disrupting underground assets during excavation can result in dangerous explosions and fire, causing injuries or fatalities.

Even contact with less dangerous assets can cause substantial damage and add up to significant financial costs and reduced productivity. In a submission to the Productivity Commission’s enquiry into Australia’s infrastructure, DBYD revealed that the inadequate recording of underground asset locations, much of which occurred during the construction of the NBN, resulted in 15,900 incidents of damage to telecommunications assets alone in the 3.25 years up to 2012. The NBN is the largest single infrastructure upgrade ever undertaken in the country and failure to notify DBYD about the newly installed subterranean fibre-optic cable has resulted in countless undisclosed assets being accidentally excavated. DBYD described the damages as having a “massive” impact on the community and resulting in “business disruptions due to service outages, extended road closures, project delays pending preliminary investigations and remediation, work safety issues, inflated insurance premiums and, ultimately, higher project costs”.

While DBYD itself is an invaluable resource, it relies on data being up to date. Contractors must submit new asset locations on time to prevent such incidents. The easier and more streamlined this process, the more up to date the data and the fewer assets at risk.

This may represent an opportunity for the integration of technologies, such as augmented reality, which allow workers to conveniently and immediately update data as soon as an asset is installed. Coupled with existing surveying methods, these technologies represent a powerful tool for more effective utility location and to reduce costly and dangerous incidents.

Disruptive technologies, and more specifically digital disruption, may appear intimidating when first introduced. Yet not all new innovations are inherently destructive to existing players, and more importantly, technological advancements are instrumental in the evolution of the industry.

Those utilities that will continue to succeed into the future will be those that innovate and adapt to new technologies to maximise productivity and reach their potential.

Image credit: © Andrew Ostrovsky/Dollar Photo Club