Carlos Ruiz, Product Manager for Energy Management Visual MESA at KBC (A Yokogawa Company), is a highly accomplished chemical engineer with decades of experience spanning academia, research, and industrial applications. With a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and a rich background in advanced control, simulation, and optimization, he has led numerous international projects focused on real-time energy and process optimization across the chemical and petrochemical industries. As a professor and former director of the Chemical Engineering Applied Research Group in Argentina, Carlos has combined deep theoretical knowledge with hands-on expertise. He is all set to share his views on Real-Time, Model-Based Digital Twin solutions for energy and emissions management, highlighting how these technologies can enable continuous optimization, reduce energy consumption, and support decarbonization strategies within industrial operations.
He will share his views on how process plants must evolve to integrate both traditional and renewable energy vectors into their systems—optimizing production, distribution, and usage to reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The key lies in having real-time data on all energy options, which can fluctuate based on power prices, weather, and renewable availability. In large-scale oil and gas operations, where energy can account for up to 50% of operating expenses, even a 10% reduction in energy use can significantly boost margins. In a renewable-dominated landscape, managing energy variability requires storage strategies and real-time decision-making on when to store, use, or produce energy internally. Carlos emphasizes that such complex, fast-paced decisions demand a shift in traditional mindsets and can only be effectively managed through real-time, model-based digital twin solutions—enabling comprehensive optimization that far exceeds conventional methods.