From Grid to Growth: How Expert-Driven RPA is Shaping the Future of Energy and Utilities

In Japan’s FANUC robotics factory, rows of automated machines efficiently carry out repetitive tasks that humans once performed. Remarkably, the factory can run autonomously for up to 30 days without human supervision.

Hirotec Manufacturing eliminated manual inspection time to 100% by integrating cloud technologies, IoT, and small servers on the factory floor.

The Siemens plant in Germany offers online monitoring capabilities for machine tools distributed worldwide.

These examples of smart manufacturing are just the beginning.

In an industry where “keeping the lights on” is challenging, managing essential services like power, water, gas, and telecommunications is complex and critical. These sectors are customer-centric but often burdened by time-consuming, error-prone tasks. When one part of this system falters, the impact ripples through daily life and economic stability.

As Robotic Process Automation (RPA) advances, the concept of “lights out” production is rapidly gaining traction. In this model, RPA handles manufacturing and operational tasks with minimal human involvement, driving greater efficiency, cutting costs, and dramatically reducing errors.

What is Robotic Process Automation?

RPA is a software technology designed to automate routine tasks by programming “bots” to emulate human actions. These bots can handle activities such as launching and closing applications, completing forms, and extracting information from documents. In the energy sector, RPA bots streamline operations by automating transaction processes, enhancing customer service, and minimizing errors. These bots run around the clock, 365 days a year, ensuring uninterrupted and efficient operations.

According to the latest research, RPA investments in the energy and utility industry will reach around $470 million by 2027.

4 trends that are accelerating Energy and Utilities organizations to embrace Robotic Process Automation

1. Decentralization of Energy Grids
   The shift towards decentralized grids transforms energy production, bringing it closer to the point of consumption. This approach reduces transmission and distribution costs and aligns with the growing need to integrate renewable energy sources into the grid, challenging the long-standing norm of centralized energy production.
2. Integrating Renewable Energy
   As renewable energy’s potential continues to expand, optimizing its integration into existing frameworks becomes essential. This involves connecting renewable sources to smart grids, ensuring efficient and reliable energy distribution while meeting sustainability goals.
3. Advancements in Grid Modernization
   The focus now shifts to the next generation of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), which boasts faster processors, increased memory, modular communication capabilities, and longer-lasting batteries, setting the stage for a more intelligent and responsive grid.
4. The Rise of Electric Vehicles (EVs)
   As electric vehicles gain popularity, utilities are intensifying their efforts to accommodate the surge in EV adoption. The anticipated increase in EV charging will require careful planning and the development of robust programs to support this growing demand, ensuring the grid can handle the additional load efficiently.

These trends drive organizations to integrate, reengineer, and optimize their processes through RPA. Achieving these high standards necessitates a partner with specialized expertise to address the complexities of RPA adoption. Cigniti steps in here, providing the insights and solutions needed to leverage the power of RPA in this evolving landscape.

Why Cigniti?

Cigniti’s RPA Center of Excellence (CoE) brings extensive experience in RPA implementation, backed by proven methodologies, processes, and frameworks to establish a centralized RPA function. We begin your RPA journey by helping you define a strategic approach, starting with identifying and prioritizing processes ideal for automation. Once we optimize productivity and streamline full-time equivalent (FTE) resources, we map a detailed roadmap for automation rollout across your organization. Our expertise in bot development is central to this process, as we design and build RPA bots using AI, ML, and cognitive services tailored to automate the selected processes.

As your automation program matures and the number of RPA bots in production increases, ongoing support and monitoring becomes essential. Cigniti’s RPA experts manage workflow orchestration, governance, and validation rollouts, while our skilled team ensures continuous operation of your automation solutions. We specialize in leading RPA tools such as UiPath, Automation Anywhere, Leapwork, Jiffy.ai, and Nintex, providing robust L1 and L2 support models. This ensures that large-scale bot operations are continuously monitored, maintained, and optimized to keep your RPA systems running efficiently.

Dive deeper into these insights by exploring our exclusive white paper on RPA.

How a Global Organization Transformed Operations and Reaped Benefits Through Cigniti’s RPA Expertise

A US-based wireless communication infrastructure provider faced a compliance challenge with FCC RF emissions regulations for small cell sites. An internal audit revealed that only a few sites had the necessary Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) signs, prompting the need for a solution. The CIO sought Cigniti as a partner to ensure proper signage across all sites to meet regulatory requirements effectively.

Key Benefits Delivered

Learn more about the detailed success story here.

Need help? Contact our Robotic Process Automation experts to learn more about the strategic advantages of effective master data management.