Renewable Energy Group and Allied Reliability
Renewable Energy Group reduces equipment downtime with AVEVA CONNECT and PI System
Renewable Energy Group (REG) and its partner Allied Reliability sought to put an end to recurring, costly centrifuge failures, which can shut down an entire biodiesel plant. The challenge was to set up reliable vibration analysis, fed by real-time operational data, without adding IT complexity. The cloud data-sharing capabilities of AVEVA CONNECT, coupled with AVEVA PI System, made it possible to build a closed-loop, bidirectional data highway. REG now sends its historical and real-time data to Allied Reliability's instruments, which send their recommendations directly back into the system. This architecture radically transforms maintenance team responsiveness and speeds up decision-making. The potential benefits match the stakes: the CONNECT solution can reduce equipment downtime by up to 90%, securing production continuity and the profitability of the biodiesel business.
Integrated AVEVA software
AVEVA CONNECT
Renewable Energy Group uses AVEVA CONNECT with Allied Reliability to access its industrial data from the cloud. This platform enables remote monitoring of biofuel production equipment.
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AVEVA PI System
Renewable Energy Group relies on AVEVA PI System to collect data from its biodiesel production facilities. This solution provides real-time visibility and facilitates the optimization of refining processes.
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Testimonials
FAQ
How does AVEVA CONNECT help reduce equipment downtime by up to 90%?
Renewable Energy Group (REG) and Allied Reliability deployed AVEVA CONNECT together with AVEVA PI System to analyze vibration on the biodiesel plant's critical centrifuges. The cloud platform creates a two-way highway between REG's operational data and Allied Reliability's expertise. Vibration analysis recommendations are fed directly back into the system, speeding up decision-making. The potential: up to a 90% reduction in equipment downtime, securing production continuity in a sector where every shutdown affects the entire plant.
Why is AVEVA CONNECT well suited to sharing data with trusted partners?
AVEVA CONNECT is a secure cloud platform designed for the controlled sharing of industrial data between a company and its trusted partners (integrators, OEMs, subject-matter experts). REG sends its operational data in real time to Allied Reliability via CONNECT, which can analyze it remotely and send back its recommendations. This architecture avoids the complexity of VPN connections and individual remote access, and ensures cybersecurity in line with industrial standards. It is a modern model of data-driven collaboration in the industrial ecosystem.
How does vibration analysis predict centrifuge failures at a biodiesel plant?
Centrifuges have characteristic vibration signatures that change before failure (imbalance, bearing defects, misalignment). Allied Reliability uses these signatures through specialized instruments, but the analysis requires contextual operational data provided by REG's AVEVA PI System. CONNECT links the two worlds: Allied's algorithms detect drift, generate recommendations and send them back to REG for action. This closed loop makes it possible to act before a critical failure that would shut down the entire plant.
Why is cloud collaboration transforming industrial predictive maintenance?
Historically, expert analysis required either physical travel or complex manual data transfers. AVEVA CONNECT removes this friction: REG and Allied Reliability collaborate in near real time through a secure, standardized cloud infrastructure. This acceleration transforms predictive maintenance: experts can cover more sites, respond faster and capture their analyses in a shared repository. It is a model for the future of industrial ecosystems that combine in-house skills with specialized outside expertise.
How can an equipment failure be prevented from shutting down an entire biodiesel plant?
At a biodiesel plant, certain pieces of equipment such as centrifuges are bottlenecks whose failure stops all production. The combination of AVEVA CONNECT and PI System allows Renewable Energy Group to detect weak signals early through the vibration analysis provided by Allied Reliability, and to intervene before a critical failure. This smart maintenance strategy, capable of reducing equipment shutdowns by up to 90%, secures the profitability of a business where every hour of production counts. It is an essential lever for industrial renewables.