Cisco has signed a deal with Italian natural gas infrastructure company Snam to research and develop solutions in the smart energy and industrial internet-of-things (IoT) space, making use of 5G, edge and fog computing, and artificial intelligence (AI).
The deal, in the form of a memorandum of understanding between the two, is part of Snam’s digital transformation strategy, which will see its invest €850 million by 2022. It wants to build an “energy company of the future”, which is “more digital, sustainable, and closer to local communities”, it said.
Cisco and Snam said they will create “innovative IoT solutions for industrial networks”, and provide training for workers and students to prepare for the careers in industry programming and digital development.
Specifically, they are looking to develop sensors to optimise the energy infrastructure, solutions for fog and edge computing, and new connectivity systems to make energy networks more intelligent and efficient.
They said this will generate positive impact for communities, allowing for the potential creation of new services related to the circular economy, environmental sustainability and safety. They will promote digital development courses for both professionals and schools, with a particular focus on data science, AI, and robotics.
Chuck Robbins, chief executive of Cisco, said: “Snam has a strong tradition of using technology to create a positive impact within the communities in which it operates. Cisco is proud to work in partnership to enable its digital transformation, supporting the company in making its energy network increasingly sustainable, using cutting-edge technologies, IoT, 5G and artificial intelligence.”
Marco Alverà, chief executive of Snam, said: “Our goal is to seize the opportunities offered by new technologies to drive the energy transition, making our network increasingly intelligent, through IoT systems, machine learning and the use of drones, satellites and sensors to optimise infrastructure monitoring and management.”
