Digital Twins Preparing Communities and Businesses for the Future

• August 27, 2024
• admin

Digital twins have the potential to be the next big step in the development of the digitized society. A digital twin is a digital copy of something real, and the technology is used to visualize data, make simulations, and monitor what is being mirrored. The benefits are clear to municipalities, property owners and companies.

“For us in Värmdö municipality, we see great potential and many benefits of a digital twin. It is both about internal business benefits, for example through better knowledge base, but also about benefits for our citizens. For example, we can provide information about available parking spaces in commuter parking spaces in real time, which can reduce traffic seeking and frustration when looking for vacancies,” says Jenny Andersson, Head of Strategic Community Planning in Värmdö Municipality.

Improved sewage systems – An example of the use of digital twins

One area where digital twins will soon create great benefit is in sewage systems. Sweden is at the forefront, but its wastewater treatment plants are facing major challenges with ageing infrastructure, stricter treatment requirements and climate change, which significantly increases the need for investment.

“The digital twins we are talking about for wastewater treatment plants are process models that are connected in (near) real time to constantly reflect what is happening in the real process. When these models are combined with forecast models for incoming flows and substances in wastewater, it is possible to plan and prepare for future events in process control. This means that you can move from reactive control of processes to more proactive decision-making. In addition, simulation of scenarios enables you to be ready for what might happen in the event of a malfunction or emergency maintenance. All in all, this has the potential to lead to more robust processes, more efficient facilities and lower operating costs,” says Christoffer Wärff, PhD student in the Digital Twins initiative for sustainable and resource-efficient operation of wastewater treatment plants.

Together with Nordvästra Skånes Vatten och Avlopp, Lund University and Gemit Solutions, RISE is working to realize a digital twin for Öresundsverket in Helsingborg. The goal is to develop a generic method for the implementation of digital twins at wastewater treatment plants, including process simulation and validation of real-time data. This, in turn, can be transferred to other process industries that need clean water.

Within the work, a literature study has recently been published that goes through various important components and methods for digital twins at wastewater treatment plants.

Access to Data – An Important Puzzle Bit

RISE coordinates the national hub for digital twins, where many actors participate with expertise, development and knowledge. RISE’s broad knowledge in digitalisation, AI and urban planning is a natural part of the platform.

“In the digital twins of the future, by creating complex scenarios, we will be able to study how our planning decisions affect everything from people’s health, energy use and travel habits to how well our environments withstand crises and risks. This is an exciting and important project for urban planning in Sweden,” says Jenny Carlstedt, Project Manager for Architecture and Urban Planning at RISE.

An important part of the development of digital twins is access to data, which is not always easy to coordinate in municipalities and cities,” says Anton Gustavsson, senior researcher at RISE.

“Digital twins are very much about creating a whole, especially when it comes to urban construction where many different actors have to work together. There are good examples, such as Hammarby Sjöstad, where we really managed to get everyone to work together. But often people work in silos as new areas or residential areas develop. Here, digital twins can support the process when different departments within the municipality need to collaborate, including data managers, investigators and decision makers. Digital twins can also produce key metrics that are important for municipalities or policy makers, such as energy consumption in a building or the frequency of use of premises and parking spaces,” he says.

Read more about digital twins and how your organisation can benefit from RISE’s knowledge.

Image: Unsplash ©