An Action Research Study on the Digital Transformation of Concentrated Solar Thermal Plants

Abstract

The fourth industrial revolution (I4.0) marks the beginning of a new data-based age in which people, machines, products, and facilities are interconnected to realize smart factories. However, in practice many industrial facilities still rely on conventional automation pyramid system infrastructures according to the third industrial revolution (I3.0) paradigm. To bridge the gap between scientific progress, technological advances, and practical application, this study conducts action research in a concentrated solar thermal (CST) power plant. The goal is to demonstrate the digital transformation of an existing industrial plant into a cyber-physical system according to the principles of I4.0. Thus, the study covers the entire development lifecycle, starting with a requirements specification, followed by design, and ending with the realization and evaluation of the infrastructure in a real-life scenario. As a result, we generate theory from practice and generalize the learnings as a blueprint for the digital transformation of other CST plants and comparable industrial environments.