How Do You Feel About Hosting Your Air Emissions Data in the Cloud?

Being connected has become integral to daily life.  Go out in public on any given day and it is clear we all are connected to our devices. We have computers, smart phones, tablets and watches that manage our music, caloric intake, steps we take, miles we drive, relationships and pretty much all aspects of daily life.  Each click, follow, link we engage creates a data footprint that registers somewhere out in the digital universe.  Storing this data locally has all but disappeared replaced by the ever present, yet often misunderstood “cloud”. 

In the simplest terms, cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs over the Internet instead of your computer's hard drive. In order to implement a cloud solution, you need some basic tools to connect your data source or device to the Internet.  All you need is a router and a secure connection that has access to the Internet.  Access can be a hardwire Ethernet, through WiFi or cellular connection. Connection to the cloud storage needs to be secure, reliable and accessible. Turn on any new WiFi enable device, click through some prompts and boom you are connected.

We casually accepted this shift in technology in our social world with little or no resistance. Technology made it so easy that it doesn’t even require a conscious thought to join in. Somewhat amazing on one level and incredibly scary on another.  Either way, it is an accepted way of modern life but the questions that remain are; How does this fit into my working world? Am I to embrace the same entity that stores and manages my music collection to my proprietary data in my workplace?  Does it improve efficiencies?  Does it improve the quality of my work life?  Does one answer fit every challenge? 

All good questions, great food for thought and way too broad a discussion for this blog. Let’s break it down into specifics and look at this challenge strictly from data collection for emission monitoring reporting perspective.  We will look at two perspectives: feasibility and practicality.

The feasibility argument is an easy one to settle.  The technology to allow any facility to collect, manage, store and report their stack emissions data using the cloud exists and is available for use, today.  This is easy to accomplish through either secure network connections or edge devices (fancy name for a router) that use WiFi or cellular technology. Figure I illustrates one possible configuration, with multiple devices connecting to the cloud-server through one edge device. Once in the cloud it is accessible to PCs, laptops and mobile devices. Easy-peasy. The data from devices can be connected directly over a network or managed though a central collector/controller.  Figure I shows Modbus over TCP/IP as the communication protocol between devices, but other means are available based on the device type and plant comms infrastructure (topic for another blog).  Availability of technology is not the issue.  Practicality in risk assessment environments is where the real sticking point resides.

Figure I: Device connectivity to cloud-server

Data Acquisition Systems (DAS) from companies like VIM Technologies, Inc. have already implemented cloud-based solutions, like in the drawing, in a non-compliance application marketplace. The most common application is software systems supporting facility-wide air compressor infrastructure.   In this application massive amounts of compressor data are tracked, collected and reported to assist facility managers in maintaining their air systems more efficiently.  It satisfies an energy management directive that reduces cost and downtime for industrial applications requiring high pressure, on-demand air supplies.  This solution model works and can be applied to any application where data collection and reporting is needed.

So, if this works so well in any application that can provide access why isn’t it widely acceptable for air emissions data? Because, air compliance solutions are largely rooted in a follow the herd mentality.  The majority drives change not early adopters. Old school in this case works so if it ain’t broke then don’t fix it.  There is no need to be innovative beyond what is the acceptable standard.

To be clear, some people may very well use cloud-based technologies for this application.  The vast majority however seems to be resistant to the notion of removing their on-site servers in favor of an off-site solution. The reasons vary by end user but the prevailing arguments against are as follows, in no particular order of importance:

1.       Our interpretation of the USEPA Regulations regarding source level air emissions is that there can only be one certified database per facility or process and that database must reside at the facility. Certainly this was the old truth but there are many working cases that challenge this notion.

2.       I trust the cloud to keep my playlists secure but not my emissions data. The cloud isn’t secure enough for this application.

3.       This is facility sensitive data that we don’t want floating around on the Internet. Compliance data is a measure of our operating risk that we don’t want exposed to the world wide web or our competition.

4.       Our data is generated on a process network which is isolated from the business network and more importantly the Internet. We have strict firewall and data transfer policies in our facility that would prevent edge devices to get to the needed data.

5.       Our facility has a strict Internet lockdown policy. It would never be allowed.

In my opinion these arguments against using data management advances that improve workflow are weak but that doesn’t make them any less valid.  Just because the technology is there doesn’t automatically mean that we need to go running to the next big thing.  Air compliance is serious business and any facility that voices concerns that deviate from the proven norm are valid and should be respected. To advance the technology ball for this application we need more peer reviews, case studies, education and demonstrated proof it works reliably.

Personally, I feel the available cloud server solutions are secure, protected and robust enough to handle this application. That said, it is just an opinion not a directive. Changes in how we manage air emissions has always been a slow process because the stakes are so high when it comes to reporting to the regulators.  Manufacturing facilities can’t operate if their demonstration of compliance is compromised. The purpose of today’s blog is to create awareness not to punch holes in arguments for or against new technology. Just brain fodder to start a conversation. 

Thanks for reading today, if nothing else I hope this gave you the opportunity to challenge your thoughts about air emissions data collection and reporting.  If you would like a deeper discussion or wish to know more about cloud-based solutions give us a call or send us an email.

Have a great day.