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.
Telvent’s sustainability-oriented solutions
Telvent’s sustainability-oriented solutions are divided into three main areas:
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.
Competency and Product Centers
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:
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.
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:
Smart management of energy grids
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.
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:
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:
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:
Oil and gas ducts management
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:
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:
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:
Pemex control center
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).
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:
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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 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:
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: