Overcoming challenges in clean energy with a holistic approach
At Olsights, we've encountered significant challenges in our mission to support clean energy developers. The complexity of the energy transition—still a relatively new field—means we often deal with an overwhelming amount of inconsistent data. Our focus has been on refining this information to provide reliable insights for our users. Beyond data challenges, raising funds has been difficult due to the broad scope of our work. Investors often prefer simple, single-sector projects, while Olsights integrates multiple areas like hydrogen, solar, wind, and water resources. To address this, we're pursuing public funding and grants, including a forthcoming application to the EU's EIC grant, ensuring we can continue solving the energy transition's multifaceted challenges.
Innovative 3D mapping and data integration
A key innovation that we integrated in our platform is the use of 3D visualizations, bringing a dynamic and immersive way to understand energy projects. Unlike traditional flat maps, our platform allows users to view facilities—such as hydrogen plants—in a fully dimensional space. Energy capacities are represented as towering columns, with large structures symbolizing higher output, and smaller ones indicating lower levels. This visual approach lets users grasp the scale of a project instantly without needing to dig into complex data. We've also incorporated intuitive color schemes, where green signifies clean energy and brown or red highlights non-renewable sources, further simplifying the decision-making process.
Another groundbreaking feature is our ability to seamlessly integrate multiple datasets from various sectors, including energy infrastructure, water resources, and regulatory policies. Traditionally, developers had to consult separate specialists for each aspect of a project—an engineering consultant for technical details, a planning authority for approvals, and a financial analyst for economic viability. With Olsights, all these elements are merged into a single, interactive platform.
Lastly, the platform's interactivity allows users to zoom into specific geographic areas, draw polygons to define regions of interest, and immediately generate relevant insights. This advanced level of interaction, akin to the technology seen in video games or weather tracking systems, offers clean energy developers a powerful tool to visualize, explore, and manipulate data in real-time. This capability empowers them to make informed decisions quickly and efficiently, far surpassing traditional static methods.
How do we enhance clean energy transition?
Our contribution to lowering carbon emissions comes from equipping energy stakeholders with powerful tools that streamline their decision-making processes. While we aren’t the ones building wind farms or solar plants, our platform helps those who do make more strategic, efficient choices. For example, in collaboration with a major UK grid operator, we've demonstrated how our technology can identify the most suitable locations for expanding the grid. Traditionally, grid infrastructure is often built without fully considering the future demand or project feasibility, which can lead to costly, underused developments. Our platform allows operators to visualize these factors in real-time, helping them avoid unnecessary builds and saving them millions of pounds.
Moreover, by providing a clear picture of the best locations for integrating renewable energy projects like solar and wind into the grid, we directly contribute to lowering the grid's carbon intensity. Instead of a grid dominated by fossil fuels like coal or oil, our tool helps grid operators prioritize clean energy projects, connecting them faster and more efficiently. This means more megawatts of solar, wind, and hydrogen energy coming online, which directly reduces the carbon emissions associated with power generation. Although we’re not the ones physically reducing emissions, by making the process of integrating clean energy faster and smarter, we enable significant decarbonization across the energy landscape.
