Energy

Connected Workers: How Digital Transformation is Shaping Industry’s Future

Published

3 years ago

July 28, 2020

Katie Jones

digital transformation graphic

Connected Workers: Shaping the Future of Industry

Digital transformation has upended businesses on a global scale, and no industry is immune from its powerful effects.

New technologies and enhancing customer experience are key drivers for companies investing in digital transformation, but the most important reason for prioritizing this shift is that it will allow them to leverage entirely new opportunities for growth.

However, with the speed of digital transformation accelerating at a furious pace, companies need to quickly adapt their working environment to keep up. This graphic from mCloud unearths the origins of the connected worker, and explores the potential applications of connected devices across industries.

The Rise of the Connected Worker

The mass adoption of smart devices has sparked a new wave of remote work. This type of working arrangement is estimated to inject $441 billion into the global economy every year, and save 2.5 million metric tonnes of CO2 by 2029—the equivalent of 1,280 flights between New York and London.

However, flexible or remote working looks different depending on the industry. For example, in the context of business services such as engineering or manufacturing, employees who carry out different tasks remotely using digital technologies are known as connected workers.

The term is not a one-size-fits-all, as there are many different types of connected workers with different roles, such as operators, field workers, engineers, and even executives. But regardless of an individual’s title, every connected worker plays a crucial role in achieving digital transformation.

Real Time Data, Real Time Benefits

When workers are connected to assets in real time, they can make better, more informed decisions—ultimately becoming a more efficient workforce overall. As a result, industries could unlock a wealth of benefits, such as:

Reducing human error
Increasing productivity
Reducing dangerous incidents
Saving time and money
Monitoring assets 24/7

While connected workers can enhance the potential of industries, the tools they use to achieve these benefits are crucial to their success.

Connected Worker Technologies

A connected device has the ability to connect with other devices and systems through the internet. The connected worker device market is set for rapid growth over the next two decades, reaching $4.3 billion by 2039. Industries such as oil and gas, chemical production, and construction lead the way in the adoption of connected worker technologies, which include:

Platforms: Hardware or software that uses artificial intelligence and data to allow engineers to create bespoke applications and control manufacturing processes remotely.
Interfaces: Technologies such as 3D digital twins enable peer-to-peer information sharing. They also create an immersive reflection of surroundings that would have otherwise been inaccessible by workers, such as wind turbine blades.
Smart sensors and IoT devices: Sensors that monitor assets provide a more holistic overview of industrial processes in real time and prevent dangerous incidents.
Cloud and edge computing: Using the cloud allows workers to communicate with each other and manage shared data more efficiently.

Over time, connected devices are getting smarter and expanding their capabilities. Moreover, devices such as wearables are becoming more discreet than ever, and can even be embedded into personal protective equipment to gather data while remaining unobtrusive.

Real World Applications

With seemingly endless potential, these devices have the ability to provide game changing solutions to ongoing challenges across dozens of industries.

Building Maintenance and Management
Facility managers can access real time information and connect with maintenance workers on site to resolve issues quickly. Building personnel can also access documentation and remote help through connected technologies.
Task Management
Operators in industrial settings such as mining can control activities in remote locations. They can also enable field personnel to connect with experts in other locations.
Communications Platform
Cloud-based communication platforms can provide healthcare practitioners with a tool to connect with the patient, the patient’s family and emergency care personnel.

By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and analytics, connected workers can continue to revolutionize businesses and industries across the globe.

Towards a More Connected Future

As companies navigate the challenges of COVID-19, implementing connected worker technologies and creating a data-driven work environment may quickly become an increasingly important priority.

Not only is digital transformation important for leveraging new growth opportunities to scale, it may be crucial for determining the future of certain businesses and industries.

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Energy

Visualizing the Uranium Mining Industry in 3 Charts

These visuals highlight the uranium mining industry and its output, as well as the trajectory of nuclear energy from 1960 to today.

Creator Program

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2023

Pallavi Rao

When uranium was discovered in 1789 by Martin Heinrich Klaproth, it’s likely the German chemist didn’t know how important the element would become to human life.

Used minimally in glazing and ceramics, uranium was originally mined as a byproduct of producing radium until the late 1930s. However, the discovery of nuclear fission, and the potential promise of nuclear power, changed everything.

What’s the current state of the uranium mining industry? This series of charts from Truman Du highlights production and the use of uranium using 2021 data from the World Nuclear Association (WNA) and Our World in Data.

Who are the Biggest Uranium Miners in the World?

Most of the world’s biggest uranium suppliers are based in countries with the largest uranium deposits, like Australia, Kazakhstan, and Canada.

The largest of these companies is Kazatomprom, a Kazakhstani state-owned company that produced 25% of the world’s new uranium supply in 2021.

A donut chart showing the biggest uranium mining companies and the percentage they contribute to the world's supply of uranium.

As seen in the above chart, 94% of the roughly 48,000 tonnes of uranium mined globally in 2021 came from just 13 companies.

Rank	Company	2021 Uranium Production (tonnes)	Percent of Total
1	🇰🇿 Kazatomprom	11,858	25%
2	🇫🇷 Orano	4,541	9%
3	🇷🇺 Uranium One	4,514	9%
4	🇨🇦 Cameco	4,397	9%
5	🇨🇳 CGN	4,112	9%
6	🇺🇿 Navoi Mining	3,500	7%
7	🇨🇳 CNNC	3,562	7%
8	🇷🇺 ARMZ	2,635	5%
9	🇦🇺 General Atomics/Quasar	2,241	5%
10	🇦🇺 BHP	1,922	4%
11	🇬🇧 Energy Asia	900	2%
12	🇳🇪 Sopamin	809	2%
13	🇺🇦 VostGok	455	1%
14	Other	2,886	6%
Total		48,332	100%

France’s Orano, another state-owned company, was the world’s second largest producer of uranium at 4,541 tonnes.

Companies rounding out the top five all had similar uranium production numbers to Orano, each contributing around 9% of the global total. Those include Uranium One from Russia, Cameco from Canada, and CGN in China.

Where are the Largest Uranium Mines Found?

The majority of uranium deposits around the world are found in 16 countries with Australia, Kazakhstan, and Canada accounting for for nearly 40% of recoverable uranium reserves.

But having large reserves doesn’t necessarily translate to uranium production numbers. For example, though Australia has the biggest single deposit of uranium (Olympic Dam) and the largest reserves overall, the country ranks fourth in uranium supplied, coming in at 9%.

Here are the top 10 uranium mines in the world, accounting for 53% of the world’s supply.

A map of the largest mines and countries that undertake uranium mining.

Of the largest mines in the world, four are found in Kazakhstan. Altogether, uranium mined in Kazakhstan accounted for 45% of the world’s uranium supply in 2021.

Uranium Mine	Country	Main Owner	2021 Production
Cigar Lake	🇨🇦 Canada	Cameco/Orano	4,693t
Inkai 1-3	🇰🇿 Kazakhstan	Kazaktomprom/Cameco	3,449t
Husab	🇳🇦 Namibia	Swakop Uranium (CGN)	3,309t
Karatau (Budenovskoye 2)	🇰🇿 Kazakhstan	Uranium One/Kazatomprom	2,561t
Rössing	🇳🇦 Namibia	CNNC	2,444t
Four Mile	🇦🇺 Australia	Quasar	2,241t
SOMAIR	🇳🇪 Niger	Orano	1,996t
Olympic Dam	🇦🇺 Australia	BHP Billiton	1,922t
Central Mynkuduk	🇰🇿 Kazakhstan	Ortalyk	1,579t
Kharasan 1	🇰🇿 Kazakhstan	Kazatomprom/Uranium One	1,579t

Namibia, which has two of the five largest uranium mines in operation, is the second largest supplier of uranium by country, at 12%, followed by Canada at 10%.

Interestingly, the owners of these mines are not necessarily local. For example, France’s Orano operates mines in Canada and Niger. Russia’s Uranium One operates mines in Kazakhstan, the U.S., and Tanzania. China’s CGN owns mines in Namibia.

And despite the African continent holding a sizable amount of uranium reserves, no African company placed in the top 10 biggest companies by production. Sopamin from Niger was the highest ranked at #12 with 809 tonnes mined.

Uranium Mining and Nuclear Energy

Uranium mining has changed drastically since the first few nuclear power plants came online in the 1950s.

For 30 years, uranium production grew steadily due to both increasing demand for nuclear energy and expanding nuclear arsenals, eventually peaking at 69,692 tonnes mined in 1980 at the height of the Cold War.

Nuclear energy production (measured in terawatt-hours) also rose consistently until the 21st century, peaking in 2001 when it contributed nearly 7% to the world’s energy supply. But in the years following, it started to drop and flatline.

A chart plotting the total nuclear energy produced since 1950 and the percentage it contributes to the world's energy supply.

By 2021, nuclear energy had fallen to 4.3% of global energy production. Several nuclear accidents—Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and Fukushima—contributed to turning sentiment against nuclear energy.

Year	Nuclear Energy Production	% of Total Energy
1965	72 TWh	0.2%
1966	98 TWh	0.2%
1967	116 TWh	0.2%
1968	148 TWh	0.3%
1969	175 TWh	0.3%
1970	224 TWh	0.4%
1971	311 TWh	0.5%
1972	432 TWh	0.7%
1973	579 TWh	0.9%
1974	756 TWh	1.1%
1975	1,049 TWh	1.6%
1976	1,228 TWh	1.7%
1977	1,528 TWh	2.1%
1978	1,776 TWh	2.3%
1979	1,847 TWh	2.4%
1980	2,020 TWh	2.6%
1981	2,386 TWh	3.1%
1982	2,588 TWh	3.4%
1983	2,933 TWh	3.7%
1984	3,560 TWh	4.3%
1985	4,225 TWh	5%
1986	4,525 TWh	5.3%
1987	4,922 TWh	5.5%
1988	5,366 TWh	5.8%
1989	5,519 TWh	5.8%
1990	5,676 TWh	5.9%
1991	5,948 TWh	6.2%
1992	5,993 TWh	6.2%
1993	6,199 TWh	6.4%
1994	6,316 TWh	6.4%
1995	6,590 TWh	6.5%
1996	6,829 TWh	6.6%
1997	6,782 TWh	6.5%
1998	6,899 TWh	6.5%
1999	7,162 TWh	6.7%
2000	7,323 TWh	6.6%
2001	7,481 TWh	6.7%
2002	7,552 TWh	6.6%
2003	7,351 TWh	6.2%
2004	7,636 TWh	6.2%
2005	7,608 TWh	6%
2006	7,654 TWh	5.8%
2007	7,452 TWh	5.5%
2008	7,382 TWh	5.4%
2009	7,233 TWh	5.4%
2010	7,374 TWh	5.2%
2011	7,022 TWh	4.9%
2012	6,501 TWh	4.4%
2013	6,513 TWh	4.4%
2014	6,607 TWh	4.4%
2015	6,656 TWh	4.4%
2016	6,715 TWh	4.3%
2017	6,735 TWh	4.3%
2018	6,856 TWh	4.2%
2019	7,073 TWh	4.3%
2020	6,789 TWh	4.3%
2021	7,031 TWh	4.3%

More recently, a return to nuclear energy has gained some support as countries push for transitions to cleaner energy, since nuclear power generates no direct carbon emissions.

What’s Next for Nuclear Energy?

Nuclear remains one of the least harmful sources of energy, and some countries are pursuing advancements in nuclear tech to fight climate change.

Small, modular nuclear reactors are one of the current proposed solutions to both bring down costs and reduce construction time of nuclear power plants. The benefits include smaller capital investments and location flexibility by trading off energy generation capacity.

With countries having to deal with aging nuclear reactors and climate change at the same time, replacements need to be considered. Will they come in the form of new nuclear power and uranium mining, or alternative sources of energy?