Telvent

Research, Development and Innovation 2010

Telvent’s strategy focuses on developing information and communication technology-based solutions and services as a way of dealing with today’s sustainability challenges. The company seeks out efficient and effective ways of managing core resources such as energy, transport, water and food, using smart networks and infrastructure.

8.8b Telvent’s sustainability-oriented solutions

Telvent’s sustainability-oriented solutions are divided into three main areas:

  • Real-time operations. Telvent’s systems are equipped with highly specialized software and hardware enabling efficient and effective management of geographically distributed critical infrastructures.
  • Management systems. Telvent develops solutions that add value to the production chain in its chosen fields, aiming to integrate all stakeholders involved.
  • Information services. Telvent develops and offers highly accurate information services to enhance its clients’ decision-making, operations and supply chain systems.

 Telvent invests in developing its SAAS (software as a service) model, in which it has a track record of over eight years in developing cloud computing components to make these solutions a reality. Telvent is confident that the SAAS model is an effective and attractive platform for many of its solutions, and is accordingly investing in planning, research and development so as to widen the range of services offered under this approach.

Telvent’s ongoing bid to undertake research and development of new products and services has kept it at the international forefront of the energy, transportation, environment and agriculture markets. The company has moved on from a systems integration and outsourcing strategy to selling high value-added information services in support of operational, business and environmental decision-making.

One of Telvent’s strengths is its global presence via several product and competency centers, employing over 450 technical specialists. Having invested across nine research and development programs, co-funded by Spanish and international public authorities, Telvent has successfully achieved its technical and business targets.

18 Competency and Product Centers

 

Key R&D&I Programs in 2010

 Telvent conducts its research and development at geographically distributed competency and product centers. These centers provide the technology and product infrastructure that underpin Telvent’s solutions. Sometimes marketed as freestanding packages in their own right, these technologies are utilized by the company’s centers to develop high value-added system architectures and advanced applications specifically aimed at each given industry.

2010 was a good year for Telvent’s research and development, with highlights including:

Energy

In the energy sector, Telvent continued to implement the following research and development programs at its Electricity Sector Competency Center, its Data Capture Subsystems Product Center and OASyS, Enterprise GIS and Refined Fuels.

Smart Grid

The Smart Grid program embodies Telvent’s strategy for smart energy grid management, from generation to distribution, so as to turn the power grid into a two-way information and services network. These features mean that the system can be handled largely by smart automation: Usage can be managed, operated and metered to enhance energy efficiency across the grid and raise the standard of service to users, via the following technologies:

19 Smart management of energy grids

Data Capture Systems

 The Data Capture Subsystems Product Center operates sites in Seville, Spain, and Houston, USA. Its core business is to develop Remote Terminal Units (RTUs), especially Saitel and its two auxiliary packages, the gasCAT gas flow calculator and the subCAT power substation remote controller. Our range of remote control solutions is completed by RTU SAGE. Developed in and for the North American market, this suite has earned widespread acceptance and a broad base of installations.

In 2010, Telvent completed development of its Cross Domain Platform (CDP). The company has brought to bear the experience it has amassed in recent years in its target sectors. The project thus benefits from the latest technologies, and ranges over the whole family of equipment for real-time data capture, embracing both present and emerging trends. This means that its customers will get a highly flexible solution that they can tailor to their configuration and technology needs. As always, security is a key issue that has been considered at all stages of design and development. Some of the research areas within this project have attracted public funding, such as SEPIC (Spanish acronym for “embedded systems for critical infrastructure”) and PROTECT-IC (cyber security for critical infrastructure), supported by MITyC, Spain’s Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade. 

Power Industry Solutions

 Our competency centers for the electricity industry are located in Seville, Spain, Fort Collins, Colorado, Houston, Texas, and Novi Sad, Serbia. These sites develop comprehensive solutions for smart management of power generation, transmission and distribution networks, based on standards that are readily compatible and scalable with existing infrastructure.

Our solutions are designed to provide effective support for smart planning, design and operation of power grids, ranging from real-time data capture to network planning, economic analysis and evaluation of management solution options.

In 2010, highlights included:

  • Telvent developed version 3.0 of DMS (Distribution Management System) at its Novi Sad site, offering scalability and high security, based on its OASyS SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system.
  • Integrating Telvent’s AMI infrastructure with its OMS (Outage Management System) Responder, passing interoperability tests and so obtaining CIM certification from the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology.
  • Work continued on the S2G (Substation to Grid) project to build a pilot facility to test the deployment of wireless smart sensors at high- and medium-voltage substations and explore the benefits of a predictive maintenance system.
  • Telvent continued its SmartCity initiative, a project undertaken in partnership with and led by Endesa, to study the planning of an operations center from which to manage the public lighting system, to be operated by Telvent. The aim is to analyze the development of a sustainable and energy-secure city from the standpoint of electricity distribution. The project will be conducted in Malaga, Spain.
  Geographic Information System

 Based at Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, this product center’s ArcFM suite leads the field of GIS applications for energy companies around the world.

ArcFM helps power, gas and water utilities manage their assets, work and operations to enhance quality of service and lower costs. ArcFM also supports the development and management of integrated network models, a capability increasingly recognized as the core element of automating the distribution of Smart Grid applications. With this product, Telvent has a privileged relationship with ESRI, the leading GIS software developer.

In February of 2010, Telvent launched a new version of ArcFM, with an additional service pack released in May. These versions offer the following innovative features:

  • Designer Express, a design application enabling users to develop more flexible and scalable workflows.
  • Staker Designer, a new application to design field work flows. 

Oil and Gas

Telvent offers industry-leading solutions for the efficient, secure and reliable operation of oil and gas pipelines. The company also develops management solutions enabling effective coordination among refining companies, oil pipeline operators, suppliers, fuel terminals, distributors and end-users, embracing the following initiatives:

 20 Oil and gas ducts management

Aplicaciones Avanzadas para la Operación

 The Oil and Gas Competency Center is spread out across two sites, at Calgary, Canada, and Baltimore, Maryland. The center develops advanced measurement systems and business solutions for the hydrocarbon production, transportation and distribution needs of leading energy companies. Based on the OASyS DNA platform, the applications provide a centralized operating environment.

In 2010, major improvements were achieved:

  • The Liquid Suite product provides pipeline operators with the tools they need to minimize the operating cost of their facilities while ensuring timely fuel supply. Telvent created an employee training simulator that enables customers to simulate system operation and predict various operating scenarios.
  • A wholly revamped version of Gas Suite HMI has been launched under the name Sightline. The new suite is easily configurable and based on industry standards. 
 Combustibles Refinados

This product center operates sites in Omaha, Nebraska, and Allen, Texas. As a leading provider of supply chain solutions, advanced information services and oil supply management solutions, its applications range over transaction management, business intelligence solutions, and advanced infrastructure for fuel suppliers, terminals, wholesale and retail end-users, and renewable energy producers.

Milestone projects carried out in 2010 include:

  • An improved version of DTN TABS®, optimizing fuel supply and demand so as to afford suppliers higher product management security and efficiency.
  • Launch of DTN Fuel Seller™, an SAAS advanced solution for defining fuel sale prices, drawing on accurate real-time data to optimize sales margins and volume.
  • DTN Fuel Buyer™, a sophisticated application used by fuel wholesalers for their daily buying needs and optimizing logistics.
  • DTN Guardian3® System, a centralized solution for terminal control. The tool has been further integrated with OASyS DNA SCADA.
SCADA and Information Management

The OASyS Product Center at Calgary, Canada, develops and maintains OASyS DNA (Dynamic Network of Applications), Telvent’s main applications platform. This product is the underlying technology platform for a wide range of real-time solutions for energy, transportation and the environment. In 2010, highlight initiatives included:

  • Improvements to OASyS DNA for use by major oil and gas industry customers and integration with Telvent’s Smart Grid suite. In addition, the project team made further progress in adapting the solution to other Telvent markets, such as transportation and water management.
  • Results were presented for the second stage of Telvent’s joint research project with the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Commissioned as part of the United States Department of Energy’s National SCADA Test Bed Program, this project is concerned with researching critical infrastructure. OASyS DNA was selected for assessment at a wide range of facilities in the United States.

21 Pemex control center

Transportation 

The main research and development programs in the transportation sector in 2010 were SmartMobility - focusing on sustainable mobility - and SmartInformation, an advanced transportation information system.

As part of those programs, the Transportation Competency Center, with sites at Madrid and Barcelona in Spain, Rockville in Maryland (USA) and Beijing, China, develops solutions for urban and interurban road and rail traffic, including: Traffic control systems (MIST), with extensions for adaptive centralized and distributed control (Itaca, OPAC); traffic regulators; centralized railway traffic control systems (OASyS-based CTC); and traffic information systems (SmartNET).

At its development sites in Bilbao, Spain, and Austin, Texas, the company creates solutions for toll, ticketing and parking lot management. Highlights include: Toll network management systems (SmartToll), ticketing management (Mobifast) for rail and underground rail networks, ticketing management (Valtick) for road transport, and parking lot control management systems (Web.Park). 

SmartMobility

With this sustainable mobility program, Telvent meets the need for more efficient and safer use of mass transit systems: This calls for optimizing facilities and developing and managing valid data and predictions on infrastructure usage. Telvent has made highly meaningful progress in integrating intermodal transportation data in high-density cities throughout Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East, achieving the following technology milestones:

  • The technology upgrade completed in 2009 for high-end traffic light controllers was extended in 2010 to the entire range of traffic regulators. Telvent was the first developer to certify in compliance with the Barcelona Protocol, Spain’s most advanced standard, and has also certified to NTCIP, a United States standard widely accepted internationally.
  • In addition, the company has developed a mobility lab based on micro- and meso-scopic traffic simulation, integrated with Telvent’s existing urban and inter-urban traffic control systems, so as to compare the performance of various regulation modes, such as time- or action-based schemes, under various regulation scenarios and traffic plans.
  • 2010 also saw significant progress in the development of an integrated back-office platform for enforcement systems and transportation pay-per-use schemes (tolls and mass transit), thus offering a single overarching solution for managing customers, offenses, tags, pricing policy, collection management, and so forth.
  • In the ticketing area, Telvent has opted to focus on light rail systems. In 2010, the company developed a new comprehensive solution embracing control and management applications and new onboard and station-based equipment.
SmartInformation

This program offers mobility services as part of the future “intelligent universe”, in which users can use their cell phones to access multiple services and information sources in accordance with their preferences, context and roles.

  • Key research was completed in Advanced Sustainable Mobility Services via projects such as mIO!, funded by the Spanish CDTI through the Cenit program, or Smart Urban Spaces, a Europe-wide project under the ITEA seal, also funded by the Ministry. These initiatives are closely aligned with the company’s new strategic line in information sales and services, and will lead to highly innovative solutions in this field.
  • Also within this program, work continued on “New Smart ITS Infrastructure”, oriented to future cooperative systems and vehicle-infrastructure communications. Our projects have won the support of Spain’s Ministry of Development, which provided public funds for the completion in 2010 of the ViaSens project and for continued work on the Bus-Direct initiative.

Environment

In the environment sector, the main research and development program in 2010 was Weather and Water Management Suite, a set of advanced weather prediction and data systems and hydrographic basin management applications.

Weather

The Environment Competency Center, with sites at Seville and Madrid in Spain, Culemborg in the Netherlands and Perth in Australia, searches for advanced IT solutions to address the risks currently blighting our planet, such as pollution, climate change, water management and natural disasters. The key initiatives in 2010 arising from the company’s commitment to innovation and technological improvement were:

  • Further offshoots of the Illion WeatherNet project: The development of a web-based weather service that provides users with state-of-the-art forecasts tailored to their requirements and geographical location co-funded by MITyC and the European Fund for Regional Development (EFRD).
  • Work also got underway in 2010 on the Prometeo Project, involving the development of a weather information system specifically capable of handling forest fire scenarios: It offers critical high-quality weather data on fires as they unfold and real-time monitoring of firefighting aircraft. This is a project subsidized by the CDTI.

The Weather Product Center, with sites at Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Omaha, Nebraska, is the North American leader in meteorological systems for decision-making support in aviation, energy and transportation, and continuously explores new solutions to position the various US industries as market leaders.

One of the key achievements in 2010 was the successful extension of the company’s weather prediction solution to other Telvent markets: This was particularly significant for the Smart Grid, Aviation and Transportation markets.

Water Management

 This research area seeks solutions to rise to the challenges associated with the increasing scarcity of water: Minimizing leaks, improving energy management and optimizing water operations. A particular highlight project was:

Water Management Suite (WMS). The company has started to develop a range of applications for sustainable water management in urban environments, so that water utilities can at all times assure the required service levels at each stage of the integrated water cycle, while optimizing their resources and infrastructure and lowering costs and greenhouse gas emissions. 

Agriculture

 The agriculture sector focuses on developing accurate information services in support of real-time decision-making via the company’s agriculture information services research and development program.

The Agricultural Product Center, based at Minneapolis, Minnesota and Omaha, Nebraska, is the leading provider of agricultural information in the United States, particularly for corn, soybean and livestock. 

Agricultural Information Services

22 Telvent/DTN’’s agricultural information services

The overriding goal of this program is to offer advanced information services - accurate market and weather data in aid of more effective farming resource management. These services are a valuable aid to crop and livestock farmers in managing prices and costs while lowering market risk. Highlights in 2010 included:

  • The Telvent Grain Portal, a data website offering a comprehensive range of information on cereal crops in the United States. In 2010, the company developed new modules for integration with other management systems widely used by farmers.
  • The Ag online service is the leading online agricultural information provider for United States farmers. This year, the company made significant improvements, such as a new map viewer and a whole new generation of smart phone and Tablet PC apps.
  • The Prophet X solution provides vital information to support over 4,500 farmers’ decision-making on the cereal, livestock and biofuel markets.

Other R&D&I Programs

The Healthcare and Homeland Security Competency Center has its headquarters in Seville, Spain. Its research, development and innovation activity continues to focus on Homeland Security and eHealth. In 2010, the following lines of work were highlights:

Health Care and Homeland Security
  • In 2010, Homeland Security research continued to build on its groundbreaking work in physical security, targeting immigration management and document verification.
  • The second year of the Cenit Integra project, led by Telvent, was completed as planned; the venture aimed to develop innovative technologies towards an integrated system of immigration management (prevention, control and integration of migratory flows).
  • In the Healthcare domain, research in 2010 continued to focus on telecare and the AmiVital project. The key aim was to create a telecare platform, a vital step towards meeting the demands of the incipient and increasingly promising telecare market, geared towards providing services and personal support for independent living, well-being and health.

 

Creating Value through Technology

In addition to the above R&D&I initiatives, Telvent is committed to developing technology that creates value for its customers and shareholders through products and solutions aligned with market strategy. Telvent’s aims are to:

  • Develop patentable technology.
  • Apply best practices in software development. In 2010, Telvent achieved level 3 CMMI certification at every one of its Product and Competency Centers.