Blogs

• Digitization and low-carbonization are a match made in heaven. Only when enterprises realize digitalization can low-carbon have a solid data foundation
• Siemens is committed to building a complete carbon footprint ecological network, based on the innovative technology represented by blockchain to connect suppliers, customers, certification agencies, etc. to share carbon data safely and conveniently

On November 24, Hu Jianjun, vice president and chief network and information security officer of Siemens (China) Co., Ltd., and Li Yongli, general manager of Siemens Industrial automation Products (Chengdu) Co., Ltd. “Technology is promising to create a win-win green and low-carbon industrial ecology” live broadcast sharing event, sharing topics such as how Siemens deploys carbon neutrality, how to combine digitalization with low-carbonization, and how to use blockchain to build a credible carbon footprint ecological network .

The following is the compilation of live sharing record:

Siemens’ practice ideas:

“One Point One Bar Dual Drive”

“One point, one bar, double drive” refers to the low-carbonization of industries as the fulcrum, low-carbon industrialization as a lever, and the two-wheel drive of digitalization and low-carbonization.

“One point”: take industrial low-carbonization as the fulcrum, and realize low-carbonization in the whole life cycle from product design, product manufacturing, business operation and other aspects. The energy saving and cost reduction brought about by low-carbonization, the improvement of quality and efficiency, and the brand effect among the customer base will help enterprises enhance their competitiveness. In the face of opportunities and challenges, the way to deal with them lies in overall planning, long-term and short-term integration, key breakthroughs, starting from the areas with the highest input-output ratio, such as carbon reduction of core emission sources, key green products, and carbon-neutral roadmaps for key factories Or green supply chain and so on. Furthermore, enterprises can establish a comprehensive carbon management system from point to surface, and carry out accounting, analysis, monitoring and optimization of carbon footprint in the whole life cycle from design, production to operation and maintenance, so as to truly integrate green genes into the development strategy .

“One lever”: use low-carbon industrialization as a lever to leverage the entire industrial chain. Low-carbon industrialization means that enterprises use their own technologies and experience in carbon reduction to empower more ecological partners to reduce carbon together.

Digitalization and low-carbonization are a match made in heaven. Only when enterprises realize digitalization can low-carbonization have a solid data foundation. Digital technology is a sharp tool to find out the carbon “property”, which can realize the credible actuarial calculation and traceability of the carbon footprint of products and organizations. Carbon data is the cornerstone to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality. Carbon neutrality requires authentic, accurate and dynamic carbon footprint data. Siemens has found through statistics that more than 90% of carbon emissions from industrial products are generated in the supply chain process. Therefore, in order to obtain an accurate calculation of the carbon footprint of the entire product, it needs to go through the entire production process and the supply chain, including spare parts manufacturers, upstream of spare parts manufacturers, and so on. Siemens’ innovative solution, SiGREEN, combines innovative technologies such as digital twins, blockchain, industrial edge computing, and energy management, as well as digital expertise and experience in the field of manufacturing, to accurately quantify the carbon footprint of products and organizations throughout the entire supply chain. This solution has been successfully implemented in Siemens Chengdu Digital Factory.

At the same time, relying on digital twin technology can realize the digital simulation of the whole life cycle of products from design to manufacturing, so as to accurately obtain carbon emission information. Digital twin is one of the most potential ways to apply and try various carbon reduction solutions in carbon reduction simulation scenarios to measure their effects. The thriving digital platform can effectively connect all forces, drive synergies between upstream and downstream enterprises, and accelerate the process of industrial low-carbonization and low-carbon industrialization.

Siemens Chengdu Digital Factory

Siemens Chengdu Digital Factory was put into operation in 2013. As an efficient example of the effective combination of digitalization and low-carbonization, Siemens Chengdu Digital Factory actively implements the “Zero Carbon Pioneer Plan”, using digitalization and automation technologies to continuously improve the energy efficiency of the manufacturing process, and realize Energy saving and emission reduction in the manufacturing process. At present, using the blockchain trusted mechanism, Siemens Chengdu Digital Chemical Factory can obtain relevant carbon emission data of materials and products from designated suppliers, significantly improving the transparency of carbon footprints, and providing a reliable basis for enterprises to further tap carbon reduction potential. Siemens Chengdu Digital Chemical Factory has obtained the “Carbon Neutrality Achievement Verification Statement” issued by TÜV SÜD, which means that it has successfully passed the “Carbon Neutrality Achievement” certification and has become a carbon neutral factory.

How to accurately calculate the real and credible carbon footprint?

Relying on technologies such as industrial edge computing and energy management, and through integration with IT and OT systems, Siemens automatically collects smart meter information, energy consumption information, spare parts and other information, and through data modeling and big data calculations, finally Form the carbon emission information of a single product. At the same time, combined with digital twin technology, the supply chain, raw and auxiliary material transportation, the entire manufacturing process, and public and auxiliary facilities are digitally simulated to realize the visualization of carbon emissions. In the Industry 4.0 production line, Siemens realizes make-to-order production/flexible production. Different models and types of products are produced on the production line. SiGREEN can accurately track the carbon emission information of a single product in each link, and then summarize it into a complete carbon emission data . After the complete information collection of each link is completed, the corresponding carbon label can be affixed, as shown in the following figure:

Blockchain empowers carbon footprint trusted network

The blockchain distributed ledger technology can realize safe and convenient data sharing in an open ecology, and ensure that data sharing and use will not be easily tampered with, which provides technical support for building a trusted carbon footprint network. We need to build a point-to-point data interaction throughout the supply chain. The requester initiates a carbon emission data request to the responder. In this process, an authenticator is introduced to verify and ensure that the carbon emission data communicated in the trusted network. It is authentic and reliable, and can be verified by verifiable credentials.

In the future, Siemens is committed to building a complete carbon footprint ecological network, based on innovative technologies represented by blockchain, connecting suppliers, customers, certification agencies, etc. to share carbon data safely and conveniently. For example, Siemens and the Institute of Information and Communications Technology have carried out strategic cooperation to realize the integration of the “Spark Chain Network” and the Siemens industrial blockchain through the docking of the “Spark Chain Network” main chain service, and jointly build and maintain the “Spark Chain Network (International)-Siemens Industrial Zone Blockchain” and will provide a credible digital cornerstone for corporate carbon data, corporate digital identity, etc. based on this chain. This year marks the first anniversary of Siemens’ “Zero Carbon Pioneer Plan”. Siemens hopes to rely on platforms such as SiGREEN to strengthen digital innovation and co-creation, comprehensively link open and credible green and low-carbon ecology, and jointly release the greatest carbon reduction potential to create a win-win situation A green and low-carbon future.