Manege Business Programme. Theme: Technology and Data as the Foundation of Leadership

September 26, 2024
09:00-10:15

Manege, –2nd floor, conference hall B

Technology and Data as the Foundation of Leadership

Will Robots Replace Humans?

The Russian Federation has set the goal of becoming a top 25 country in terms of robot density by 2030. In the fuel and energy industry, robots are already successfully performing complex and dangerous jobs, such as inspecting explosive areas, detecting leaks, working underwater, as well as welding and cleaning industrial facilities. However, the incorporation of robotic solutions into the fuel and energy sector remains at a low level, although it has enormous growth potential. In the future, large-scale robotization will affect the oil, gas, coal, and electric power industries that comprise the country’s fuel and energy industry. Yet, the active introduction of robotic technologies in the fuel and energy industry raises questions about the future of human labour in these industries. The target benchmarks and long-term priorities need to be clearly defined, taking into account the current geopolitical situation and the goals related to achieving technological sovereignty. Is there a risk of robotization causing job losses? What regulatory and technical barriers to robotization in the fuel and energy sector exist in Russia? What government support measures are needed to accelerate robotization in the fuel and energy industry? How can we get technology startups as well as small and medium-sized businesses involved in solving the problem of creating robotic solutions?

Moderator:
Eduard Sheremetsev — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

Speakers:
Vladimir Vorkachev — Director for Digital Transformation and Information Technology, Raspadskaya
Stanislav Korchivoy — Deputy Head, Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision
Dmitry Kyrnaev — Head of Digital Transformation Department, Zarubezhneft
Alexander Lopota — Director, Chief Designer, The Russian State Scientific Center for Robotics and Technical Cybernetics
Alisa Melnikova — Director of Digital and Information Technology, SIBUR
Oleg Tretyak — Head of the Digital Transformation Department, Gazprom Neft

September 26, 2024
11:00-12:15

Manege, –2nd floor, conference hall C

Technology and Data as the Foundation of Leadership

The Dawn of the ‘Ash and Slag’ Century: Technological Sovereignty

Over the past five years, the proportion of ash and slag from thermal power plants involved in the stream of commerce in Russia has doubled and currently accounts for about 30% of the total amount generated annually. Russia has set the target of utilizing 50% of ash and slag by 2035. Achieving this target is inextricably linked with the development of technologies to utilize and process ash and slag, as well as system to store and ship them. Technological growth, the development of human capital, an effective regulatory system, and the creation of extensive scientific infrastructure will make it possible to build an entire ecosystem that can utilize secondary energy raw materials. It is crucial to ensure the sustainable development and operation of this new economic sector that is being created, which is dependent on Russia achieving technological sovereignty in the use of secondary energy and industrial raw materials. Ash and slag are actively used in road construction, land reclamation, and the production of building materials. This makes it possible to replace natural resources, which is particularly important in regions that have a shortage of high-quality non-metallic materials (sand, crushed stone, and gravel). How can we ensure the technological sovereignty as well as the stable and economically efficient operation of the secondary energy resource utilization industry? What is the best way to build chains of scientific and industrial cooperation with friendly countries? How can we ensure a balance between the government’s goals in ash and slag utilization and the demands of related industry markets? How should projects be provided with long and cheap loans for technological sovereignty?

Moderator:
Vadim Kovalev — Deputy Chairman of the Commission on Economics and Labor Relations, Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation

Speakers:
Maksim Ermakov — Minister of Industry and Trade of the Krasnoyarsk Territory
Irina Zolotova — General Director, National Association of Secondary Material Application
Igor Kobzev — Governor of Irkutsk Region
Vladimir Kolmogorov — General Director, En+
Alexander Lunev — Director of the Competence Center "Use of Secondary Material Resources in the Construction Industry", SibADI
Andrey Maximov — Head of the Department of Electric Power Development, Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation
Wen Peng — Chairman, SRON Silo Engineering (online)
Andrey Yatskin — First Deputy Speaker, Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Olga Golub — Head of Resource Saving Methodology Department, Environmental Industrial Policy Centre
Anton Zubkov — Deputy General Director for Strategy and New Businesses, Rosatom Smart Solutions; Executive Director, Digital Energy Association
Petr Sankov — Director of Sales of Ash and Slag Materials, Siberian Generating Company
Meng Zhang — Technical Director, Xenan Xing’an New Building Materials Co., Ltd (online)
Igor Shelukhin — Director of Operational Efficiency and Strategic Projects, Unipro

September 26, 2024
11:00-12:15

Manege, –2nd floor, conference hall A

Technology and Data as the Foundation of Leadership

Testing Grounds for Artificial Intelligence

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are expected to be introduced in order to achieve digital maturity in key sectors of the economy by 2030. Global trends in the development of such technologies show that they can be effectively applied, including for the creation of digital twins, in many sectors of the economy, which also includes the fuel and energy sector. One example of this is the successful use of AI and cloud computing of big data arrays to optimize operations in geological exploration, drilling, and oil production. However, the oil and gas industry and other sectors of the fuel and energy industry have restrictions on the testing of AI technologies at production facilities, such as technical and regulatory barriers to the introduction of AI solutions, the need for business continuity, and the lack of the ability to conduct testing on operating equipment. These limitations could be mitigated by creating an inter-industry site that can test AI in real conditions. How can we determine whether a technology can be used at an existing fuel and energy facility, and how can we assess the risks involved? What is the ideal and optimal scenario for integrating advanced technologies into the fuel and energy industry, and which ones should be introduced? If an AI testing ground is created, what principle should be used to admit projects to it? How scalable is the practice of setting up AI testing grounds?

Moderator:
Eduard Sheremetsev — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

Speakers:
Vladimir Voloshin — Director of the Digital Economy Development Department, Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation (online)
Ilshat Karamov — Director, TatITneft
Stanislav Korchivoy — Deputy Head, Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision
Maxim Kuznetsov — Director of Strategic Development and Partnerships, AIRI – Artificial Intelligence Research Institute
Nenad Popovic — Minister Without Portfolio, Government of the Republic of Serbia
Olga Rassokha — Head of Project Group, TVEL
Alexey Shpilman — Professor, ITMO National Research University

September 27, 2024
10:00-11:15

Manege, –2nd floor, conference hall C

Technology and Data as the Foundation of Leadership

Improving Efficiency in Technology

The modern Russian fuel and energy industry needs to improve its own efficiency to meet the growing demand for energy resources. The main goals for achieving this are to introduce innovative technologies, maintain the reliability and safety of energy systems, and optimize production processes. Achieving technological leadership is becoming an essential condition for the sustainable development of the industry and ensuring the country’s energy security. Addressing these challenges requires the development and introduction of advanced technical solutions and the active integration of advanced technologies into the production process, such as AI technologies. How can we stimulate the development of innovations that could significantly improve the efficiency of the fuel and energy industry? What are the main obstacles to the introduction of advanced technologies in the energy sector and how can we overcome them? Which domestic technologies are being successfully incorporated into the Russian energy sector, and what are the prospects for their scaling? How crucial is international cooperation for the technological development of the Russian energy sector?

Moderator:
Oleg Zhdaneev — Advisor General Director – Head of Import Substitution in Oil and Energy Complex Competence Center, Russian Energy Agency of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation

Speakers:
Yakov Ginzburg — General Director, Irkutsk Oil Company (INK)
Andrey Zarenin — Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation
Dmitry Livanov — Rector, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (National Research University)
Anton Maximov — Director, Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis named after A.V. Topchiev of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Viktor Martynov — Rector, National University of Oil and Gas "Gubkin University" (Gubkin University)
Alexander Frolov — Deputy General Director for Technical Policy and Engineering, T Plus
Vasily Shpak — Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation

Front row participant:
Petr Bobylev — Director of the Coal Industry Department, Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation

September 27, 2024
14:15-15:30

Manege, –2nd floor, conference hall A

Technology and Data as the Foundation of Leadership

Development of Information Technologies in the Energy Sector

In partnership with RusHydro

As the domestic information technologies market develops and the import substitution policy for software and electronic products is implemented, energy companies are dealing with the need to increase IT costs. In the current realities, energy companies also face the risk of ensuring that the hardware and software systems that are replacing imports are compatible with foreign energy equipment and installations that are still in operation, which can only function using foreign-made software that is adapted through bench testing in factory conditions and several years of operating experience. How should import substitution measures be included in the investment programme? Where can we find additional sources of funding for IT import substitution programmes? What are the general principles and rules for the creation of trusted hardware and software systems? Is a price/quality balance possible for software? How can we ensure that IT costs make up a reasonable amount of the total expenses of energy companies? What are the optimal approaches to calculating the economic efficiency of IT projects prior to their implementation? What decisions need to be made to ensure that import-substituting software is compatible with foreign equipment that is already in operation? Would it be advisable to fully switch to import-substituting equipment before the end of the life cycle of energy equipment and installations? How can we meet the deadlines and possible transition plans?

Moderator:
Alexander Charikov — Deputy General Director, RusHydro

Speakers:
Pavel Gontarev — Managing Director, VK Digital Technologies
Mikhail Ermolaev — General Director, Greenatom
Anton Zubkov — Executive Director, Digital Energy Association
Konstantin Kravchenko — Deputy General Director for Digital Transformation, Rosseti
Stanislav Terentyev — Director of Digital Transformation, System Operator of the United Power System
Alexander Frolov — Deputy General Director for Technical Policy and Engineering, T Plus
Eduard Sheremetsev — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

Manege Business Programme. Technology and Data as the Foundation of Leadership

Will Robots Replace Humans?

The Dawn of the ‘Ash and Slag’ Century: Technological Sovereignty

Testing Grounds for Artificial Intelligence

Improving Efficiency in Technology

Development of Information Technologies in the Energy Sector