How did you start your company?
My partner, Malcolm Evans and I started the company together in 2020. We are both ex mining industry, myself commercial running mines around the world and Malcolm is a chartered electrical engineer running high voltage power networks on mines and at renewable power assets
We started providing electrical advice to mines who are installing solar power. Specifically about how they need to change their electrical networks to accept renewable power vs the traditional power sources from the grid or diesel generators. Problem was no one was able to give us the data we needed to help them. They simply did not have access to that data.
So we designed a solution that allows us to extract data without having to install lots of hardware and without having to visit site – we then developed a cloud based platform where we turn that data into what we call actionable information. Its all very well having lots of data, what we do is distil the data to what the client needs to see at the time they need to see it.
What are you working on at the moment?
We just completed a full installation at six sites and are in the process of analysing how to improve their power quality. Power quality is important as it determins how efficiently a power network is operating. All high voltage power networks need careful management to maximise efficiency, reduce costs and lower Co2. That’s what Data can do
On the back of this initial success we are doing a series A fundraise raise while working with new clients.
What do you like about the Harwell Innovation Centre?
Primarily I love Michelle and Tracey. Other than that we are surrounded by innovation and enthusiasm with the companies in the Innovation centre and we are really well supported by the various government agencies that support the Centre.
I never thought I would say this but I also love the Goat Curry from Dish.
What projects/ambitions do you have for the future of your company?
So many, its what gets me out of bed so early in the morning. I want VoltVision to be the go to digitisation product for existing high and medium voltage power networks. From here we can really contribute to the industrial drive to net zero.
We are also about to start work on an exciting project with Strathclyde University to further develop our ability to see when clients equipment is going wrong. We can do it now but with the amazing team from Strathclyde I we are going to further develop the ability to categorise early stage faults, this is basically AI for industrial equipment.
