AES Looking for Drones and Robotics Solutions to Improve the Safety and Availability of Its Plants
The Company Announces Open Innovation Contest For Unmanned Inspections in Extreme Heat, Improving Safety and
Helping Solve $1B Problem for the Global Electric Utility Industry
The AES Corporation (NYSE:AES) today announced the advancement of its efforts to lead transformation in the
energy industry with an open innovation contest targeted at improving the safety and increasing availability of power plants
through unmanned inspections in extreme heat.
Andrés Gluski, AES President and CEO, said, “AES takes our mission of improving lives seriously and recognizes that today’s
energy solutions must evolve to meet tomorrow’s needs. Engaging and collaborating with great thinkers outside our company and
industry allows us to extend our internal innovation capabilities to create the best solutions for the future.”
AES has a history of innovation in the industry, starting with the company’s founding as one of the U.S.’s first independent
power producers and continuing through today as the world’s leading provider of energy storage solutions through its Advancion®
product and leading user of drone-based applications in the electricity sector. The company remains committed to its efforts to
turn ideas into real solutions by focusing on three areas that impact its ability to improve lives: developing a clean, unbreakable
grid; creating a safer, smarter workplace; and considering the full energy value chain when seeking solutions to meet the
challenges of growing communities and economies around the world.
To further its efforts to create a safer, smarter workplace, AES is launching an Open Innovation Contest in partnership with
NineSigma, a company with extensive external resources and connections to accelerate innovation.
It is estimated that more than 20,000 MW of generation capacity is offline globally at all times due in part to outage-related
inspections, reducing the ability of electric grids to absorb variable renewable sources like wind and solar. These outages
represent $1B in lost power capacity, nearly the energy consumption in the state of Virginia every year. Electricity generation can
require extreme heat conditions. When a system failure occurs that halts electricity generation and we need to inspect and repair
equipment, we must wait until temperatures reach a sufficiently low level for someone with personal protective equipment to enter
the confined space safely to inspect and repair the equipment. It not only can be hazardous work, but also increases the time it
takes the company to begin generating electricity again.
AES is looking for innovative unmanned technologies to conduct inspection work that can resist extreme heat and keep our people
safe while improving energy availability by getting plants back online more quickly. Responses and potential solutions are being
requested from other companies, consultants, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs or inventors. Three winners will be recognized and
rewarded at AES’ global Innovation Congress in July 2017 held at its Corporate Headquarters in the Washington, D.C. metro area. The
company is accepting proposals through February 28, 2017.
For more information about the contest, please go to www.aes.com. #beattheheat
About AES
The AES Corporation (NYSE:AES) is a Fortune 200 global power company. We provide affordable, sustainable energy to 17 countries
through our diverse portfolio of distribution businesses as well as thermal and renewable generation facilities. Our workforce of
21,000 people is committed to operational excellence and meeting the world’s changing power needs. Our 2015 revenues were $15
billion and we own and manage $37 billion in total assets. To learn more, please visit www.aes.com. Follow AES on Twitter @TheAESCorp.
About NineSigma
NineSigma connects organizations with external innovation resources to accelerate innovation in private, public and social
sectors. NineSigma has the largest open global network of solution providers and an extensive database of existing solutions
spanning numerous industries and technical disciplines. In 2015, the company was again named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest
growing private companies in America. Learn more at www.ninesigma.com or www.ninesights.com.
The AES Corporation
Investors:
Ahmed Pasha, 703-682-6451
or
Media:
Vincent Sipowicz, 703-682-6476
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