The challenge of aging infrastructure poses severe risks to the energy and utilities sectors across the globe, further fueled by climate change. 

70% of transmission lines in the U.S. are over 25 years old and approaching the end of their typical 50–80-year lifecycle, according to the Department of Energy. The reliability of this grid ecosystem is increasingly put at risk by climate change and extreme weather events.

What does this mean for the energy and utilities sector and the general population in the U.S.? It means that without a clear path of action for rehabilitation, repair or replacement of assets, the country will eventually face risks of major outages, public safety hazards, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. 

Prioritizing Sustainable Asset Management Through Digital Excellence 

Leveraging digital solutions to streamline asset management is not a new concept for the energy and utilities sector. Many major players are heavily invested in digital solutions to drive operational excellence, optimize asset performance, and mitigate risks.  

But driving sustainable efforts to safeguard the longevity of assets while keeping them operational requires more than just piecemeal digital solutions. 

The increasingly vulnerable utilities ecosystem needs a resilient strategy that combines: 

• Effective platforms to facilitate inspections, predictive maintenance, and simulations  
• Digital engineering excellence to build customized, sustainable, scalable, and efficient solutions 
• Compliance with ever-evolving federal/global regulations, obligations, and programs 

An integrated approach to strategy can solidify utilities against intensifying asset management challenges amid the myriad threats of climate change, urbanization, and disruptive market forces. 

The Encora-Altair Partnership: Digital Engineering for a Sustainable Future 

Encora, a global digital engineering leader, joins forces with Altair, a global leader in computational intelligence, to pave the path to sustainable asset management for new-age energy and utilities enterprises focused on leaner and greener solutions.  

Encora brings in the right mix of integrated frameworks and subject matter expertise in digital engineering with tailored service offerings in DevOps, SecOps, AI/machine learning, data analytics, and cloud-native platforms. This expertise, coupled with a robust product portfolio from Altair, provides the right amalgam of end-to-end platform and service offerings that provide greater value for discerning energy and utility clients. 

"Within the dynamic landscape of infrastructure modernization, our alliance with Altair represents a pivotal move towards sustainable innovation. As leaders in digital excellence at Encora, our commitment to harnessing cloud advancements, data-centric approaches, and pioneering AI technologies integrates seamlessly with Altair's computational acumen, offering new possibilities for our energy and utilities partners,” said Rohit Nichani, president and chief growth officer, Encora. “Together, we're not merely updating assets; we're forging a future where sustainability and technological advancement converge to redefine industry norms.”

Altair’s diverse portfolio in computational solutions effectively complements Encora’s “engineering-first” mindset: 

• Altair® RapidMiner® – An advanced AI and machine learning platform to modernize data analytics 
• Digital Twin – Altair's digital twin platform enables simplified simulation with accelerated design, manufacturing, and improvement functionalities 

"Encora's dedication to harnessing cutting-edge digital solutions aligns seamlessly with Altair's commitment to innovation and sustainability. Together, we're not only addressing the challenges of aging infrastructure but also pioneering a path toward a greener, more resilient future for the energy and utilities sector," said Piush Patel, senior vice president of strategic relationships, Altair. 

Encora’s cloud-first, data-first, and AI-first approach seamlessly complements Altair’s advanced solutions for complex infrastructural environments. With steadfast commitment to sustainability and modernization, this partnership is committed to becoming a pioneer in the increasingly complex landscape of aging infrastructure.