“By benchmarking performance and applying AI at scale, customers can optimize resource use, reduce downtime, and meet sustainability goals holistically. It’s not just about saving energy at one site—it’s about system-wide transformation.” Varun Sugandhi, Head – Digital Services, Thermax Limited
How critical is AI in driving the energy transition and enabling sustainable manufacturing at scale?
AI is a game-changer. Manufacturing generates massive volumes of data—AI can turn this into real-time, actionable, and prescriptive insights to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. Instead of relying on static rules, AI learns from both historical and live data, enabling smarter, predictive decision-making.
That said, scaling AI adoption isn’t without hurdles—data silos, skills gaps, and governance need attention. But with climate goals now a global priority, AI is fast becoming an essential lever for manufacturers to meet net-zero targets while building more resilient operations.
Beyond optimizing individual assets, what’s the bigger vision behind Thermax’s ‘Connected Digital Plants’?
Thermax’s mission has always centered on clean energy, air and water. Through EDGE Live, we are extending that vision by digitally connecting plants across geographies. This creates a unified data ecosystem—one that uncovers inefficiencies across the value chain, not just at isolated points. By benchmarking performance and applying AI at scale, customers can optimize resource use, reduce downtime, and meet sustainability goals holistically. It’s not just about saving energy at one site—it’s about system-wide transformation.
“What sets it apart is Thermax’s deep know-how as both OEM and O&M service provider. This experience is baked into the platform—understanding not just the data, but the cause-and-effect relationship behind it.”
How does EDGE Live use AI and domain expertise to deliver insights that go beyond what traditional systems can offer?
Traditional monitoring systems are rule-bound. EDGE Live, on the other hand, continuously learns from operational patterns to detect anomalies and recommend optimizations in real time.
What sets it apart is Thermax’s deep know-how as both OEM and O&M service provider. This experience is baked into the platform—understanding not just the data, but the cause-and-effect relationship behind it. For example, our models help improve combustion by fine-tuning air-to-fuel ratios, recover more heat in economizers, and enhance turbine efficiency by learning from load and steam conditions.
Can you share specific examples where EDGE Live has delivered measurable impact for customers?Absolutely. Here are a few standouts:
Fertilizer Industry – 106 MW Generation Unit: At a large-scale fertilizer plant, our platform enabled a remarkable 55-hour increase in equipment uptime and achieved a heat rate improvement of 21 kCal/kWh. This translated into an annual reduction of over 921 tonnes of CO₂ emissions and cost savings exceeding ₹1 crore.
Food Processing Industry – 15 MW Generation Unit: For a leading food industry client, we enhanced asset performance of the turbine, boiler, and ESP systems. These improvements prevented over 80 hours of unplanned downtime with additional annual savings of ₹50 lakhs.
Cement Industry – 81 MW Generation Unit: At a cement manufacturing plant, our platform identified excess steam wastage in the generation cycle. With support from Thermax domain experts, the customer implemented a damp steam line valve to reuse the steam, leading to annual savings of 195 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
“Whether it’s reducing emissions, conserving water, or improving uptime—EDGE Live helps organizations hit both operational and sustainability targets. It’s a smart, scalable tool for any industry serious about the energy transition.”
EDGE Live is supported by Thermax’s service ecosystem. How does this enhance customer value?
EDGE Live isn’t just a platform—it’s a service-backed solution. We have 5 dedicated Operations Centres staffed with subject matter experts who collaborate with customers to drive performance. This “human-in-the-loop” model ensures AI insights are contextualized, and actions are followed through using our robust aftermarket field network. It’s a full-stack approach to delivering outcomes.
How does EDGE Live ensure data security, especially when connecting multiple assets and sites?Security is foundational. EDGE Live connects securely to industrial assets, using encrypted transmission, role-based access, and security monitoring. We comply with industry standards like ISA 95 and SOC 2. Personal data is excluded, and all data is anonymized and protected through multi-layered security protocols. The platform is cloud-enabled, allowing safe, remote access via dashboards—with zero compromise on data confidentiality or integrity.
Which industries stand to gain the most from EDGE Live?
Industries with high energy use and operational complexity benefit most. We are seeing strong traction in Power, Chemicals, Pharma, Cement, Metals, Food & Beverages, and Textiles. Whether it’s reducing emissions, conserving water, or improving uptime—EDGE Live helps organizations hit both operational and sustainability targets. It’s a smart, scalable tool for any industry serious about the energy transition.
