Norwegian TSO Statnett has announced a transition to automated trading of the power market&rsquo;s tertiary reserves. Today, participation is based on hourly deadlines, but in the spring of 2023, a 15-minute response time will be introduced for power producers that offer this balancing service to the system operator.
In the first 9 months of 2022, Statnett's total reserve market payments added up to more than 1600 million NOK, making the reserve markets increasingly important for companies able to offer flexible hydropower generation, like Saudefaldene.
<h2>The need for digitalisation</h2>
For years, Saudefaldene has participated in the reserve market over the phone. With the introduction of 15-minute intervals, this is no longer possible.
According to Heidi Slettedal, Production Manager at Saudefaldene, an automated digital platform is required for continued trading in the reserve market. Such a platform &ndash; Ancitra &ndash; is provided by Volue.
"Volue has a good track-record for developing and implementing IT solutions for all power reserve markets. With the help of the&nbsp;Volue Ancitra software, we will be ready to trade in compliance with Statnett's new protocol," says Slettedal.

<h2>Unlocking the value of flexible assets</h2>
Saudefaldene operates seven power plants, in addition to 14 dams and transmission facilities. The annual production is 1,850 GWh, corresponding to 1.5 percent of the total Norwegian power production. Balancing services have been handled manually from the control center, but with the help of Volue's Ancitra software, this operation is now automated.
"The new Statnett model for trading in the reserve and balancing markets, will be based on algorithms that calculate the need for balancing the transmission net and automatically build and send activations to the power producers, based on their bids. Acceptance of bids and activation is automated. The Volue Ancitra software ensures that Saudefaldene can build and send valid bids to Statnett as well as receive and respond to activations by increasing or decreasing its power production within the new short deadlines," explains Nils Olav Tangvik, Sales Manager at Volue.
By implementing Ancitra, Saudefaldene can keep up with the development and utilise the reserve market more profitably than today, by creating bids that are better adapted to its own hydropower system. 
<h2>Cloud-based access</h2>
Saudefaldene has chosen a Software-as-a-Service model, which means that Ancitra is made available as a cloud-based service. Instead of buying the software and installing it on their own servers, Saudefaldene rents access to Ancitra. Service and system maintenance is provided by Volue.
"A cloud-based solution is well-suited for companies that don't want to operate IT solutions in-house. You also avoid the one-off investment in the software as you are charged a monthly cost, instead of buying licenses up front. In addition, a SaaS solution is generally faster to implement, meaning that the customer can be up and running as fast as within 2-3 weeks&rdquo;, says Tangvik.

Learn more about Volue Ancitra

Norwegian energy producer Saudefaldene teams up with Volue to meet new deadlines for automated trade in the reserve market.

Saudefaldene: Unlocking the Value of Flexible Assets in the Balancing Market

Determined to enable fossil-free living within a generation, Swedish energy group Vattenfall is taking on the responsibility to find new and sustainable ways to electrify transportation, industries, and heating.
Specialising in power generation and energy trading across Europe, Vattenfall has used Volue software for many years. With its new Software-as-a-Service, Volue will provide Vattenfall with solutions to support the communication with the European Transmission System Operators.

Director Prompt Trading & Operations, Vattenfall

Colleague Tobias Soyka, Head of ETRM Market Access &amp; Logistics at Vattenfall, adds: &ldquo;Vattenfall is migrating its core continental IT services to the cloud and third-party SaaS services. Volue&rsquo;s roadmap, their reliability and experience as a software vendor led us to the decision to ask Volue to run one of our most business-critical applications as Software-as-a-Service,&rdquo; said Soyka.
Trond Straume, CEO of Volue, is pleased that Vattenfall chose Volue.
&ldquo;I am proud to have a strategic partner such as Vattenfall use our Software-as-a-Service to operate the trading of a substantial renewable portfolio. We help to improve Vattenfall&rsquo;s process efficiency by more automation and shorter time-to-market,&rdquo; says Straume.

Volue Software Provides the Speed and Flexibility Required To Support Vattenfall's Trading Operations

On its way to fossil freedom, Vattenfall uses Volue software to support its trading operations in most European power markets.

Vattenfall: Volue Software Provides the Speed and Flexibility Required To Support Its Trading Operations

Vattenfall Benefits From Volue Software-As-A-Service

Enel Green Power is the Enel Group global business line dedicated to the development and operation of renewables across the world, with a presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Enel Green Power is a global leader in the green energy sector with a managed capacity of around 46 GW across a generation mix that includes wind, solar, geothermal and hydropower, and is at the forefront of integrating innovative technologies into renewable power plants.
Volue software enables Enel Green Power to react nearly in real-time to balancing orders, relevant changes in the availability of power plants, weather data, and inflow observations for the entire Valmalenco valley in Lombardia.
&ldquo;With Volue&rsquo;s software, we enable our dispatchers to forecast inflows accurately, and to use our precious water resources in an optimal way, thus increasing revenues and reducing imbalance costs significantly&rdquo;, says Matteo Bossi, Head of the Regional Dispatching Centre in Sondrio.
Since 2018, Enel Green Power has used Volue&rsquo;s software in the Regional Dispatching Centre in Sondrio in Northern Italy. Volue&rsquo;s solutions have been used for the entire business process related to production planning and dispatch of the hydropower plants in the Valmalenco valley.
The hydropower plants produce around 700 GWh annually and are bid to the market as an aggregated production unit. This means that Enel Green Power optimises the overall production schedule of the power plants nearly in real-time.
Due to their high degree of flexibility, Enel Green Power&rsquo;s power plants in Valmalenco are of strategic importance in Enel&rsquo;s overall power plant portfolio in Italy, with an annual production of around 60 TWh.
&ldquo;The cooperation with Volue started with a test of Volue&rsquo;s solution in Valmalenco in 2018 and we were impressed by the results&rdquo;, says Davide Passuello, Project Manager for the Volue software implementation at Enel Green Power O&amp;M Hydro Italy.

Project Manager for the Volue software implementation at Enel Green Power O&M Hydro Italy

&ldquo;The Valmalenco implementation is a very good example of Volue&rsquo;s focus on automation&rdquo;, says Camilla Thorrud Larsen, SVP Energy Solutions at Volue.
&ldquo;This project confirms our ability to implement our innovative software in a short time, which satisfies concrete business needs and creates high value for our clients. For most of them, automation of critical business processes is a key factor for success&rdquo;, she adds.

Leading Italian power producer Enel Green Power has automated its planning and dispatching processes for the Valmalenco valley power plants with Volue’s software.

Enel Green Power Automates Processes With Volue’s Software

Dam in the autumn

Currently, the mainland connection between Bergen and Sotra, Norwegian National Road 555, is not dimensioned for all the daily traffic that uses this stretch of road. With the new road system, the travel time between Bergen and Sotra will be reduced by approximately 20 minutes. In addition, there will be greater opportunities to walk, cycle or use public transport. In other words, Sotra Link is both a long-awaited and very extensive road project, with a contract price of just over NOK 23 billion. On June 1, 2027, the entire project - the road system, the tunnels and the bridges, of which the new Sotra Bridge is the best known - will be ready for use. The contract is shared between several major actors such as; Macquire, SK Ekoplant, Webuild, FCC Construction and Intertoll, in addition to the involvement of a large number of subcontractors. The joint venture company Sotra Link Construction has been formed specifically to build Sotra Link and coordinate all areas of the project. To help facilitate this work, the company has chosen to use Gemini Terrain+.
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">- A major focus is placed on the environment and sustainability in the project, for example through certification and strict environmental requirements for both collaboration partners and subcontractors. Among other things, the recycling of materials is very important to us, says Gunn Eklund Breisnes, Head of Communications for the project.

<h2>Industry standard for many contractors</h2>
When it comes to coordinating the reuse of materials, Gemini Terrain plays an important role. For example, by gaining control over the quantities and seeing what can be reused.
Sigurd Hegland Sognn&aelig;s is Quantity Surveyor Manager for Sotra Link with responsibility for all quantity surveying administration in the project. His focus is mostly on managing the subcontractors' quantities and since Gemini is the market leader and is the industry standard for many of the contractors, the choice of Gemini Terrain fell for the Sotra Link project was an obvious one.
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">- It is very important to us that the smaller contractors, with their specific environments and software, can participate in this project, which places a demand on us that we must be able to handle all the different formats used by various subcontractors. We get models and drawings from both Norwegian and foreign consultants, which must be added to a single platform, a platform that must be able to understand and handle all this data. That is why we have chosen Gemini, in order that we can achieve this in practice, says Sigurd Hegland Sognn&aelig;s. Thanks to Gemini Terrain, everyone in the project can stay up to date on the status of model revisions and receive accurate, up-to-date data at all times. You can also use 3D models to visualise the project.
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">- Another advantage of Gemini is that as an experienced user, I can already see how things will look in the end when the entire project is completed. We use well-established routines in Gemini to get a clear overview of the large data sets and to be able to implement the project over the five years.

<h2>Everything integrated on the same platform</h2>
There is a huge amount of data and information going through the software and one of the biggest challenges in the project is processing the data from different companies that use different software and platforms. One of the benefits that Sotra Link Construction sees with Gemini Terrainis that it can integrate everything into a single platform and generate stakeout data to meet existing construction requirements.
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">- Gemini has many and extensive options for importing and exporting different formats, which is very useful in large projects, says Juan Carlos Cubillo, Survey Manager at Sotra Link Construction.
He thinks that the biggest advantage of Gemini Terraincompared to similar software on the market is that there is a library of templates that can be used in different areas of the project. He also appreciates the direct connection to public platforms for the delivery and downloading of cartography and survey data.
Juan Carlos was familiar with Gemini Terrain before he started working on the Sotra Link project, but it is the first project he has worked on where Gemini Terrain is the reference platform. He thinks it was easy to learn and familiarise himself with the software thanks to the user manuals. Juan Carlos also appreciates the assistance from Volue's support.
- <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">That is one of Volue's strengths, they always respond quickly and provide personal support. It helps us deal with difficulties and problems as they arise so that we can quickly move on with the project.

Marcus Davidsson & Caroline Otterstad of Volue

<h2>A good working relationship</h2>
Marcus Davidsson, Account Executive at Volue, who is the account manager for FCC Construction and Sotra Link, emphasises the importance of being accessible to the user and having a good working relationship with Juan Carlos in the Sotra Link project. 
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">- Feedback and requests from the customer give us insight and understanding of their ongoing challenges and new trends in the market in a way that we otherwise would not get. We at Volue are very proud to be part of Norway's largest road project and together we are building the way to a better future, concludes Marcus.

A new road system with a total of 9.4 kilometres of four-lane motorway and a number of tunnels and suspension bridges is becoming a reality in Norway's largest road project to date - the mainland connection “Sotra Link” between Sotra and Bergen. As software for merging all drawings, quantities and other information from various subcontractors and partners in the project, Gemini Terrain+ was the obvious choice. 

A new road system with a total of 9.4 kilometres of four-lane motorway and a number of tunnels and suspension bridges is becoming a reality in Norway's largest road project to date - the mainland connection “Sotra Link” between Sotra and Bergen.  As software for merging all drawings, quantities and other information from various subcontractors and partners in the project, Gemini Terrain+ was the obvious choice. 

Gemini Terrain The Obvious Choice For Norway's Largest Ever Road Project

Sotra Link Customer Case

<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminus_(company)">Luminus</a>, the Belgian energy company, part of French energy conglomerate&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89lectricit%C3%A9_de_France" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EDF</a>, has implemented Volue software to further optimise production from its gas power plants in the Belgian reserve and spot markets.
&ldquo;Luminus&rsquo; gas power plants provide stability to the power system, thus enabling a strong influx of volatile, renewable energy sources,&rdquo; says Marco Boninella, Sales Manager and Solution Specialist at Volue.
The Volue power generation optimisation software enables Luminus to maximise the profits from its flexible resources.
&ldquo;The increase of renewables and decentralised production units makes the optimisation world more complex and volatile. Volue software has helped us build a user-friendly, agile, and value-adding optimisation toolset to increase the value of our assets and ensure market compliance,&rdquo; says Gregory Michiels, Corporate Director Optimisation at Luminus.
Following an evaluation, Luminus recently decided also to benefit from Volue market data and forecasts.
&ldquo;Volue's market data and forecasts will enable us to make better decisions, further optimising our portfolio,&rdquo; says Michiels.

Belgian green energy leader Luminus adds Volue market data and forecasts to power optimisation software as part of partnership.

Luminus Will Use More Volue Services as Part of Partnership

Luminus will Use More Volue Services

<a href="https://bransch.trafikverket.se/">Trafikverket</a>, the state-owned Swedish Transport Administration, is responsible for the long-term planning of rail, road, shipping and air traffic infrastructure, as well as for the construction and operation of state roads and railways.
Every day, the company conducts electricity trading &ndash; to keep its facilities running and to satisfy the needs of its railway companies. Its annual consumption of electricity is approx. 2 750 GWh, of which 2 230 GWh go to train operators and 520 GWh to facilities.
The company has long believed that travelling in Sweden should be &ldquo;smooth, green and safe". It has clear social and environmental responsibility that ensures that&nbsp;<a href="https://bransch.trafikverket.se/for-dig-i-branschen/teknik/elabonnemang-och-elhandel/elens-ursprung-och-miljopaverkan/">100% of the electricity</a>&nbsp;consumed comes from renewable electricity production.
But with electricity prices skyrocketing, cost efficiency is on everyone&rsquo;s mind.
<h2>Price hedging strategy</h2>
At Trafikverket, the strategic procurement of electricity is handled by an energy committee that includes representatives of the operators SJ, Green Cargo, Hector Rail, and others.
As a large energy consumer, Trafikverket and its customers rely on the power committee to guarantee stability and economic benefits for customers. To achieve this, the committee uses a price-hedging strategy.
Lars Johansson, Power Committee Chairman at Trafikverket, tells us that in today&rsquo;s extreme market situation, the long-term price hedging strategy works very well.
"Today, we clearly see the advantages of a price index hedging strategy to ensure a stable electricity price over time," he says.
Following this strategy, Trafikverket fixes the prices on the financial market on an ongoing basis. The goal is to reduce the price risk before the actual consumption takes place, while, at the same time, gradually hedging the price for future consumption of up to five years.
&ldquo;The consistent work the power committee has done is now paying off. They have secured the cost of electricity for the Swedish taxpayer in an unpredictable market. This is also a great way to show social responsibility,&rdquo; says Pelle Ekestubbe from Volue.
<h2>How they did it</h2>
Trafikverket is working with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.volue.com/energy-services">Volue Market Services</a>&nbsp;using the Risk Management and Advisory Services backed up by reliable power market analysis from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.volue.com/insight">Volue Insight</a>.
The transition taking place in the energy markets is complex with price risk and volatility expected to continue. Tactical decisions are becoming increasingly difficult. Therefore, price hedging using Volue's index model in combination with first-class advisory services is a reliable way to ensure low stable prices over time.

Navigating the power market is a complex exercise. Through cutting-edge technology, machine learning, algorithms and our highly competent team, our solutions optimise your assets and reduce risk in the financial and physical power markets. Being an independent and transparent partner, we bring the market value back to you.
We monitor market price developments and look for the best options for your portfolio, based on a hedging and risk strategy. You can allocate mandates to us or give orders to execute. We always act in your best interest. No conflict of interest and no hidden add-ons.

About Volue Energy Market Services

The Swedish Transport Administration, Trafikverket, uses a long-term price hedging strategy to secure the cost of electricity in an unpredictable market.

How the Swedish Transport Administration Benefits From a Long-Term Power Price Hedging Strategy

Trafikverket

With annual power production of 252 GWh, J&oslash;lstra Kraftverk became operational in 2021. During project development and construction, the emphasis was on efficiency and sustainability. Close to 7 km of tunnels were built in addition to roads, ditches, and flood defences.
With so much focus on sustainability and the need for digitalisation and automation of processes and machines in the construction industry, Volue customer Multiconsult used Gemini Terrain throughout the project.
Gemini Terrain has been a market leader for 30 years and has become a trusted industry standard. Today, our solutions are used extensively across the Nordics in challenging places such as J&oslash;lstra.

Jølstra Kraftverk

Throughout the planning and engineering stages of the project, Multiconsult worked fully digitally, streamlining and considerably increasing the quality of the work.
The project in J&oslash;lstra offered several exciting challenges for Multiconsult.
The company had to consider a vulnerable trout stock in J&oslash;lstravatnet. In addition, it had to safeguard the river J&oslash;lstra, which is very important to the local community and is used for rafting, among other things.
To protect the fish, Multiconsult built the intake for the power plant further down the river. At the same time, the dam of the power plant was built in a way that allows the rafting activities to slide right over it.
&ldquo;The environmental considerations have made this project very exciting. We also had great ambitions in relation to data flow and therefore planned and operated the project completely &lsquo;paperless&rsquo;,&rdquo; says Mats Breien Haugen, Project Manager at Multiconsult.
<h2>Effective mass calculations in Gemini Terrain</h2>
To work as efficiently as possible &ndash; internally as well as with the contractor and the client, Multiconsult used Volue&rsquo;s Gemini Terrain software.
Gemini Terrain was used for the design of the tunnels, roads, ditches, flood defences and finally, the mass calculation that was part of the scope of the project.
&ldquo;Gemini Terrain is particularly well suited for mass calculation and this is an advantage for both ourselves and the contractor. No other tool makes this process more efficient,&rdquo; says Haugen.
&ldquo;Our contractors use Gemini Terrain on a regular basis and are therefore familiar with the tool. When everyone uses Gemini Terrain, it&rsquo;s a clear advantage. The data flow and communication is improved, and we avoid misunderstandings.&rdquo;
<h2>Introduced digital collaboration platform for the first time</h2>
Multiconsult used Gemini Terrain&rsquo;s cloud-based functionality for the first time in this project and found that it facilitates information exchange, sharing and storing of data.
&ldquo;We have a common storage area for internal use to ensure that everyone works in the latest version of the model. Working with updated models means fewer errors and more efficient work. In addition, we have an area where we share models with the contractor. One great advantage is that everything is date-stamped. This way we avoid discussions about when things were delivered.&rdquo;
Mats Breien Haugen adds that Multiconsult has used the cloud-based functionality to interact with the contractor, for example, to download scan data. In turn, they used the data to further design the next phase of the project.
&ldquo;When the contractor blasts a mountain hall, it is very useful for us to see how this was done in practice. Our projected proposals can not always be followed to the letter. We can learn and improve this way,&rdquo; says Haugen.

<h2>More and more file formats working together</h2>
Volue constantly expands the possibilities for exchanging different models and adapting the number of file formats that Gemini Terrain handles. In particular, information and properties related to the various data sets have become even more important in connection with the assembly model. This has shown tangible results.
&ldquo;Gemini Terrain is very good at taking in different file formats. This makes it easy to get all our work from the project level into an insight model, even if we use different software for designing concrete and reinforcement. This is very convenient.&rdquo;
Since 2012 when the project started, Multiconsult has been in constant dialogue with Volue and Volue has consistently updated the software based on the requests made by Multiconsult.
&ldquo;On this fully digital project, we saw the need to be able to enter explanatory text in the 3D model. We now have functionality for this. This makes communication with the contractor much easier.&rdquo;

The construction of Jølstra Kraftverk, the 700 million NOK hydropower plant in the west of Norway, has taken over eight years. With the help of Volue’s construction software Gemini Terrain, Multiconsult delivered the project fully digitally.

Multiconsult's Jølstra Kraftverk: Fully Digital Planning and Engineering With Gemini Terrain

Multiconsult's Jølstra Kraftverk:

If an employee of&nbsp;<a href="https://elvrk.dk/">Elv&aelig;rk</a>&nbsp;&ndash; previously known as Thy-Mors Energi Elnet &ndash; wants to know something about a transformer station or a cable cabinet, they can drive out to the physical equipment &ndash; ​​or click a few times on a tablet or PC, where all available data is registered. The employee can virtually look into a replica of the exact cable cabinet.
&ldquo;We have just finished building a digital twin of the power grid we operate. It has been a huge task that is now crowned with victory. With the digital twin, we have gained control over our own system and can use data actively to optimise operation, maintenance, and new investments. Instead of making plans based on subjective feeling, we can make data-driven decisions,&rdquo; says Kristian Tilsted, Technical Manager at Elv&aelig;rk.
The digital twin functions as an almost exact copy of a particularly complicated reality. Over the past six years, a dedicated team at Elv&aelig;rk has enriched the company's existing GIS materials, so that it is now possible for those working at the head office and in the field to access important information about transformer stations, cables, cable cabinets, and other equipment.
Anyone with a valid task can get all available information with a few clicks, for example about an older transformer or a PEX cable with an up-to-date address.
&ldquo;The paper processes have been thrown away,&rdquo; says Kristian Tilsted.
He expects that Elv&aelig;rk will now save both time and money with digitalisation.
<h2>Considerable development underway</h2>
With this new tool, Elv&aelig;rk feels better equipped for a future of considerable growth. According to the company's power grid development plan, electricity consumption in the region may double by the end of the 2020s (after having been fairly stable for 30-40 years).
The power grid company receives more and more inquiries about the supply of energy for charging stations for electric cars. In addition, district heating plants are considering investing in large heat pumps and almost 4,000 households must scrap gas boilers in favor of district heating, small heat pumps, or pellet stoves. Entire industries plan to be electrified, and there are plans for Power-to-X at the port of Hanstholm.
&ldquo;As a power grid company, we cannot handle the doubling of electricity consumption with the equipment we have today. We will have to reinforce the power grid with transformer stations and cables where challenges arise. It is a requirement that we have to deliver the necessary electric grid capacity, and of course, we are happy to do that,&rdquo; says Kristian Tilsted.
<h2>Historical data should be history</h2>
Kristian Tilsted calls on the government and parliament in Denmark to change regulations for the power grid companies so that it becomes possible to invest in a future with doubled electricity consumption.
&ldquo;The future is unfolding before our eyes, so we must be able to invest based on expectations rather than on the basis of historical data. We must look after the interests of the population we serve, so we will not overinvest,&rdquo; promises Kristian Tilsted.
Active use of the digital twin will help Elv&aelig;rk run the power grid even more efficiently - thanks to systematic knowledge of the age and condition of individual components. Elv&aelig;rk can also use data from its customers' electricity meters and gain more knowledge about the load of the power grid. Equipment can thus be operated closer to its maximum capacity.
&ldquo;In the old days - not so long ago - customers had to call in with their consumption data once a year. Now we harvest neighborhood data ​​once a day. Data from the meters, together with data collected in various places in the network, is an important asset in relation to operating the network optimally,&rdquo; says Kristian Tilsted.
He expects that in 5-6 years the next generation of electricity meters will deliver data even closer to real-time.
<h2>Data must be set free</h2>
With the help of the digital twin, Elv&aelig;rk is now equipped to partner with external parties who are in the business of delivering services. The EU has decided that data in the utility business must be set free, and the Danish authorities together with, among others, Energinet and Green Power Denmark are figuring out how this can happen in practice with respect for citizens' privacy (GDPR) and with safeguards against cyber threats.
&ldquo;We are working towards being able to deliver an anonymized version of the data. It is important to remember that it is our data and that we must cover the cost of handing over this data,&rdquo; says Kristian Tilsted.
The process has already been kick-started.
<h2>All power grid companies in Europe must digitalise</h2>
Elv&aelig;rk has been working on its complicated digitalisation project for six years. A milestone has been reached, and it has brought the small North-West Jutland company on par with some of the biggest companies in Europe.
&ldquo;Some are ahead, others are behind,&rdquo; says Kristian Tilsted.
As a member of the board of EU's DSOs, he follows European developments closely. He has no doubt that even the slowest will have to digitalise their information.
&ldquo;We must have control over our assets. We must have control of the business. With digitalisation, we get completely different operating options, and it is important to be able to fulfil the requirements of the green transition,&rdquo; says Kristian Tilsted. This article was published by&nbsp;<a href="https://greenpowerdenmark.dk/nyheder/netselskab-bygger-naesten-tro-kopi-virkeligheden">Green Power Denmark</a>.
Volue is proud to have been part of the digitalisation journey of Elv&aelig;rk.

It has taken six years for Danish DSO Elværk to build a digital twin of its electricity network. Here is how digitalisation has transformed their business.

Elværk: The Small Danish Power Grid Company That Leads in Digitalisation

kristian-tilsted-netselskabet-elvaerk

The Small Danish Power Grid Company That Leads in Digitalisation

The bedrock at Katarinaberget in Slussen Stockholm, the home of the new bus terminal, is like swiss cheese filled with sensitive infrastructure.
This makes&nbsp;<a href="https://implenia.com/en/">Implenia&rsquo;s task</a>&nbsp;&ndash; to build a massive bus depot with waiting halls and interconnecting roads, including drilling and blasting of tunnels, various groundworks, and concrete works &ndash; genuinely challenging.
&rdquo;Due to the complexity of the bus terminal project, we searched for an alternative to our established software programmes. I remembered using&nbsp;<a href="https://www.volue.com/products-and-services/gemini-terrain">Gemini Terrain</a>&nbsp;while working on a project in Norway, where I appreciated the extended functionality it provided,&rdquo; says Implenia&rsquo;s Jens Kiener.

According to Kiener, visualisations, file format support and tunnel functionality embedded in the software provide more efficient work processes.
&rdquo;Simply put, in a project with so much existing infrastructure, we managed to gain control over the project.&rdquo;
&ldquo;There were several reasons why we decided on Gemini Terrain. Above all, it is the overall view of the project. The software allows us to import various types of information, file types, and visualise how they relate to each other. For example, it is very easy to compare machine control models and tunnel files with the originals provided by the client,&rdquo; explains Kiener.
Projects of this complexity depend on being handled as seamlessly as possible between offices, tunnel machinery and equipment in the field.
&ldquo;The export of tunnel files from Gemini Terrain directly to other applications, and the import of drill rig logs directly to Gemini Terrain, are two great features. Another neat feature is the way the dwg-export works, which allows me to export all the data that is shown on my screen, enabling easier communication with colleagues and clients,&rdquo; says Kiener.

Consultant for Implenia on the bus terminal project, Geometer M&auml;tningsteknik, also used Gemini Terrain, which has facilitated the collaboration process.
&ldquo;We have been able to effectively create and compare terrain models, calculate volumes and present our work in a very efficient manner,&rdquo; says Milos Ilic at Geometer M&auml;tningsteknik.
Based on the experience from the bus terminal project at Slussen Stockholm, Implenia knows exactly what to do on their next project.
&ldquo;We will continue to use Gemini Terrain as one of our tools on future projects,&rdquo; Jens Kiener concludes.

In the Swedish capital Stockholm, construction company Implenia is utilising Volue’s Gemini Terrain software to build a new bus terminal as part of the large national infrastructure project Slussen.

Stockholm’s New Bus Terminal Takes Shape With Volue Construction Software

Growth is a familiar state of mind for Stockholm-based&nbsp;<a href="https://www.schaktmiljo.se/">construction company Schaktmilj&ouml;</a>. The company has grown significantly, both in terms of revenue and the number of employees. This allows the company to bid on larger contracts.
&ldquo;Gemini Terrain enables us to calculate more tenders with a higher degree of precision, thus increasing competitiveness and facilitating growth,&rdquo; says Mikael Linder, Calculation Manager at Schaktmilj&ouml;.
For Schaktmilj&ouml;, what used to be simpler projects and calculations has been replaced with complex projects and calculations.
&ldquo;The acquisition of modern software was the natural step in this transition. In came Gemini Terrain,&rdquo; explains Linder.
Already 30 years on the market,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.volue.com/products-and-services/gemini-terrain">Gemini Terrain</a>&nbsp;is the modern way of working in infrastructure projects throughout Scandinavia.
Gemini Terrain has been developed in close collaboration with the construction industry and has contributed to defining industry standards. The software is used for mass calculation, documentation, engineering and planning mainly of projects within road, underground, excavation and water and sewage.
&ldquo;There are several advantages to Gemini Terrain. First of all, we rarely receive dwg-files in tenders. Thus, having the ability to use traditional pdf-files in Gemini Terrain is just terrific. Furthermore, the programme gives me an instant overview and understanding of whether the calculations are correct, as I build and view all layers on screen. I can easily share projects with my colleagues.&rdquo;
On-site use of Gemini Terrain also has many advantages.
&ldquo;The basis for our calculations, in particular geotechnical surveys, seldom match reality. Gemini Terrain helps us visualise for our customers the difference between tender documents and the real world. Based on documented measurements it is easy to produce and present the quantities that we will be paid for,&rdquo; says Linder.
Schaktmilj&ouml; has chosen to use two modules of Gemini Terrain to enable more advanced functions for excavation and pointcloud management.
&ldquo;The process of creating models of bedrock and terrain based on information in tenders, and then comparing them against our excavation plan, is really fast and easy. As part of the result, I can see quantities for bedrock above and below one meter and easily calculate quantities for sheet piling and deep foundation, which used to be challenging in the past.&rdquo;
For many tenders, we lack information on existing terrain. Back in the day, this caused a lot of uncertainty. Now we can use pointcloud scans from our drones, import them to Gemini Terrain, and greatly improve the quality of our calculations. After I am done with my calculations it is really convenient to export the results to comprehensive reports with a single click on the mouse,&rdquo; says Linder.
Going forward, he will continue to use Gemini Terrain.
&ldquo;It is hard to see a future without Gemini Terrain unless I should quit my current job and return to operating an excavator,&rdquo; Mikael Linder smiles.

When Stockholm-based construction company Schaktmiljö needed complex calculations for its complex projects, it turned to Volue’s Gemini Terrain construction software. Here’s why.

Gemini Terrain: Construction Software That Facilitates Growth

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 Volue, Moba Sweden and SkyMap Innovations will drive digitalisation in the construction and civil engineering industries. The collaboration will enable smart control of construction projects.
 Within their specific areas of activity, the three companies will deliver integrated solutions for increased control during the construction process.
 &ldquo;With this collaboration, we will deliver connected services that cover the entire construction process. This will provide new opportunities for contractors, project owners and clients,&rdquo; says Joakim Jansson, Sales Manager, Volue Infrastructure, Sweden.
 The collaboration is based on an integration of software and products that allow streamlining of data management from design through to execution via a seamless connection between office and workplace.
 From direct integration and efficient access to real-time information, entrepreneurs can increase productivity, and improve the security and data quality of their projects.
 The integration allows data to flow smoothly between the SkyMap Portal, Gemini Terrain and Xsite Manage through collection, design, review and customization. The design of the projects can be clearly visualized and coordinated. It offers opportunities to analyse, quantify and calculate costs.
 Measurement data or drone data become the basis for models that are transferred to the machine control systems and can document the work during the process, which can be automatically synced to the office. This results in proven higher quality and lower costs.
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 &ldquo;We at Moba Sweden see great opportunities with collaborations that increase the value for our customers and advance the development of the construction process of the future. Data management is part of becoming more efficient and of creating better data and documentation for our customers. Having an understanding of their projects and how they are carried out is a hugely important part of becoming more profitable. We want to collaborate with the sharpest companies in the market and the expertise SkyMap Innovations and Volue have together completed the supply chain,&rdquo; says Patrik Wallgren, CEO of&nbsp;<a href="https://mobasweden.com/">Moba Sweden</a>.
 &ldquo;At present, there are no others on the market that have succeeded in achieving this type of integration &ndash; an integration where all parties strive to create benefit and simplicity. By being first out, we also show that locking in customers in your own ecosystem is not forward-thinking. That was previously the goal of all suppliers,&rdquo; says Jon Bengtsson, Founder and CEO of&nbsp;<a href="https://skymap.se/">SkyMap Innovations</a>.
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The collaboration is seen as a step towards transforming how the construction and civil engineering industries function.

Volue, Moba Sweden and SkyMap Partner To Digitalise Construction and Civil Engineering

Moba Sweden

The 13 weather stations, installed as a service to Tr&oslash;ndelag county in Norway, were erected in places with harsh wind conditions where vessels normally need reliable information to manoeuvre in and out of port.

<h2>Reliable data for environmental monitoring</h2>
Weather data from the 13 stations is now available to the public through an app. It shows wind strength, the strength of gusts, wind direction and temperature.
"The more we experience extreme weather conditions around the world, the more we will need reliable data for environmental monitoring," says Marius Brenden, VP Sales at Volue&rsquo;s Industrial IoT.
Anyone who needs to check the weather conditions along the coast of Tr&oslash;ndelag can do so through the free Kystv&aelig;r app. By clicking on the map, the public can get information on wind and temperatures in the location of the weather stations.
Kystv&aelig;r is an application developed by Volue as a service for the Norwegian Coastal Administration. Users of the app can see wind measurements from over 120 wind measuring stations along the coast of Norway.
&ldquo;We are incredibly proud to deliver this 13-station increment, available now in Kystv&aelig;r. The service is widely used in Norway to plan safe sailing and other activities where information about wind conditions is critical,&rdquo; Marius Brenden says.
&ldquo;The service we provide to Tr&oslash;ndelag is an example of how Volue can generate and interpret data to successfully manage challenges to networks and infrastructure across the board​,&rdquo; he adds.

A custom Web API solution together with 13 weather stations with remote communication and data collection capabilities built and installed by Volue’s Industrial IoT team will increase traffic safety along the coast of Norway.

13 New Volue Weather Stations Increase Marine Traffic Safety in Norway

Weather Stations

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