Japan's Jera, Microsoft partner to improve power plant efficiency

Japan's Jera and Microsoft have formed a strategic partnership to develop and provide cloud solutions that improve operational efficiency and reduce the negative environmental impact of power plants, the Japanese company announced on September 11.

Through this partnership, the companies will expand Jera's digital power plant (DPP) solutions package and the energy industry's workstyle transformation.

Major components of the partnership include co-developing innovative operation and maintenance (O&M) solutions that leverage Microsoft's cloud and AI technologies, including generative AI and Azure Digital Twins, along with Jera's operator technologies (power plant data and knowledge) and operational know-how.

The companies are also looking at establishing a joint operational structure to accelerate the development and deployment of new O&M solutions.

The co-development of new O&M solutions will focus on improving operational efficiency through enhancing performance and minimising downtime of efficient power plants. This will also help to reduce CO2 emissions and the environmental impact of power plants.

Through this initiative, the companies will apply the generative AI-based enterprise knowledge advisory system integrated with industrial metaverse in power plant operations to improve asset management efficiency in an asset-heavy sector. The prototype of the new O&M solutions will be introduced at Jera's Anegasaki gas-fired power station in Chiba prefecture.