Internet of Everything (IoE) in Energy: Smart Solutions
Internet of Everything (IoE) vs. Internet of Things (IoT)
According to Cisco, “The Internet of Everything is the intelligent connection of people, processes, data, and things.” The IoE emphasizes intelligent connection. By intelligence, this means how these interconnected things interact with people through processes and data to form an ecosystem. The keyword here is “smart,” as opposed to the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT traditionally refers to the physical connection between things through wired or wireless networks via various media. The “Internet of Everything” is based on the “Internet of Things” and adds network intelligence, which can be integrated, coordinated, and visualized across previously disparate systems. The Internet of Everything connects all these independent concepts into a cohesive whole. In some ways, we can see that the Internet of Things is equivalent to a railway line, including tracks and connecting lines, and the Internet of Everything is everything: trains, ticket machines, employees, passengers, weather conditions, and more.
IoE in the Energy Industry: Transforming Operations
As mentioned above, the main motivation for using IoE technology in the energy industry is the need for more efficient and simplified energy management. However, Internet of Everything energy devices can transform the entire energy industry in many ways.
Energy System Monitoring and Maintenance
The Internet of Everything in the energy industry can be used to track many system indicators, simplifying their maintenance. For example, General Electric is using connected sensors to monitor the output and productivity of its equipment. By using data from sensors, the company can achieve greater operational efficiencies.
Safety and Disaster Prevention
Internet of Everything solutions can also be used to improve operational security and prevent accidents. For instance, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) has been using drones to look for methane leaks during Northern California wildfires. Drones transmit data to a unified control system, which automatically isolates leaks. Besides, safety drones are used as part of a hazard management system to reduce employees’ risks at nuclear power plants or mining sites.
Consumer Connected Energy Devices and Use Cases
Smart Grid
Smart meters connected in a single network create a smart energy grid. For example, Duke Energy in Florida has introduced a “self-healing grid system” that automatically self-calibrates after a power outage, minimizing downtime.
Intelligent Buildings
Connected devices can be used to manage lighting, heating, and humidity in buildings autonomously. This is how the Internet of Everything can reduce energy consumption and thereby increase building efficiency. IoE solutions also make it possible to create so-called “zero energy” buildings, where the total energy consumption is equal to the amount of renewable energy produced. The concept is rapidly gaining traction, with the number of zero net energy homes increasing by 75% between 2016 and 2017.
The Future is Connected: IoE’s Impact
If the Internet is a connection between people, and the Internet of Things is a connection between people and things, and things and things, then the Internet of Everything is a combination of people, things, data, processes, and scenarios to make the connection more useful and valuable. Everything connects information into action, creates new functions for businesses, individuals, and nations, and brings richer experiences and unprecedented economic development opportunities.