SAMSUNG E&A's vision for a sustainable future

In an exclusive interview with ADIPEC News, Hong Namkoong, President & CEO of SAMSUNG E&A, outlines the company’s pivotal role in the global energy transition

How do you see your company expediting the role of AI and machine learning as part of the global energy transition?

SAMSUNG E&A plays a crucial role in the global energy transition by integrating AI and machine learning to enhance energy efficiency and productivity, especially in industrial plant design and construction. AI’s rapid evolution enables us to optimise operations, even though it demands significant energy. However, the productivity gains achieved through AI outweigh the energy cost by reducing construction schedules and operational inefficiencies.

We are both energy consumers and contributors to energy efficiency, working not just on optimising existing plants but ensuring energy-efficient designs for new projects. One of our key strategies involves off-site manufacturing for large plant constructions. By shifting construction to controlled environments, we significantly reduce energy consumption, improve timelines, and limit the environmental impact at on-site locations.

Overall, higher productivity, enabled by AI, leads to significant energy savings and lower emissions, benefiting both our clients and the broader energy transition effort.

What technology and services will the company spotlight at ADIPEC in this edition?

SAMSUNG E&A will highlight its commitment to sustainable solutions showcasing innovations to accelerate decarbonisation. This year, the company rebranded to SAMSUNG E&A to reflect the evolving business landscape and growth opportunities in the energy transition era.

Our AHEAD execution model, based on the Engineering Data Platform (EDP), integrates intelligence and automation across all EPC phases, with Design AHEAD, Build AHEAD, and Integrate AHEAD leading the way. We will also present our Future Map, which introduces the E&Able strategy, a sustainable model for future growth. ‘E&Able’ is a compound word created that ‘SAMSUNG E&A ‘with their technology ‘is “Able” to develop future businesses. Key innovations like Modularisation and Eco Complex City will also be featured.

Introducing the E to M (Electron to Molecules) Value Chain, we illustrate the complete process from decarbonisation and electrolysis to fuel and product production. Our safety brand S.A.Y (Safety Around You) and the HSE Platform 4S (Smart Site Safety Solution) will emphasize safety and advanced features like Smart AI CCTV, Smart Safety Harness, Smart Air Vest, Smart Patrol Robot, and Smart Confined Space Monitoring, ensuring the highest standards of workplace safety will be highlighted.

What role does ADIPEC play in advancing progress to decarbonisation and a clean energy ecosystem?

ADIPEC 2024 serves as a significant platform for driving the global energy transition by bringing together industry leaders to discuss AI, finance, and sustainable practices.

This year’s conference will focus on the AI-energy nexus, exploring how AI can transform the sector to meet decarbonisation goals more efficiently. SAMSUNG E&A sees this as an opportunity to collaborate with partners and leverage cutting-edge digitalisation strategies to accelerate progress toward a clean energy ecosystem.

Can you highlight the successful projects and innovations relating to the energy transition journey that your company has executed since the previous ADIPEC?

Since the last ADIPEC, SAMSUNG E&A has made significant strides in the energy transition, hosting the ‘Shepherd CCS Summit 2024’ in Korea to discuss the future of Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS), essential for meeting National Determined Contributions (NDCs).

We also organised the E&Able Tech Forum to showcase our technology solutions and roadmaps for achieving net zero while exploring new business opportunities.

We are developing new engineering platforms from an engineer’s perspective, like our EDP, and enhancing existing programmes that manage quantities, schedules, and risks. We are using AI technology to integrate our systems for greater platform connectivity. Further, we focused on innovation to reduce site work and tackle construction areas with the most volatility, focusing on underground and aboveground works, modularisation, and energisation.

How do you view the importance and direction of AI and digitalisation in making a low-carbon world a reality, sooner?

AI and digitalisation are essential in accelerating the transition to a low-carbon world. By combining AI’s predictive capabilities with human judgment, we achieve better outcomes, and training engineers to work with AI is critical. At SAMSUNG E&A, we’ve made significant advancements through automation and AI, particularly in data collection and construction processes.

Our EDP enhances collaboration among all engineering disciplines, allowing for seamless updates and corrections through AI support. This leads to greater efficiency in the design stage. In the execution stage, our Smart Piping Shop integrates design data with AI, where robots handle the work, improving both quality and productivity.

These innovations not only boost efficiency but also help reduce energy consumption. AI and automation will help us find more sustainable solutions, reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions. AI is thus becoming a key driver in improving quality, productivity, and environmental outcomes in the plant industry.