How Air Liquide is using artificial intelligence to achieve a decarbonized future

Lucy Chen, Manager, R&D, Computing and Data Science, Air Liquide

Air Liquide has long integrated sustainability into its strategy through its contribution to environmental, social and governance (ESG) actions and commitments across the organization. Sustainability is indeed firmly embedded in our ADVANCE strategic plan as a concrete commitment and catalyst for value creation for the company and for our customers and patients. We are committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 through two main intermediate steps: reducing CO2 emissions in absolute terms by 2025, and then reducing CO2 emissions by 33% by 2035 compared to 2020 levels. In this article, we will show you how digitalization supports Air Liquide’s sustainability goals and becomes a real driver for it to become a champion of climate solutions for industry and transport. Analysis by Accenture in partnership with the World Economic Forum shows that digital technologies, if spread across industries, could achieve 20% of the emissions reductions needed to achieve the International Energy Agency’s net-zero emissions trajectory by 2050 in the energy, materials and transport sectors. At Air Liquide, we have fully seized the opportunity and embarked on an innovative quest to achieve decarbonization using technology and innovation as our guiding stars. To achieve our goal of reducing our carbon footprint, we are focusing on three main areas. First, improve operational excellence and energy efficiency. The core of Air Liquide’s sustainable transformation is the intelligent use of big data analysis. Air Liquide is revolutionizing industrial operations through its Smart Innovative Operations (SIO) program, which provides real-time control of its equipment through a network of eight remote centers. This innovative approach harnesses the power of artificial intelligence, which today remains an enabler, a “companion” that helps Air Liquide teams make fast, informed decisions to ensure optimal energy efficiency and plant reliability. By monitoring 210 production units around the world, SIO has not only improved performance but also significantly reduced resource consumption and emissions, marking a leap forward in sustainable industrial practices. Air Liquide’s SIO Center leverages the synergy of big data analytics and human expertise to fine-tune the production process of interconnected units to seamlessly meet customer needs. These centers use cutting-edge data analytics and predictive maintenance technology to improve the efficiency of our natural gas production plants. The precision of operational adjustments not only improves factory performance but also improves energy utilization, reflecting the complex combination of intelligence and efficiency in industrial production. In the Americas, Air Liquide will invest more than C$200 million to build a low-carbon gas production center in Becancourt, Quebec, which will add a 20-megawatt PEM electrolyser to the existing one, the largest in the world. New air separation unit. Renewable gas, with expanded storage and dedicated pipeline network. Artificial intelligence plays a powerful ally in operational forecasting and optimization, using machine learning to predict demand and adjust production to increase efficiency and reduce waste. Secondly, Air Liquide considers logistics as a key area of ​​decarbonization operations. Its fleet travels approximately 590 million kilometers per year, which has great potential for reducing emissions. To address this challenge, Air Liquide launched its Integrated Bulk Operations (IBO) program in 2020 to integrate artificial intelligence into the core of its supply chain digitalization efforts.

“At Air Liquide, we have seized the opportunity and embarked on an innovative quest to use technology and innovation as our guiding stars to decarbonize our practices”

The IBO program incorporates a suite of advanced tools that revolutionizes traditional delivery models. By connecting storage tanks at customer sites, the program can predict natural gas replenishment needs and coordinate with a network of artificial intelligence-optimized delivery trucks. This connectivity enables precise forecasting and route optimization, managed by a team of drivers and dispatchers equipped with artificial intelligence tools designed to select the most efficient delivery routes and supply points. The result is streamlined processes that not only provide customers with better service reliability, but also significantly reduce the logistics carbon footprint. Air Liquide’s strategic goal is to reduce the global emissions of its fleet by 10% annually by 2025. Air Liquide has moved towards a more sustainable and efficient future. Third, Air Liquide’s proactive environmental strategy permeates every aspect of its operations, with a focus on sustainable infrastructure and prudent use of technology. According to a report by ADEME (the French Environment and Energy Management Agency), the digital industry accounts for 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, so it is very important to step up efforts to reduce IT footprints. An example of this effort is the educational campaign carried out by Air Liquide to raise employee awareness of good habits to reduce environmental impact. It aims to measure and reduce the impact of IT on the environment. As you can see, at Air Liquide it is not just progressive measures but also everyday actions that add up to significant environmental benefits. In another example, Air Liquide has turned to cloud computing solutions, working with service providers such as Google Workspace, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Business Intelligence, all of which are committed to reducing carbon emissions in their operations. We also promote responsible digital practices among our employees to demonstrate our commitment, such as recycling 3,000 computers in 2021. Our initiatives reflect our commitment to practical, impactful environmental stewardship in the digital environment in which we operate. In summary, Air Liquide is integrating data and artificial intelligence into its operations, paving the way for more sustainable industrial processes that benefit our operations, customers and society more broadly.